Lewis and Clark
Expedition for kids: Lewis and Clark Native American Tribes
The outward and return journey of the Lewis and Clark expedition
covered over 7000 miles, across ten modern states. Their
journey began on May 14, 1804 and ended on September 23,
1806. The journey took over two years and it was inevitable
that they would encounter many Native American tribes along
the way.
List of Native
American Tribes encountered by Lewis and Clark
The List of Native American Tribes encountered by Lewis
and Clark are detailed as follows, together with the areas
that they lived in.
-
Alsea - Hunters and
Fishers in Oregon
-
Amahami (Wattasoon)
- lived along the upper Missouri River
-
Arikara - Great Plains
tribe
-
Assiniboine - Great
Plains tribe
-
Bannock - Great Basin,
Idaho
-
Blackfeet - North
Dakota and South Dakota
-
Cathlamet or Kathlamet-
Along the Columbia River, Washington state
-
Cayuse - Oregon
-
Chehalis - Washington
State
-
Cheyenne - Great
Plains
-
Chinook - Along the
Columbia River in present-day Oregon and Washington
-
Clackamas - Oregon
-
Clatskanie - Oregon
-
Clatsop - Along the
Columbia River, Oregon
-
Cowlitz - Washington
State
-
Crow - Montana and
into North Dakota
-
Flathead (Salish)
- Columbia River tribes who lived between the Cascade
Mountains and Rocky Mountains
-
Gros Ventre - Great
Plains tribe
-
Hidatsa - Montana
-
Kickapoo - Great
Plains tribe
-
Klickitat (Klikitat)
- Along the Columbia River
-
Kootenai Columbia
River tribes who lived between the Cascade Mountains
and Rocky Mountains
-
Mandan - Great Plains
tribe
-
Minitari (Minnetaree)
- also known as Hidatsa tribe of Montana
-
Missouri - Great
Plains tribe
-
Multnomah - Oregon
-
Nez Perce - Columbia
River Plateau
-
Omaha - Nebraska
-
Otoe - Great Plains
tribe
-
Palouse - Washington
/ Idaho / Oregon
-
Pawnee - along the
Missouri River, Nebraska
-
Quinault - Washington
State
-
Shoshone (Snake)
- Idaho, Oregon
-
Siletz - Oregon
-
Siuslaw - Oregon
-
Skilloot - Columbia
River, Washington
-
Tenino - Oregon
-
Teton Sioux (Lakota
Sioux) - Great Plains
-
Tillamook - Oregon
-
Umatilla - Oregon
-
Umpqua - Oregon
-
Wahkiakum - Washington
-
Walla Walla - Oregon
-
Wanapum - Columbia
River, Washington
-
Wasco - Washington
-
Wishram - Washington
-
Yakima - Washington
-
Yankton Sioux (Nakota)
- Dakotas and northern Iowa
Lewis and Clark
Native American Tribes: The Gifts
The Lewis and Clark expedition had been tasked to learn
as much as possible about the customs and culture of the
Native American Indian tribes that they encountered. In
order to establish good relations with the Native American
tribes they carried a supply of gifts to be presented to
the Native Indians. The list of gifts for the Native American
tribes included beads, sewing thread, tobacco, scissors,
brass thimbles, knives, sewing needles, brass kettles, armbands,
ear trinkets, handkerchiefs, ivory combs, silk ribbons,
pipe-tomahawks, red face paint, bright colored cloth and
pocket mirrors.
Encounters with
Native American Tribes: The Teton Sioux (Lakota Sioux)
On September 25, 1804 the Lewis and Clark expedition had
a confrontation with a hostile party of Teton Sioux (Lakota)
with whom they had a difficult stand-off. The situation
was diffused when the Native Indians were given gifts.
Encounters with
Native American Tribes: The Hidatsa Tribe and Sacagawea
The Lewis and Clark encountered the friendly Mandan and
Hidatsa Native American Tribes in what is now North Dakota
and built a small fort in Mandan territory. It was here
that they met Toussaint Charbonneau and his Shoshone wife
Sacagawea. The presence of Sacagawea as a guide and interpreter
was a notable addition to the group of explorers.
Encounters with
Native American Tribes: The Shoshone Native Indians
Sacagawea was invaluable when the Corps of Discovery reached
the lands of the Shoshone Native Indians in mid-August 1805
in modern day Idaho and Montana. Her brother, Cameahwait,
had become the new chief of the Shoshone tribe and with
her plea, her brother agreed to sell some of the horses
to the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Encounters with
Native American Tribes: The Salish Native Indians
The Lewis and Clark expedition also encountered the Salish
(Flathead) Indian tribe in August 1805. The Salish were
a friendly people and provided more horses for the Corps
of Discovery and gave them some helpful advice and directions
through the arduous terrain of the Bitterroot Mountains.
Encounters with
Native American Tribes: The Nez Perce
The next encounter was with the Nez Perce Native American
tribe. Another friendly and hospitable people who provided
shelter for the exhausted explorers and provided medicines
for the sick members of the expedition. The Nez Perce also
helped the Corps of Discovery build some new canoes so the
explorers could continue their journey by water. Meriwether
Lewis described the Nez Perce Native American tribe as "the
most hospitable, honest and sincere people that we have
met with in our voyage."
Encounters with
Native American Tribes: The Clatsop Native Indians
The expedition then met the friendly Clatsop Native American
tribe along the Columbia River in present-day Oregon. The
Corps of Discovery built Fort Clatsop which they named in
honor of the helpful tribe.
Encounters with
Native American Tribes: The Blackfoot Native Indians
The only violent incident that occured during the long journey
was on July 27, 1806 when the expedition fought with a party
of Blackfoot Native Indians. The members of the Corps of
Discovery were not seriously injured but two of the Native
American Indians were killed.
Encounters with
Native American Tribes: The Lakota Sioux
On August 30, 1806 the Corps of Discovery had another unsettling
confrontation with a band of 80-90 Lakota warriors led by
Black Buffalo. Captain Clark told them that the Corps would
have nothing to do with them and would kill any Lakota Sioux
who attempted to approach their camp.
Lewis and Clark
Native American Tribes: The Gifts
This article provides a small sample of the encounters the
Lewis and Clark expedition had with Native American Tribes.
The vast majority of their encounters were friendly and
they achieved the goal set by President Thomas Jefferson
to learn about the custums and culture of many Native American
Tribes.
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