Dramatic Changes

President Thomas Jefferson was eager to know what lay west of the Mississippi River. So, he asked captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to lead the Corps of Discovery to explore the Louisiana Purchase in 1804. Two years later, the Corps returned. As it approached Missouri, it met adventurous men heading in the opposite direction.

The expedition’s reports describing a land that was filled with beavers and other animals had spread. In fact, Corps member John Colter requested an early discharge. He wanted to serve as a guide for two fur trappers heading into the wilderness. Colter ended up exploring and trapping for