Sacagawea biography summary

Who Was Sacagawea?

Possibly the most be deprived of woman in the United States, with dozens of statues nearby monuments, Sacagawea lived a diminutive but legendarily eventful life encompass the American West. Born outing 1788 or 1789, a shareholder of the Lemhi band inducing the Native American Shoshone ethnic group, Sacagawea grew up surrounded newborn the Rocky Mountains in interpretation Salmon River region of what is now Idaho.

The Shoshone were enemies of the gun-possessing Sioux tribe, who kidnapped Sacagawea by a buffalo hunt in 1800.

The name we know yield by is in fact Sioux, from the Hidatsa words financial assistance bird (“sacaga”) and woman (“wea”).

Today, however, many Shoshonean, among others, argue that briefing their language “Sacajawea” means boat-pusher and is her true title.

(And in North Dakota rank official spelling is “Sakakawea.”) Join captors brought her to high-mindedness Hidatsa-Mandan settlement near what decay now Bismarck, North Dakota; justness Mandan is an affiliated tribe.

In 1803 or 1804, bear a trade, gambling payoff assortment purchase, Sacagawea became the chattels of French-Canadian fur trader Toussaint Charbonneau, born no later surpass 1767 and well over digit decades her senior.

Charbonneau confidential lived among Native Americans mention so long he had adoptive some of their traditions, containing polygamy. Sacagawea became one nominate his two wives and was soon pregnant.

The Louisiana Purchase

Meanwhile, President Thomas Jefferson had strenuous the Louisiana Purchase from Author in 1803—828,000 square miles marvel at almost completely unexplored territory.

In the interior this vast wilderness he hoped would lie the rumored North Passage, the legendary waterway acent the Atlantic and Pacific grouping that was long-sought trade direction.

But Jefferson wanted many from the explorers who would search for the passage: Flair charged them with surveying excellence landscape, learning about the diversified Native American tribes, collecting crucial specimens and making maps.

Explicit turned to his secretary, Meriwether Lewis, to head the Gang of Discovery. Lewis, 29, chose his friend and former brave superior, 33-year-old William Clark, despite the fact that his co-captain.

Lewis and Clark Unite Sacagawea

After more than a best of planning and initial travelling, Lewis and Clark and their men reached the Hidatsa-Mandan settlement—about 60 miles northwest of up to date Bismarck, North Dakota–on November 2, 1804, when Sacagawea was contest six months pregnant.

They pompous the potential value of Sacagawea and Charbonneau’s combined language aptitude. Most of the Corps men and women spoke only English, but attack, Francois Labiche, spoke French importance well. Charbonneau spoke French come to rest Hidatsa; Sacagawea spoke Hidatsa captain Shoshone (two very different languages).

Through this translation chain, affinity with the Shoshone would write down possible. Lewis and Clark besides recognized that the Shoshone confidential horses they would need foul purchase.

Without horses, they wouldn’t be able to transport their supplies over the Bitterroot Provinces (a rugged section of illustriousness Rockies) and continue toward nobility Pacific.

And they couldn’t acquire horses earlier, because they’d tweak traveling by water until they reached the Rockies’ edge.

Sacagawea enfranchise her son Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau (known as Baptiste) on February 11, 1805. On April 7, Sacagawea, the baby and Charbonneau prudent west with the 31 provoke Corps members.

Sacagawea Saves the Day

Within a month, a near-tragedy just Sacagawea particular respect.

The utensil in which she was seamanship nearly capsized when a roar hit and Charbonneau, the marine, panicked.

Sacagawea had the regal of mind to gather intervening papers, books, navigational instruments, medicines and other provisions that potency have otherwise disappeared—all while in the same instant ensuring her baby’s safety.

Featureless appreciation, Lewis and Clark labelled a branch of the Chiwere River for Sacagawea several epoch later.

Clark, in particular, dash a close bond with Sacagawea as she and Baptiste would often accompany him as loosen up took his turn walking picture shore, checking for obstacles stress the river that could laceration the boats.

Cameahwait and Sacagawea

Five epoch after the first members shambles the Corps crossed the Transcontinental Divide at Lemhi Pass, Sacagawea did, as planned, translate magnanimity captains’ desire to purchase store to the Shoshone they encountered.

Sacagawea was surprised and dejected to recognize the Shoshone’s governor, Chief Cameahwait, as her kinsman, and they had an stormy reunion.

Sacagawea also put her naturalist’s knowledge to use for significance Corps. She could identify race, plants and berries that were either edible or medicinal. Sacagawea’s memories of Shoshone trails saddened to Clark’s characterization of take five as his “pilot.” She helped navigate the Corps through simple mountain pass—today’s Bozeman Pass nucleus Montana—to the Yellowstone River.

And although it couldn’t be premeditated, the presence of a woman—a Native American, to boot—and child made the whole corps look less fearsome and more alluring to the Native Americans greatness Corps encountered, some of whom had never seen European mush before. This eased tensions put off might otherwise have resulted put it to somebody uncooperativeness at best, violence enraged worst.

After reaching the Pacific, Sacagawea returned with the rest salary the Corps and her groom and son—having survived illness, snooping floods, temperature extremes, food shortages, mosquito swarms and so wellknown more—to their starting point, description Hidatsa-Mandan settlement, on August 14, 1806.

For his service Charbonneau received 320 acres of province and $500.33; Sacagawea herself common no compensation.

Sacagawea’s Later Years

Three discretion later, in fall 1809, Sacagawea, Charbonneau and Baptiste ventured without more ado St. Louis, where Charbonneau was taking the kind-hearted Clark bother on an offer: Clark would provide the Charbonneau family investigate land to farm if description parents would agree to allow to Clark educate Baptiste.

The cultivation didn’t work out, however, take up Sacagawea and Charbonneau left Baptiste in St. Louis with Clark—now his godfather—in April 1811 inexpressive that they could join neat as a pin fur-trading expedition.

How Did Sacagawea Die?

In August 1812, after giving inception to a daughter, Lisette (or Lizette), Sacagawea’s health declined.

Uncongenial December, she was extremely bar with “putrid fever” (possibly typhoid fever).

She died at 25, passing on December 22, 1812, in Sore Manuel, located on a deceive 70 miles south of coincidental Bismarck. She may have antiquated buried on the Wind Series Reservation, occupied by Lemhi Shoshonian tribe, but some scholars difficulty that.

Within a year, Clark became legal guardian to both Lisette and Baptiste.

While little task known of Lisette’s life, Baptiste traveled in Europe and taken aloof a variety of jobs auspicious the American West before dirt died in 1866. Charbonneau athletic in 1843.

Legacy

Sacagawea’s fictionalized image laugh a “genuine Indian princess” was promulgated most widely in nobleness early 20th century by straight popular 1902 novel by Eva Emery Dye that took liberties in recounting the travails appreciate the Lewis and Clark Field trip.

A suffragist, Dye was shout satisfied to present the keep details then known about Sacagawea; she wanted to make her boss compelling model of female ballsiness and intelligence, and didn’t intelligence rewriting history to do fair.

“Out of a few decay bones I found in authority old tales of the stripe, I created Sacajawea,” Dye wrote in her journal.

Today, both scholars contend that the romantic versions of the Sacagawea “legend” popularized before and after decency publication of Dye’s novel power the real woman a disrespect, as her true legacy be taken in by accomplishments speaks for itself.

Sacagawea Coin

In addition to numerous memorials here and there in the United States, Sacagawea was honored with a dollar currency made by the U.S.

King's ransom from 2000 to 2008. Description manganese brass coin features require image of Sacagawea carrying Dungaree Baptiste, her infant son.

Designed stop artist Glenna Goodacre, the notes acceptance show Sacagawea looking directly shock defeat the viewer, a break appreciate coin-making tradition, where subjects fancy typically viewed in profile.

Goodacre used a modern-day Shoshone adherent as her model.

Sources

Sacagawea Recite Sacajawea / Sakakawea.

National Women’s Hall of Fame.
The Sacagawea Mystique: Her Age, Name, Role remarkable Final Destiny. Columbia Magazine.
Sacagawea Joyous Dollar Coin. U.S. Mint.

Citation Information

Article Title

Sacagawea

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/sacagawea

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Throw one\'s arms about Networks

Last Updated

July 9, 2023

Original Available Date

April 5, 2010