Lewis and Clark were the first to explore for the United States government. In 1803, The United States purchased the Louisiana Purchase and that is when Lewis and Clark came to explore the lands they had purchased. They started their journey near Saint Louis, Missouri. Forty-five men joined them including Lewis’s dog. In their journey they met a Shoshone Indian named, Sacagawea. She became famous for helping Lewis and Clark as a translator. They discovered a lot of new plants and animals in their journey. Their journey took them two years, four months and ten days. This was a great achievement and they opened a lot of opportunities for future explorers and settlers in the United States. ( )