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Sacagawea
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Sacagawea

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Helping the Lewis and Clark expedition through interpreting and cultural knowledge.

Shoshone connections · Local knowledge

Born
c. 1788
Birthplace
Lemhi Shoshone country, present-day United States
Died
1812

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Sacagawea

Sacagawea was an Indigenous woman whose contributions aided the expedition’s journey across western North America in 1805–1806.

Early life

Disrupted childhood

Was taken captive as a girl and brought into a different community.

Limited records

Most written accounts come from expedition members rather than her own voice.

Career

  1. 1804–1805

    Joining the expedition

    Joined the party with Toussaint Charbonneau and her infant son.

  2. 1805

    Westward journey

    Assisted communication and encounters with Indigenous communities.

  3. 1806

    Return journey

    Travelled back with the expedition.

Expedition contributions

Shoshone connections

Helped negotiations for horses needed to cross the mountains.

Local knowledge

Contributed knowledge useful to the expedition.

Saving supplies

Recovered important items after a boat accident.

Historical context

Motherhood

Travelled with her young son Jean Baptiste.

Historical uncertainty

Accounts of her later life and death differ.

Sources & photo creditLife, career and references ↗National Park Service: Sacagawea ↗

Photo: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand, PPOC, Library of Congress. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.