Lewis & Clark Site Map

GLOSSARY AND PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

Arikara (ah RICK ah rah) also Arickaree (ah rick ah REE): Also known simply as the Ree, this American Indian tribe lived in three villages along the upper Missouri River near the border of modern-day North and South Dakota. They got their livelihood from farming and trading. They were quite friendly to the Corps of Discovery.

Assiniboin: (ah SIN i bwan) The Assiniboin Indians lived in the northern plains regions between Canada and the United States. They got their main livelihood from buffalo hunting. Lewis and Clark met members of the Assiniboin tribes while wintering with the Mandans in 1804-05.

Atsina (at SEEN ah) also Gros Ventre (Grow VAHN): A group of American Indians living on the Upper Missouri River at the time of Lewis and Clark. Gros Ventre, meaning "Big Belly," was a name given to them by the French.

Barbe Marbois, Francois de: (bar BAY mar BWA, FRANZ wah de) The French Minister of Finance who negotiated the sale of the Louisiana Territory with United States envoys Robert Livingston and James Monroe.

bicentennial: (BY cen TEN i al) A word that refers to a span of two-hundred years. Many groups in America are preparing to commemorate the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Corps of Discovery left St. Louis on May 14, 1804 and returned on September 23, 1806.

Blackfeet: An American Indian tribe living on the high plains of the Northwest. Allied with the British, the Blackfeet were a powerful nation at the time of Lewis and Clark. Captain Lewis and three of his men had a chance encounter with several Blackfeet warriors on the return journey. During an uneasy meeting between the two groups, a fight erupted and two Blackfeet were killed. This is the only incident between Indians and Corps members that ended in violence.

Bonaparte, Napoleon: (BONE a part, na POE le on) The self-proclaimed emperor of France who sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States after suffering political and military setbacks in the New World.

Cathlapotle: (Cath LAH pa til) American Indian tribe living in the Columbia River Valley
at the time of Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Chinook: (Shi NUK or chi NUK) A collective name for various American Indian tribes living on the Northwest coast (near the Columbia River) at the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They lived in houses made of wooden planks. Salmon fishing and hunting was their main subsistence pattern.

Clatsop: (CLAT sop) A group of Chinookan Indians living near the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon. They were friendly and helpful to the Corps of Discovery, and Lewis and Clark named their winter fort in honor of them.

Corps (core) of Discovery: A modern name given by historians to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It is a shortened version of a title in a couple of documents regarding the expedition which referred to the group as "The Corps of Volunteers for North Western Discovery."

Cradleboard: A device used by many Indian mothers to carry their infants. Cradleboards were designed and decorated in many different ways depending upon materials available and tribal customs. In all likelihood, Sacagawea carried her infant son this way while on the expedition.

Charbonneau, Jean Baptiste: (shar bone OH, zhaun bap TEESTE) Son of Toussaint Charbonneau and Sacagawea. He was born at the Mandan villages in today's North Dakota on February 11, 1805. When he was eight weeks old, his parents joined the Lewis and Clark expedition as interpreters and took him along. Captain Clark gave him the nickname, Pompey, usually shortened to Pomp. He was about eighteen months old when the expedition returned and was later educated in St. Louis. He lived a long life filled with many adventures.

Charbonneau, Toussaint: (shar bone OH, too SAUN) French-Canadian interpreter born in Montreal. He was hired at Fort Mandan to go along on the Lewis and Clark expedition. He brought his wife, Sacagawea, and his infant son, Jean Baptiste, along with him on the journey. Captain Lewis often criticized him in his journal for his ineptness and contrariness.

Community: A group of people bound together through rules, roles, and relationships.

Continuum: (con TIN u um) A diagram that illustrates degrees of difference between two extremes. For example, a continuum might show degrees of heights between the shortest and the tallest objects such as mountains, buildings, trees, or whatever is being measured.

Delaware: American Indians who once lived in the present day states of Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia. They farmed for a living and lived in long houses with arched roofs. The great numbers of Euro-Americans who settled in their homelands forced them westward. At the time of Lewis and Clark, there were Delaware villages in Missouri.

Echelut also Wishram-Wasco: (ESH uh loot / WISH ram - WASS co) American Indian tribe living in the Columbia River Valley at the time of Lewis and Clark. Salmon fishing was their principal means of livelihood.

Ecology: (e KOL uh gy) The study of the relationship of all living things to each other and to their environments.

Ecological Zones: (ee ca LAJ ical or ek a LAJ ical) Areas of the earth that share a common set of physical and geographical characteristics. The Corps of Discovery traveled through seven such zones on their way to the Pacific Ocean--woodland, prairie, high plains, mountains, river gorge, seacoast and rainforest.

Ecosystem: (E co system or EK o system) A term referring to the fact that all living things in an ecological zone are interdependent. Loss of or damage to one element in the ecosystem adversely affects the entire system.

Ethnic Research: The study of the ways in which human societies organize their lives. It includes how they communicate, how they govern themselves, how they make a living, how they raise and educate their children, what they believe spiritually, and how they express themselves in art, music, and architecture. Captain Lewis was an excellent ethnic researcher who wrote long, detailed passages about many of the Western tribes in his journal. Captain Clark and the other journal keepers also gave brief descriptions of the Indian tribes they met.

Fauna: (FAWN ah) A scientific term referring to the entire animal kingdom.

Field Research: Collecting data about a subject at the site as opposed to only learning about it from books and other media.

Flora: A scientific term referring to the entire plant kingdom.

Fossil: (FOS il) The imprint or hardened remains of ancient flora or fauna preserved in rock or bogs.

Gray, Robert: An America sea captain who encountered the mouth of the Columbia River in 1792. The river was not known to Europeans at the time. He named the river for his ship. His accomplishment gave the United States a claim to the Oregon Territory whose ownership was disputed at the time.

Herbalist: (ER ba list) One who studies, collects, and prepares plants useful for health and healing.

Jefferson, Thomas: Third president of the United States. During his tenure as president, both the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition took place. It was Jefferson who initiated the expedition and chose his young assistant, Captain Meriwether Lewis, to lead it.

Journal (JOOR nal) or Diary (DYE uh ree): Day-to-day account of events usually written in a notebook. Both Lewis and Clark and at least four of their men kept journals while on the expedition.

Kansa: (KAN sah) American Indian tribe living on the prairies and plains of the Midwestern United States. To make their living, they raised corn and hunted wild game. Their houses were lodges built of poles and covered with earth.

Kickapoo: (KICK a poo) An American Indian tribe living in southern Illinois at the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They hunted and raised crops for their livelihood. The Kickapoo lived in houses made of bark, thatch, or hides.

Lakota Sioux (La KO tah SOO) also Teton: (TEE ton) At the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Sioux Indian nation consisted of a large group of tribes inhabiting the prairies and plains of the upper Midwest. There were many divisions among the Sioux depending largely upon their location and language. Although a basic language (Siouan) was spoken in all divisions, there were many dialects (versions) of it. Teton was the dialect of the westernmost group of Sioux. In their own dialect, they called themselves Lakota, meaning "allies."
The powerful Lakota or Teton Sioux controlled the trade on the upper Missouri River. The Corps of Discovery had some very anxious moments when Teton warriors refused to let their boats pass. When the captains would not back down, a Teton chief, Black Buffalo, intervened, and the event ended peaceably.

Lewis and Clark Expedition: The designation given by historians to the band of explorers who crossed the Western United States, 1804-1806. The co-captains of the expedition were Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.

Livingston, Robert R.: President Jefferson appointed Robert R. Livingston as Minister to France in 1801. Livingston's mission was to discourage the French government from taking over the Louisiana Territory, then held by Spain. Jefferson later sent James Monroe to France to assist Livingston. As it turned out, Napoleon offered to sell the whole of Louisiana to the United States, and it was Livingston and Monroe who negotiated the deal.

Louisiana Purchase: The name given to the sale of a vast tract of land known as the Louisiana Territory (See Louisiana Territory). Claimed by the French, the land was sold by Napoleon to the United States in 1803 for the sum of fifteen-million dollars.

Louisiana Territory: A vast tract of land though the center of what is now the United States. La Salle, a French explorer, claimed it in 1682 and named it for the reigning French king, Louis XIV. Its unmapped boundaries stretched from the Gulf of Mexico on the south to Canada on the north, and from the west side of the Mississippi River to the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains.

MacKenzie, Alexander: A Scottish fur trader and adventurer who explored the Canadian Northwest several years before the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The journal of his explorations, published in 1801, was eagerly read by Lewis and Clark before they left on their own journey.

mammoth/mastodon: (MAM uth / MAS ta don) Two species of large, prehistoric animals (resembling elephants) that once roamed the western plains and prairies of North America. These great beasts were hunted by prehistoric tribes armed only with spears. At the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, scholars believed some mammoths or mastodons might still be living in the unexplored West. At that time, it was a reasonable assumption. However, scientists today know these species became extinct thousands of years ago.

Mandan-Hidatsa: (MAN dan-i DAT sah) Two Indian societies living in close proximity on the Missouri River in North Dakota. They survived by farming and hunting buffalo. Both groups lived in large dome-shaped dwellings made of logs and covered with earth. Lewis and Clark built a small fort near their villages where they spent the winter of 1804-05. The Mandan-Hidsata people were very friendly and helpful to the explorers during the long, cold winter.

Missouri: (Ma ZOO ree or Ma ZOOR ah) American Indian tribe living in the present-day states of Iowa and Nebraska at the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They are closely related to the Oto tribe (O toe). The Missouri Indians farmed and hunted game for their subsistence. They lived in dwellings made of hides, bark, or thatch.

Monroe, James: Envoy to France who helped Robert Livingston negotiate the Louisiana Purchase. Prior to this event, he had served as a United States senator, Minister to France, and Governor of Virginia. Later he became the fifth president of the United States.

Moving Panorama: An early "moving picture show" in which a large roll of canvas was painted with scenes, then wound on a vertical roller and stretched across a stage to another vertical roller. While an audience watched, the canvas paintings were slowly moved from one roller to another by means of a mechanical device. Moving panoramas were popular at the time of Lewis and Clark.

Newfoundland: (NEW fund lund) A breed of dog that Captain Lewis purchased before he left on the expedition. Lewis' dog may have looked slightly different from today's Newfoundlands as the breed has changed in appearance somewhat over the years. Today's Newfoundlands have shaggy black fur and may weigh as much as 120 pounds when full-grown. One thing that has not changed is their love of water and their natural inclination to rescue people in danger of drowning.

Nez Perce: (Nez PERCE) American Indian tribe living in the mountains and meadows of Idaho, eastern Washington, and Oregon at the time of Lewis and Clark. Nez Perce is a French name meaning "pierced nose." The name was given to them by French explorers who noticed tribal members wearing decorations through pierced holes in their noses. The Nez Perce were very helpful to the Corps of Discovery on both the outward and return journeys.

Northwest Passage: A hoped-for shortcut across the North American continent that, if found, would make the trip from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean much shorter. Lewis and Clark proved that a quick and easy passage did not exist. However, in 1907, Arctic explorer Roald Amundsen sailed a small ship from the Atlantic to the Pacific through a torturous icy passage much farther north.

Omaha: (OH ma ha) At the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, this American Indian tribe was living on the plains and prairies of the present-day state of Nebraska. They farmed and hunted.

Osage: (OH sage or o SAGE) American Indian tribe who lived in southwestern Missouri where they raised corn and lived in pole-framed houses covered with woven mats or hides. Besides raising corn, the Osage periodically went on buffalo hunts farther west. Their principal means of subsistence was through fur-trapping and trading with the French in St. Louis.

Oto: (OH toe) This American Indian tribe is closely related to the Missouri Indians. At the time of Lewis and Clark, the Oto Indians lived on the prairies in the Kansas-Nebraska areas. They made their living by hunting buffalo and raising crops, particularly maize (corn).

Palouse: (pa LOOSE) American Indian tribe living in the Great Basin area of eastern Washington at the time of Lewis and Clark. Besides hunting and fishing for a living, they raised Appaloosa horses and traded them to other tribes.

Pawnee: (paw NEE) American Indian tribe living in prairie earth lodges similar to those of the Mandan Indians. At the time of Lewis and Clark, they were situated in the present-day state of Nebraska. They farmed and hunted buffalo for their livelihood.

Pompey, (POMP ee) or Pomp: A nickname given by Captain Clark to Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, Sacagawea's infant son.

Research: (RE search, or re SEARCH) Literally, to search again. In common usage to research means to study a subject thoroughly by collecting information from various sources.

Sac and Fox: Two related, but separate American Indian tribes who eventually joined together for defense. At the time of Lewis and Clark, they were living in the present-day states of Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa. They lived in houses covered with thatch, bark or hides. Their livelihood came from hunting and farming.

Sacagawea: (sa CA ga WE uh) Popularly known as Sacajawea, she was a member of the Shoshone Indian tribe and the only woman to go on the Lewis and Clark expedition. She was the wife of the interpreter, Toussaint Charbonneau, and mother of Jean Baptiste. She was a valuable member of the expedition in many respects.

Salish: (SAL ish) American Indian tribe living in western Montana at the time of Lewis and Clark. Their principal subsistence came from hunting buffalo and other game. The Salish are also known as Flathead Indians. This nickname came from a practice used by some neighboring tribes in which the heads of infants were deformed so that they appeared to have sloped foreheads. The Flatheads (Salish) did not do this, however, so their heads were "flat" by comparison. The Salish were friendly toward the Corps of Discovery and even supplied them with horses when they met on the trail.

Seaman: The name of Lewis' Newfoundland dog that accompanied the expedition. For years, the dog's name was thought to be Scannon because of a misreading of Lewis' handwriting.

Shawnee: (shaw NEE) An American Indian tribe living in the Ohio and Tennessee River Valleys. At the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, they had migrated to Missouri. Bitterly opposed to white expansion, the Shawnee were frequently engaged in frontier skirmishes with United States forces. Under the leadership of the Shawnee warrior Tecumseh and his twin brother called The Prophet, the Shawnee became a force to be reckoned with. They allied themselves with the British in the War of 1812. Tecumseh was killed in battle in 1813 and both the British and the Shawnee were eventually defeated.

Shoshone: (sho SHO nee or sho SHONE) An Indian society located in the Great Basin/Plains area of the west. Sacagawea was a Shoshone, but she was kidnapped by Hidatsa raiders and taken to their villages when still a child. The Shoshone were invaluable to the expedition because it was from them (with the help of Sacagawea) that horses were obtained to cross the Rocky Mountains.

Skilloot: (skill OOT) American Indian tribe living in the Columbia River Valley at the time of Lewis and Clark. Salmon fishing was their principal means of livelihood.

Symmetrical Geography: (si MET ri cal ge OG ra phy) A geographical theory popular in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries which postulated that natural features in different parts of the same geographical area balance each other. Based on symmetry, for example, the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains would be similar in size and extent. The Lewis and Clark Expedition disproved this theory.

Talleyrand, Charles Maurice de: (TALLY rand, Sharl MAU reese de) Napoleon's Minister of Foreign Affairs who helped negotiate the Louisiana Purchase.

Tillamook: (TILL a mook) An American Indian tribe living near the mouth of the Columbia River at the time of Lewis and Clark. Salmon fishing was their principal means of livelihood along with small game hunting.

Umatilla: (oo ma TILL ah) An American Indian tribe living in eastern Washington at the time of Lewis and Clark. Salmon fishing was their principal means of livelihood.

utopia: (u TOPE i a) An ideal, but imaginary community in which laws, government, and social conditions operated for the benefit and well-being of all its inhabitants. The term was coined by Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), from two Greek words which together mean "a good place." More made it the title of a book he wrote about an ideal community.

Walula or Walla Walla: (wa LU la / WA la WA la) American Indian tribe living in the Columbia River Valley at the time of Lewis and Clark. Salmon fishing was their principal means of livelihood. The Walla Walla were very friendly to the Corps of Discovery, assisting them in many ways on both the outward and returning journey.

Wahkiakum: (WAHK e ah kum) American Indian tribe living in the Columbia River Valley at the time of Lewis and Clark. Salmon fishing was their principal means of livelihood.

Watlata or Cascades: (wat LA ta / cas CADES) American Indian tribe living in the Columbia River Valley at the time of Lewis and Clark. Salmon fishing was their principal means of livelihood.

Westward Expansion: A term referring to the mass movement of settlers, businesses, and industries from the east coast of the United States across the continent toward the west coast during the nineteenth century.

Yankton Sioux: (YANK ton SOO) A branch of the large Sioux nation living along the Missouri River in the present-day states of northeast Nebraska and South Dakota. This was the first group of Sioux encountered by the Corps of Discovery. Their meeting was cordial although the Sioux chiefs were not impressed with the presents given to them by the explorers. Similar to other Siouan tribes, the Yankton lived in tipis and hunted buffalo as their principal method of subsistence.