In 1804, Meriwether Lewis led the expedition with William Clark to explore the uncharted American Interior to the Pacific Northwest and hunt for an all-water route across the North American continent. By the time of their expedition, the Teton Sioux occupied two villages, one was located on the Missouri, the other situated near the Bad River. Tetons were known for aggressiveness and power. They would demand large gifts from merchants, and one of the Teton chief demanded them a boat as a price of letting them pass through their territory.
