January 18, 1803 - Jefferson Requests Funding for Lewis and Clark Expedition
President Thomas Jefferson asks Congress for funding for exploration of the territory west of the United States. In a written communication to Congress, Jefferson declares that an expedition "fit for the enterprise, and willing to undertake it. . .might explore the whole line, even to the Western Ocean." In May 1804, the Lewis and Clark expedition will depart west from Camp Dubois, near St. Louis.
Related resources:
- Transcript: Jefferson's Secret Message to Congress (Library of Congress)
- Lewis and Clark: A Timeline of the Trip (PBS.org)
