Meriwether Lewis

author

Meriwether Lewis

1774–1809

Best known for co-leading the Lewis and Clark Expedition, he helped map a vast stretch of North America for the young United States. Soldier, explorer, and public official, he remains one of the most compelling figures of the early republic.

3 Audiobooks

The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806

The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806

by Meriwether Lewis, William Clark

History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, Vol. 1. To the Sources of the Missouri, Thence Across the Rocky Mountains and Down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed During the Years 1804-5-6.

History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, Vol. 1. To the Sources of the Missouri, Thence Across the Rocky Mountains and Down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed During the Years 1804-5-6.

by Meriwether Lewis, William Clark

History of the Expedition Under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, Vol. 2. To the Sources of the Missouri, Thence Across the Rocky Mountains and Down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed During the Years 1804-5-6.

History of the Expedition Under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, Vol. 2. To the Sources of the Missouri, Thence Across the Rocky Mountains and Down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed During the Years 1804-5-6.

by Meriwether Lewis, William Clark

About the author

Born in Virginia in 1774, Meriwether Lewis grew up with a strong interest in the outdoors and later served in the army. His abilities brought him to the attention of Thomas Jefferson, who chose him as his private secretary and then entrusted him with leading an expedition across the continent.

From 1804 to 1806, Lewis and William Clark led the Corps of Discovery from the Mississippi Valley to the Pacific and back. Along the way, Lewis kept detailed journals and recorded observations about landscapes, plants, animals, and the many Native nations the expedition encountered, helping turn the journey into both a geographic and scientific landmark.

After the expedition, he served as governor of Upper Louisiana Territory, but his final years were difficult. He died in 1809 at just 35 years old, leaving behind a legacy tied to exploration, natural history, and the early ambitions of the United States.