Sacagawea, An Amazing Woman Who Changed History

Women's History Month: Sacagawea

Sacagawea is best known for leading Lewis and Clark on their expedition of the territory, the Louisiana Purchase, in 1805. Let’s learn a little more about this amazing woman.

Early On in the Shoshone Tribe

Sacagawea was born between 1786 and 1788 in the Lemhi River Valley in Idaho.

Sacagawea grew up near the Rocky Mountains as a member of the Shoshone tribe. Her father was the chief.

Like most Native American tribes, the Shoshone knew how to live off the land. They would fish and gather edible plants and roots. By the early 1700s, they had acquired horses and could travel, following and hunting the bison herds.

Sacagawea's Capture

Sacagawea was captured by the Hidatsa tribe when she was only 11 years old. They took her away to the area that is now North Dakota.

The Hidatsa tribe was not as nomadic as the Shoshone tribe. They worked the land and grew crops like squash, corn, and beans. Sacagawea was put to work in the fields.

Sacagawea was sold to a French-Canadian trapper, Toussaint Charbonneau, as a teenager. They were soon married, and Sacagawea would have a son.

The Louisiana Purchase and A Favor

During this time, the US bought a large amount of land in the western part of the country from France, which was called the Louisiana Purchase.

Thomas Jefferson wanted to send men to explore the area and find new trade routes from the Gulf of Mexico to the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark assembled a team to explore this new area. But they needed a guide. The men hired Charbonneau to lead them out west and asked Sacagawea to come as an interpreter.

The Long and Difficult Journey

In 1805, 45 men headed out looking for a passage across the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains to lead them to the Pacific Ocean. Sacagawea accompanied them, bringing her 2-month-old son, Jean Baptiste, strapped to her back.

Sacagawea used her early knowledge to help the men find edible roots and plants. She also showed them how plants could treat injured or ill men.

In addition, when the men encountered other Native American tribes, the explorers were seen as a peaceful group since there was a woman with her baby among them. If the men had been coming to fight, they would not have brought Sacagawea along.

The journey was long and very difficult, especially with a baby. But after nearly a year, the expedition would reach the Pacific Ocean. The men would not have made it without Sacagawea’s help and guidance.

The Lasting Legacy of Sacagawea

Although Sacagawea received no pay or compensation for guiding and helping with the expedition, she was a valued team member. Lewis and Clark had her vote when important decisions were made, such as where to set up camp for the next few months.

The group headed back in the spring. The expedition covered almost 8000 miles and took nearly 2 years.

Not much is known about Sacagawea after the expedition. She did have another child, a daughter. In addition, it is not entirely clear when Sacagawea died. Some believe she died in 1812 from a fever that swept through the tribe. Others believe she returned to live with the Shoshone tribe and died in 1884.

Sacagawea will always be remembered for her bravery and blazing a path for the expansion of the US westward.