In July of 1805, the Corps wastraveling up the MissouriRiverwhenSacagawea recognized thethree forksofthe MissouriRiver. Their winter home was at Mandan and Hidatsa lands on the November 1804 arrival of the Indians. When she was, years old, Sacagawea was captured by an enemy tribe, the Hidatsa, and taken from her Lemhi Shoshone people to the Hidatsa villages near present-day, by President Thomas Jefferson nearly doubled the size of the United States. When Sacagawea joined the expedition, she was only about 16 years old and had a 2-month-old son. Sacagawea and her babyhelpedthose they encountered feelit was safe to befriend the newcomers. Over a decade later, Clark compiled a list of the expedition members and labeled them Se-car-ja-we-au Dead. Sacagawea is most famous for his role as a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, where he served as a Shoshone interpreter. Lewis and Clark resorted to Private Francois Labiche, who spoke French and English. Sacagawea, according to Moulton, who consulted with Lewis and Clark, should be pronounced sah-KAH-gah-wee-ah, as is the phonetic spelling that has consistently been recorded in their writings. One notable example came during the return trip, when Sacagawea suggested the group travel through Montana's Bozeman Pass, rather than the Flathead Pass, due to Bozeman being a lower, safer trip. Sacagawea is most widely known for being the most honored woman in the United States, with at least 16 statues of her created. When Sacagawea was born in 1788, she was given the name Bazilikhe, meaning bird woman in the Hidatsa language. During the winter months,Lewis and Clark made the decision tobuild their encampment, Fort Mandan,near the Hidatsa-Mandan villages where Charbonneau and Sacagawea were living. A biography of the Shoshone girl, Sacagawea, from age eleven when she was kidnapped by the Hitdatsa to the end of her journey with Lewis and Clark, plus speculation about her . In 1800, when Sacagawea was about 12 years old, she was kidnapped by Hidatsa Indians and taken from her homeland, near Idaho, to the Hidatsa-Mandan villages near present-day Bismarck, North Dakota. Though it was her husband who was formally employed by the Corps of Discovery in November 1804, Sacagawea was a big part of Toussaint Charbonneaus pitch to the explorers. Jan 17, 1803. She was sold to a fur trader named Toussaint Charbonneau. She . In 1800, when Sacagawea was around 12 years old, a group of Hidatsa Indians kidnapped her, along with several other girls in her Shoshone tribe. Sacagawea soon became a respected member of the group. The expeditions valuable suppliesfellinto the water and Charbonneau froze. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Sacagawea was the only woman in the expedition made up of 32 male members. [Note: All journal entries are presented sic throughout.]. According to Moulton, the phonetic spelling used in the explorers writings consistently referred to Sacagawea as sah-KAH-gah-wee-ah, referring to a woman who assisted Lewis and Clark on their journey across the uncharted western part of the United States. Sacagawea gave birth to her second child, a daughter named Lisette, three years later. The couple had two children together, a son named Jean-Baptiste and a daughter named Lisette. Further, Sacagaweawas valuable to the expedition becauseher presencesignifiedpeace and trustworthiness. However, according to some Native American oral histories, Sacagawealived for manymoreyears in theShoshone lands in Wyoming,untilher deathin 1884. She wanted to see the natural wonder with her own eyes. Sacagaweas life will be celebrated over the course of three years as part of a national event. New York, D. McKay Co., 1967. In 2000, the U.S. Mint commemorated her by issuing a Commemorative Dollar coin. She demonstrated to the Native tribes that their mission was peaceful, dispelling the notion that they were about to conquer. During a crisis on May 14,1805,Sacagawea showed bravery and clear thinkingthat earnedLewisand Clarks praise and gratitude. To explore this new part of the country, Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on a two-year journey to report on what they found. Kidnapped from her Shoshone tribe when she was just eleven or twelve, Sacagawea . (Charbonneau had adopted several aspects of Hidatsa culture, including polygamy.) When she was approximately 12 years old, Sacagawea was captured by an enemy tribe, the Hidatsa, and taken from her Lemhi Shoshone people to the Hidatsa villages near present-day Bismarck, North Dakota. L, is and Clark prepared for their journey back to St. Louis, but before they left, Pomp back to St. Louis with him. He acquired Sacagawea Bird Woman and another Shoshone girl Otter Woman, and made them his wives. Postal Service released a Sacagawea stamp in 1994; and the U.S. Mint issued Sacagawea golden dollar coins from 2000 to 2008. Sacagawea was not compensated at all. Members of the Hidatsa tribe kidnapped her around 1800 and took her to their homeland in North Dakotas Knife River Valley, where she is still located today. There is some ambiguity around, . Charbonneau proposed that Lewis and Clark hire him as a guide and interpreter. 1. Accessed January 7, 2021.http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/tchar.html. In February 1805, Sacagawea gave birth to a son named Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. Sacagawea is assumed to be a Hidatsa name (Sacaga means bird and wea means woman) based on the journal entries of expedition members. He eventually became Jean-Baptistes godfather and ultimately, after Sacagaweas death, his legal guardian. On the journey, one of the most incredible things to happen to Sacagawea, kids will learn, was that she was reunited with her Shoshone family, from whom she had been kidnapped as a young girl. National Women's History Museum, 2021. Sacagawea and new born son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. Sakakawea and Tetanoueta remained in the area after the explorers returned in 1814. Photo Credit: Drawing of Sacagawea by Henry Altman, 1906, Oregon Historical Society, By Teresa Potter and Mariana Brandman, NWHM Predoctoral Fellow in Women's History | 2020-2022. : University of North Texas Press, 2003. Best Known For: Sacagawea was a Shoshone interpreter best known for being the only woman on the Lewis and Clark Expedition into the American West. Frazier, Neta Lohnes. s and Clark hire him as a guide and interpreter. The Lemhi Shoshone woman was born Agnes Sakakawea in the late 1790s in the Lemhi Shoshone village of Tse-Wah-Keen on the Salmon River in Idaho. Even though her name is spelled with a hard g most people call her Sacajawea with a j. The group consisted of thirty-one explorers, Charbonneau, sixteen-year-old Sacagawea, and two-month-old Pomp. Most of what we know from her comes from the Lewis and Clark journals of the Corps of Discovery expedition. We know her brother Cameahwait was chief of the Shoshone Indians, that she had been kidnapped by the Hidatsa Indians when she was about 10 years old and purchased by Toussaint Charbonneau to be one of his two wives. Though spelled numerous ways in the journals of expedition members,Sacagaweais generally believed to be a Hidatsa name (Sacagameans bird andweameans woman). She was then sold into slavery. Sacagawea was kidnapped from her Shoshone village by Hidatsa Indians when she was twelve years old. The Hidatsa derivation is usually supported by Lewis and Clarks journals. 3. Jefferson hired Virginias Meriwether Lewis to explore theland. Sacagawea was married to a man named Toussaint Charbonneau. She suggested that I follow the Rocky Mountains (now known as Bozeman Pass) to get there. The truth is that we don't have as much concrete information about Sacagawea as you might think, and much of what has seeped into the popular consciousness is more fiction than fact. ), the Shoshone (Snake) interpreter of the Lewis and Clark expedition." If were going to assign her a job title, interpreter might be a better fit. Abrams is now one of the most prominent African American female politicians in the United States. One theory is that it means bird woman, based on the fact that her tribe, the Shoshone, were known for their skill in hunting birds. According to Clarks journals, the boat was carrying the expeditions papers, Instruments, books, medicine, a great proportion of our merchandize, and in short almost every article indispensibly necessary to their mission. She received no pay for her services and died on December 20, 1812. Meriwether Lewis as her doctor. Traveling with Clark,Sacagawea guided his group south of the Yellowstone River by recommending aroutethrough theRockyMountains (known today as Bozeman Pass). Later, she was enslaved by the French Canadian trader Toussaint Charbonneau, along with another Shoshone woman. She was then sold to a French-Canadian trapper named Toussaint Charbonneau who made her one of his wives. Sacagaweas place and date of death are as contentious as the spelling of her name. Sacagawea stayed calm and rescuedinstruments, books, gunpowder, medicines, and clothingfrom the water. Sacagawea grew up surrounded by the Rocky Mountains in the Salmon River region of what is now Idaho, a member of the Lemhi tribe of the Native American Shoshone tribe. They were near an area where her people camped. When Lewis and Clark found out that he had a Shoshone wife they took interest in him as they would need their help acquiring horses once they reached the Shoshone nation. He lived among the Mandans and Hidatsas and adopted their way of life. This answer is: They took her hundreds of miles away from her Shoshone home. According to some, the term Otter Woman was intended to refer to interpreter Toussaint Charbonneaus other wife. Inyearof1803,LewisandClarksetoutonanadventuredeclaredbyThomasJefferson . In that case, the third syllablestarts with a hardg,asthere is no softgin the Hidatsa language. 2011-09-13 05:11:48. It's an area she recognized from her childhood, and Clark had learned to listen to her advice, writing, The indian woman who has been of great Service to me as a pilot through this Country recommends a gap in the mountain more South which I shall cross., Just as important as her knowledge of the terrain, Sacagawea was also a skilled forager who could find and identify plants that were edible or medicinal. Her popularity skyrocketed during the early twentieth century as a significant historical figure. Sacagawea lived among the Hidatsa tribe until 1803 or 1804, when she and another Shoshone woman were either sold or gambled away to a French-Canadian fur trader named Toussaint Charbonneau, who lived among the tribe. Early on Sacagawea was able to help out with the expedition. Spouse(s) of Toussaint Charbonneau, Spouse(s) Sacagawea, Otter Woman, and more children. She was sold to Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian . Scholars think she may have been born around 1788 in Lemhi County, Idaho among the Agaidikas or Salmon-Eater Shoshones of the Lemhi Shoshone tribe. Sacagawea, who was pregnant, spoke both Shoshone and Hidatsa, Charbonneau Hidatsa and French but did not speak English. Who Was Sacagawea? But she stayed on with the Corps and eventually, they made it to the coast in Oregon Territory in 1805, having traveled across the vast Louisiana Purchase. Born to a Shoshone chief around 1788, Sacagawea had been kidnapped by an enemy tribe when she was about 12, then sold to a French-Canadian trapper. Her death was a great loss to her husband, Lewis, who always spoke highly of her intelligence and courage. Sacagawea was born to the Shoshones, about 1788. She aided in the Lewis and Clark Expeditions exploration of the western United States as a guide. In 1805, Sacagawea gave birth to her son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, while traveling with the Lewis and Clark Expedition. She was even featured on a dollar coin issued in 2000 by the U.S. Mint, although it hasn't been widely available to the general public due to its low demand. 1800-1803 In 1800 Sacagawea was kidnapped by the Hidatsa tribe during a buffalo hunt.When she got to their camp,she was the only one there who spoke Shoshone,she must have been very lonely, but while she was at the Hidatsa tribe for three years she learned to speak the Hidatsa language. There is no doubt in her mind that she is a skilled and determined fighter. Ben Vaughn grew up in the Philadelphia area on the New Jersey side of the river. Only a few months after her daughter's arrival, she reportedly died at Fort Manuel in what is now Kenel, South Dakota, around 1812. Born to a Shoshone chief around 1788, Sacagawea had been kidnapped by an enemy tribe when she was about 12, then sold to a French-Canadian trapper. When a boat capsized on the Missouri River as they were crossing into what is now Montana, Sacagawea saved important books and much-needed supplies. Sacagawea helped the Corps communicate with the Shoshone, translating alongside her husband when the explorers first met them. This name is most commonly pronounced with the letter g (/s*k**wi*/), and is usually accompanied by a soft g or j sound. As a result, she could communicate with the Shohanies (both tribes spoke two completely different languages). Her status as a feminist figure did not disappear (as of today). Accessed January 7, 2021.https://www.nps.gov/lecl/learn/historyculture/sacagawea.htm, Sacagawea. PBS. Despite the fact that we only have a year and a half of her life documented, and because there is so little written or known about American Indian women of her day, she has become a symbol to many Americans. Her perseverance as a kidnapped child, a . Sacagawea married Jean Baptiste in 1897 after the Expedition returned to Fort Mandan, after being allowed to stay with the Expedition members. Sacagawea left the group to return to what is now Bismarck, South Dakota, before the triumphant return of Lewis and Clark to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1806. When the expedition ended, Sacagawea and Toussaint returned to their Hidatsa village. Since it was technically Charbonneau who had been hired by the Corps, it was he who received payment for the work: 320 acres of land and about $500. . She was part of the Native American tribe known as Shoshone and grew up in the Rocky Mountains. She's inspired lesson plans, picture books, movies, and one-woman shows. According to funtrivia.com, in Hidatsa (the language of the tribe that kidnapped Sacagawea) Sacaga means bird, and wea means woman so Sacagawea means bird woman. The English-Shoshone communication would require a four language chain interpretation. Sacagaweawas an interpreterand guideforMeriwetherLewis and William Clarks expedition westward from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Coast. She brought him along, carrying him in a cradleboard tied to her back. She went on to serve as a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with her husband in 1805. The first born in Shoshone, Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau, was born to Sacagawea on February 11, 1805, and he was later known as Jock, which meant first born in the community. The Many Accomplishments of Sacajawea. Sacagawea was born in either 1788 or 1789. . National Women's History Museum. Historical documents suggest that Sacagawea died just two years later of an unknown sickness. Between 2000 and 2008, the U.S. Mint produced a dollar coin in her honor. Sacagawea has also been memorialized in the names of parks, schools, playgrounds, and cultural and interpretive centers all over the country. Other sources say that she became part of the tribe. What happened to Sacagawea when the expedition returned East? Death Year: 1812, Death State: South Dakota, Death City: Kenel, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Sacagawea Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/history-culture/sacagawea, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: May 6, 2021, Original Published Date: April 3, 2014. Kessler, Donna J. Its a culturally significant question: If her name is pronounced with a soft g, its likely a Shoshone word meaning boat launcher. But if the g is hard and the spelling is closer to Sacagawea, it's probably a Hidatsa word meaning bird woman. Even though she was pregnant with her first child, Sacagawea was chosen to accompany them on their mission. consider, but wanted to keep the baby until it nished . The Fascinating Tale Of John Lennons Duel Citizenship. Did Sacagawea get kidnapped? She was skilled at finding edible plants. With the acquisition of so much land, it was necessary to determine the actual boundaries ofthecountry. Sacagawea summary: Real and accurate information regarding the history of Sacagawea is hard to find. sacajawea was a part of the shoshone tribe untill she was kidnapped and then later on sold to charbonneau. Though she was moved to tears, she resumed her duty as interpreter. Sacajawea was 14 when she was kiddnapped. Sacagawea was borncirca 1788in what is now the state of Idaho. [Sacagawea was the] only dependence for a friendly negotiation with the [Shoshoni] Indians. At the time, the Hidatsa and the Shoshone were enemy tribes, and Sacagawea's kidnap came as retribution for an earlier battle between the two. In his journal Clark once referred to her as Janey. Theres a great deal about Sacagawea that we just arent sure about, including how to spell and pronounce her name. Sacagawea proved herself again after the group took a different route home through what is now Idaho. She had given birth to a daughter, Lisette, earlier that year, and its thought that her health declined afterward. Sacagawea was born sometime around 1790. The above image is a Creative Commons, 2.0/mountainamoeba image. Traveling with Clark, Sacagawea guided his group south of the Yellowstone River by recommending a, the Hidatsa villages two days later, where Sacagawea and her family departed the expedition. Clark even offered to help him get an education. [Sacagawea], we find, reconciles all the Indians, as to our friendly intentionsa woman with a party of men is a token of peace. He wouldsee thatPompreceiveda good education andwouldraisePompas his own. He was only two months old. Sakakawea, on the other hand, has a following. Sacagawea with Lewis and Clark at Three Forks. Reliable historical information about Sacagawea is limited. . It is true, according to Clark, that the wife of Shabono represents peace for all Indians because she represents our friendly intentions with men, and a woman with a party of men represents peace. Sacagawea and Charbonneauthenwent back to the Upper Missouri River area and worked for Manuel Lisa, a Missouri Fur Company trader. As far as historians know, the first written reference to Sacagawea datesto November 4, 1804,. Sacagawea and her husband lived among the Hidatsa and Mandan Indians in the upper Missouri River area (present-day North Dakota). He would, not yet two) but indicated they would bring him to St. Louis when he was older, Little is known about Sacagaweas life after the expedition. Accessed January 7, 2021.http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/saca.html, Toussaint Charbonneau. PBS. McBeth, Sally. Clarks journal shows that Sacagawea contributedtothis decision, a sign of the respect the white, male crewmembers held for her knowledge of the land. Sacagawea and the men left Fort Mandan on April 7, 1805, with her baby on her back and her husband by her side. She was married to a French trader named Toussaint Charbonneau while living in the Mandan-Hidatsa region. Sacagawea was eager to be brought with the Lewis and Clark Expedition because she had long been at odds with the Lemhi Indians, who had long been at odds with the Hidatsa. She was a member of the Lemhi Shoshone tribe (which literally translates as . Sacagawea was kidnapped from her Shoshone village by Hidatsa Indians when she was twelve years old. Sacagaweacontinuedwith the Corps of Discovery and the expedition reached the Pacific Ocean on November15,1805. It was hard to find out the complete details about her early life. . National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison Jr. On December 21st, 1804 Lewis and Clark and his group of Corps of Discovery explorersdecided to settle in Fort Mandan for the winter. was limited to the Idaho/Montana region where she, (rather than the entirety of the expedition), a great help during their journey. "Sacagawea." Historians believe Sacagawea was born in 1788 or 1789 to the Lemhi Shoshone tribe, whose traditional homeland was near the Salmon River in what is now Idaho. Born in 1788 to a Shoshone tribe (settled in present-day Idaho), Sacagawea was kidnapped at the age of twelve by a group of Hidatsa invaders who brought her back to their hometown (now located in North Dakota). In about 1800, she was kidnapped by members of the Hidatsa tribe and taken to their homeland in the Knife River Valley, near present-day Stanton, North Dakota. Toussaint Charbonneau (March 20, 1766 August 12, 1843) was a French-Canadian explorer, trader, and member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. "Sacagawea." Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. However, despite allhercontributions, only Sacagaweas husband ever received payment for work on the expedition. Summary: (Adult Life) 3 things about Sacagawea 1) She led the Lewis and Clark expedition through the U.S. in 1805-1806. It will be held in honor of Lewis and Clarks journey across the country. Which Indian tribe kidnapped Sacagawea when she was born? Jean Baptiste and Sacagawea had a daughter, Marie Dorion, in 1811. She convinced the Shoshone to provide additional guides and horses to the expedition members. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! As the daughter of the chief o the Lemhi Shoshone, her birth would not have been. Many historians believe Sacagawea died in December 1812, likely of typhus, when she was about 25 years old. Sacagawea was born in 1788 near the Salmon River in what is now Idaho. She showed the men how to collect edible roots and other plants along the way. There is so much discussion and argument as to the spelling of her name: Her name in the Shoshone language means Bird Woman and in Hidatsa Boat Launcher. Sacagawea was a Shoshone Native most famous for having been the interpreter and the only woman on the Lewis and Clark expedition. When word of a washed-up whale carcass reached the Corps in 1806, Sacagawea insisted on accompanying the men to investigate. Sacagawea and her daughter, her small group of Shoshone, and a group of Hidatsa traveled with the Lewis and Clark Expedition led by Captain William Clark in 1812. Thats the account recorded by a clerk at Fort Manuel [PDF], where Sacagawea was living at the time, and the one accepted by Clark and most history texts. -Mandan villages where Charbonneau and Sacagawea were living. She was born a member of the Lemhi Shoshone tribe. Sacagawea had given birth to a son that winter named Jean Baptiste. Did Sacagawea disappear? Lewis and Clark arranged for a meeting with the chief, Cameahwait, and Sacagawea served asthetranslator. The Making of Sacagawea - Donna J. Kessler 1998-04-13 . When they needed horses to cross rough terrain, she convinced a Shoshone tribeled by her long-lost brotherto give them some. Sacagawea was taken as a slave to the Hidatsa's village near present-day Washburn, North Dakota. She was promptly sold into slavery. Please be respectful of copyright. The students will discuss diversity within the economics profession and in the federal government, and the functions of the Federal Reserve System and U. S. monetary policy, by reviewing a historic timeline and analyzing the acts of Janet Yellen. Sacagawea traveled 5,000 miles (10,000 km) with her infant son. As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music. Still, you can't tell the story of the United States without talking about Sacagawea's contributions to it, and there is plenty that we do know about her life that's just as impressive as the mythology. Her two children were adopted by Lewis in 1813. Sacagawea is commemorated by two grave markers: one in Mobridge, South Dakota, and the other in Fort Washakie, Wyoming, on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Charbonneau was born near Montreal, Canada and was an independent trader, he obtained goods on credit and traded them with the Indians. She also helped the expedition to establish friendly relations with the Native American tribes they encountered. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Here are 10 facts about Sacagawea, the Native American teenager who became a famous explorer. She and her husband were guides from the Great Plains to the Pacific Ocean and back. A group ofmentraveling with a woman and her baby appeared less menacingthan an all-malegroup, which could be mistaken for a war party. Her naturalists knowledge of the Shoshone trails made her appear to be his pilot, and she may have also helped to explain why Clark claimed her to be his sidekick. Sacagawea was only 16 or 17 years old when she joined Lewis and Clark's grueling expedition. . What happened to Sacagawea A few years after she was kidnapped? It was believed that she was a Lemhi Shoshone who settled in Lemhi County. As a result, Charbonneau was around 34 years old at the time of his marriage to Sacagawea in 1757. Sacagawea gets sold Sacagawea gets sold to Toussaint Charbonneau. Precise details about Sacagawea's early life are hard to come by, but she was born around 1788 in modern-day Idaho. That is unless youre talking to a historian from North Dakota, where official state policy dictates her name be spelled Sakakawea., Additional Source: Lewis and Clark: An Illustrated History by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns, 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. and the expedition reached the Pacific Ocean on November, Clarks journal shows that Sacagawea contributed, , a sign of the respect the white, male crewmembers held for her knowledge of the land, They built Fort Clatsop near the Columbia River and stayed, For the return journey, the Corps divided into two groups. As she beganinterpreting, she realized that the chief wasin facther brother. Here is where they met Toussaint Charbonneau,who lived among the Mandans. Painting byGeorge Catlin. The Queen gave birth to a daughter in 1810. Wiki User. Soon after, they neededto determine where they wouldestablishtheir winter quarters. When she was only 12 she was kidnapped along with several other girls in her tribe, by an enemy tribe. In 1809, it is believed that she and her husband or just her husband, according to some accounts traveled with their son to St. Louis to see Clark. Sacagawea was kidnapped in 1800, which would have made her about 13 years old, by the Hidatsa tribe, and some sourses believe, was kept as a slave. Sacagawea, the daughter of a Shoshone chief, was captured by an enemy tribe and sold to a French Canadian trapper who made her his wife around age 12. Later she was sold as a slave to Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian Fur Trader who lived among the Indians.