Captain Meriwether Lewis

Meriwether Lewis is born in Virginia on August 18, 1774. After serving six years in the Frontier Army and rising to the rank of Captain, he is appointed by the President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, as his personal secretary. Lewis is a tall man with an excellent knowledge of geography, topography and natural sciences in general. While preparing the expedition under the supervision of Jefferson, Lewis contacts Captain William Clark and asks him to share the command of the planned expedition. For the sake of the expedition, Clark is named Captain and they are both equal in rank. This allows them to share the responsibilities of this complex enterprise in an organized manner.

Because of his work under Jefferson's office, Captain Lewis acquires an extensive practical knowledge of political diplomacy and social interaction. He uses—and even improves on—these skills extensively during his...