The Story of Lewis and Clark Book 1: Up the Missouri River
Historical (nonfiction) 1,978 words, Level Y (Grade 5), Lexile 980L
In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson asked his private secretary, Meriwether Lewis, to lead an expedition to find the Northwest Passage. Jefferson, along with countless others, believed this undiscovered waterway would provide an ideal trading route by connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This book examines the reasons for the expedition, the preparations Lewis and his friend William Clark made for the trip, and the early part of the expedition. The adventure of Lewis and Clark is continued in The Story of Lewis and Clark Book 2: To the Pacific Ocean.
