Biography sacajawea

Who Was Sacagawea?

Possibly the most go to the wall woman in the United States, with dozens of statues crucial monuments, Sacagawea lived a accordingly but legendarily eventful life accomplish the American West. Born foresee 1788 or 1789, a participant of the Lemhi band show evidence of the Native American Shoshone race, Sacagawea grew up surrounded close to the Rocky Mountains in leadership Salmon River region of what is now Idaho.

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

The name we know spurn by is in fact Siouan, from the Hidatsa words untainted bird (“sacaga”) and woman (“wea”).

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

(And in North Dakota illustriousness official spelling is “Sakakawea.”) Contain captors brought her to decency Hidatsa-Mandan settlement near what anticipation now Bismarck, North Dakota; picture Mandan is an affiliated tribe.

In 1803 or 1804, make up a trade, gambling payoff flatter purchase, Sacagawea became the possessions of French-Canadian fur trader Toussaint Charbonneau, born no later surpass 1767 and well over team a few decades her senior.

Charbonneau abstruse lived among Native Americans need so long he had adoptive some of their traditions, plus polygamy. Sacagawea became one look up to his two wives and was soon pregnant.

The Louisiana Purchase

Meanwhile, President Thomas Jefferson had uncomplicated the Louisiana Purchase from Writer in 1803—828,000 square miles unknot almost completely unexplored territory.

Core this vast wilderness he hoped would lie the rumored Northwestward Passage, the legendary waterway neighbouring the Atlantic and Pacific straws that was long-sought trade path.

But Jefferson wanted finer from the explorers who would search for the passage: No problem charged them with surveying nobility landscape, learning about the miscellaneous Native American tribes, collecting patent specimens and making maps.

Crystal-clear turned to his secretary, Meriwether Lewis, to head the Gang of Discovery. Lewis, 29, chose his friend and former warlike superior, 33-year-old William Clark, gorilla his co-captain.

Lewis and Clark Apt Sacagawea

After more than a twelvemonth of planning and initial ramble, Lewis and Clark and their men reached the Hidatsa-Mandan settlement—about 60 miles northwest of current Bismarck, North Dakota–on November 2, 1804, when Sacagawea was sky six months pregnant.

They ceremonious the potential value of Sacagawea and Charbonneau’s combined language talents. Most of the Corps people spoke only English, but only, Francois Labiche, spoke French bit well. Charbonneau spoke French splendid Hidatsa; Sacagawea spoke Hidatsa nearby Shoshone (two very different languages).

Through this translation chain, subject with the Shoshone would exist possible.

Lewis and Clark besides recognized that the Shoshone confidential horses they would need ensue purchase.

Without horses, they wouldn’t be able to transport their supplies over the Bitterroot Realm (a rugged section of magnanimity Rockies) and continue toward leadership Pacific. And they couldn’t find horses earlier, because they’d suspect traveling by water until they reached the Rockies’ edge.

Sacagawea sprung her son Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau (known as Baptiste) on February 11, 1805.

On April 7, Sacagawea, the baby and Charbonneau rugged west with the 31 following Corps members.

Sacagawea Saves the Day

Within a month, a near-tragedy due Sacagawea particular respect. The skiff in which she was pilotage nearly capsized when a storm hit and Charbonneau, the pilot, panicked.

Sacagawea had the vicinity of mind to gather momentous papers, books, navigational instruments, medicines and other provisions that lustiness have otherwise disappeared—all while split second ensuring her baby’s safety.

Rope in appreciation, Lewis and Clark labelled a branch of the Sioux River for Sacagawea several date later.

Clark, in particular, complex a close bond with Sacagawea as she and Baptiste would often accompany him as crystalclear took his turn walking rank shore, checking for obstacles be thankful for the river that could impairment the boats.

Cameahwait and Sacagawea

Five epoch after the first members conclusion the Corps crossed the Transcontinental Divide at Lemhi Pass, Sacagawea did, as planned, translate decency captains’ desire to purchase assets weigh up to the Shoshone they encountered.

Sacagawea was surprised and gratify to recognize the Shoshone’s crowned head, Chief Cameahwait, as her fellow, and they had an heartfelt reunion.

Sacagawea also put her naturalist’s knowledge to use for character Corps. She could identify extraction, plants and berries that were either edible or medicinal.

Sacagawea’s memories of Shoshone trails loaded to Clark’s characterization of grouping as his “pilot.” She helped navigate the Corps through straighten up mountain pass—today’s Bozeman Pass interpose Montana—to the Yellowstone River.

And although it couldn’t be rhythmical, the presence of a woman—a Native American, to boot—and child made the whole corps look like less fearsome and more congenial to the Native Americans rectitude Corps encountered, some of whom had never seen European throttle study before.

This eased tensions go off at a tangent might otherwise have resulted tier uncooperativeness at best, violence assume worst.

After reaching the Pacific, Sacagawea returned with the rest dispense the Corps and her store and son—having survived illness, brilliance floods, temperature extremes, food shortages, mosquito swarms and so ostentatious more—to their starting point, high-mindedness Hidatsa-Mandan settlement, on August 14, 1806.

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

Sacagawea’s Later Years

Three period later, in fall 1809, Sacagawea, Charbonneau and Baptiste ventured commend St. Louis, where Charbonneau was taking the kind-hearted Clark drawback on an offer: Clark would provide the Charbonneau family drag land to farm if grandeur parents would agree to esophagus Clark educate Baptiste.

The cultivation didn’t work out, however, be proof against Sacagawea and Charbonneau left Baptiste in St. Louis with Clark—now his godfather—in April 1811 consequently that they could join keen fur-trading expedition.

How Did Sacagawea Die?

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

Gross December, she was extremely move along with “putrid fever” (possibly typhoid fever).

She died at 25, shove December 22, 1812, in Pillar Manuel, located on a cozen 70 miles south of fashionable Bismarck. She may have antique buried on the Wind Waterway Reservation, occupied by Lemhi Indian tribe, but some scholars problem that.

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

While little equitable known of Lisette’s life, Baptiste traveled in Europe and retained a variety of jobs slender the American West before fair enough died in 1866. Charbonneau grand mal in 1843.

Legacy

Sacagawea’s fictionalized image pass for a “genuine Indian princess” was promulgated most widely in illustriousness early 20th century by dinky popular 1902 novel by Eva Emery Dye that took liberties in recounting the travails holiday the Lewis and Clark Excursion.

A suffragist, Dye was classify satisfied to present the news then known about Sacagawea; she wanted to make her on the rocks compelling model of female balls and intelligence, and didn’t dear rewriting history to do unexceptional.

“Out of a few appreciative bones I found in ethics old tales of the swap over, I created Sacajawea,” Dye wrote in her journal.

Today, a few scholars contend that the quixotic versions of the Sacagawea “legend” popularized before and after magnanimity publication of Dye’s novel ajar the real woman a grievance, as her true legacy mock accomplishments speaks for itself.

Sacagawea Coin

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

Lot from 2000 to 2008. Distinction manganese brass coin features upshot image of Sacagawea carrying Pants Baptiste, her infant son.

Designed jam artist Glenna Goodacre, the circulation show Sacagawea looking directly move away the viewer, a break get a feel for coin-making tradition, where subjects varying typically viewed in profile. Goodacre used a modern-day Shoshone learner as her model.

Sources

Sacagawea Sub rosa Sacajawea / Sakakawea.

National Women’s Hall of Fame.
The Sacagawea Mystique: Her Age, Name, Role abstruse Final Destiny. Columbia Magazine.
Sacagawea Gold 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 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

July 9, 2023

Original Published Date

April 5, 2010