Meriwether Lewis had been commissioned by President Jefferson to lead a daring expedition so remarkable it would become one of the most famous explorations in history. He chose as his co-captain William Clark. Their mission: to find a land route to the Pacific Ocean while learning as much as possible about the thousands of miles of unexplored territory they struggled through. Even as a child, Meriwether Lewis was known for courage and clear thinking in a crisis. Now he was determined to succeed in the vast task laid before him by a nation thirsty to know what lay off the edge of the map (1774-1809).