Sacagawea was a valuable member
of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. As a teenager, she
served the Expedition as interpreter, diplomat, and
peace symbol. She did all this while carrying her infant
son on her back.
Sacagawea was a Shoshone Indian.
She was born in the Idaho area circa 1788. "Circa" means
around. Therefore, Sacagawea was born around 1788. Circa
is abbreviated as the letter "c," and we write Sacagawea
was born c. 1788.
Spelling of Sacagawea
Sacagawea's name has
been spelled many different ways. In the Lewis and Clark
journals, her name was spelled "Sah-ca-gah-we-ah" and
"Sah-kah-gar-we-a." In 1814, when their journals were
first printed, the editor of the journals spelled her
name "Sacajawea." This is how her name was spelled for
Recently, historians and official
publications have changed the spelling of her name to
"Sacagawea." One reason is because "Sacagawea" is a
Hidatsa name, and since the Hidatsas gave Sacagawea
her name, it is more likely they spelled it with a "g."
Also, Sacagawea's nickname is Bird Women. "Sacagawea"
means Bird Woman. Whereas "Sacajawea" means Boat Launcher.
In 1803, the United States acquired the land west of
the Mississippi River in an agreement called the Louisiana
Purchase. This land was called the Louisiana Territory.
The next year, Captains Meriwether
Lewis and William Clark set off to explore this new
territory. The Expedition began in St. Louis, Missouri.
It traveled up the Missouri River towards the Rocky
Mountains. Its goal was to reach the Pacific Ocean by
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Sacagawea was kidnapped by Hidatsa warriors when she
was about twelve years old. This unfortunate occurrence
for Sacagawea led to an exciting adventure.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
met Sacagawea at Fort Mandan. She was asked to join
the Expedition because of her knowledge of the terrain
and ability to speak different Native American languages.
Sacagawea had just given birth
to her son, Jean-Baptiste. His nickname was Little Pomp
or Pompy. Sacagawea carried Little Pomp on her back
during the entire journey.
At the beginning of the journey, Sacagawea was returning
to her birthplace. She was the only member of the Expedition
who had seen this territory before. She pointed out
certain landmarks to the Expedition which gave assurance
they were on the right trail.
Sacagawea taught the men how
to find edible plants, berries, and nuts which gave
them needed vitamins and nourishment. These foods were
previously unknown to Americans and Europeans.
Lewis and Clark kept written journals of their experiences.
They documented the terrain, rivers, mountains, people,
plants, and animals. These journals were a valuable
resource to understanding the new territory. Without
Sacagawea, the journals may have been lost.
One day, the boat carrying Sacagawea
and the supplies tipped over. These supplies were necessary
for the success of the Expedition. They included books,
instruments, medicines, goods for trading, and Clark's
journal. Sacagawea's quick thinking saved the supplies.
She picked them up one by one until they were safely
back in the boat.
Sacagawea and Little Pomp were symbols of peace and
protected the Expedition from Indian attacks. Indians
may have thought the strange white men were a war party.
However, war parties did not travel with women or children.
From a distance, the presence of Sacagawea and Little
Pomp signaled to the Indians the Expedition was a peaceful
Sacagawea had knowledge of many Native American languages,
customs, and tribes. She helped the Expedition by translating
and negotiating at important Indian councils.
The most important council was
the negotiation for horses with the Shoshone Indians.
The Expedition needed these horses to cross the Rocky
During the negotiation for horses
with the Shoshone Indians, what Sacagawea knew was not
as important as who she knew. She had not seen her family
for many years. As it turns out, the chief of the Shoshone
Indians was Sacagawea's brother. Sacagawea was successful
in getting the horses for the Expedition and happy to
see her family again.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition had traveled up the Missouri
River, crossed the Rocky Mountains, and followed the
Clearwater and Columbia Rivers toward the Pacific Ocean.
The Expedition reached the Pacific
Ocean in November, 1805. Lewis and Clark allowed the
men and Sacagawea to vote on where to camp during the
winter. This is the first time a woman was given the
opportunity to vote. It would be over 100 years before
women in the United States were given this right.
In the spring of 1806, the Expedition returned to Fort
Mandan. Sacagawea said good-bye to Lewis and Clark.
The route taken by the Lewis
and Clark Expedition became the basis of the Oregon
Trail and was used by future pioneers traveling west.
Sacagawea had made an important contribution to establishing
this trail and to American history.
Like Sacagawea's birthday, it
is uncertain when Sacagawea died.
Sacagawea's husband, Toussaint
Charbonneau, had two wives. We know one of his wives
died on December 20, 1812, at Fort Manuel, South Dakota.
It is believed this wife was Sacagawea.
Some records, however, state
a French speaking Indian woman with specific knowledge
of the Lewis and Clark Expedition lived on the Wind
River Shoshone Reservation in Wyoming. This woman died
on April 9, 1884, If this were Sacagawea, she would
have been 96 years old. This is a difference of 72 years!
It is believed Sacagawea died
in 1812, at the age of 24, because the next year, William
Clark became legal guardian of Sacagawea's two children,
Pompy and Lisette. Also, in 1820, Clark compiled a list
which reported the status of the members of the expedition.
On this list, Clark stated Sacagawea had already died.
Sacagawea will live forever in
America's history. Today, there are twenty three statues
honoring Sacagawea. She has more statues in her honor
than any other woman in America. There are also mountains,
lakes, and rivers named for her.
In 2000, the United States Mint
commemorated Sacagawea on the Golden Dollar coin. On
the front of the coin is a picture of Sacagawea carrying
Sacagawea was a valuable member
of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and a hero in our