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Sacagawea

 

            Sacagawea was an important member of the Shoshone tribe. She was born in eastern Idaho in what is now Salmon, Idaho. It is thought that her birth year was about 1790. When Sacagawea was around the age of 10, she was captured by a raiding band of Hidatsa and carried to their camp near the border of North Dakota. She then was sold to a French fur-trader, Toussaint Charbonneau. In the wintertime, they stayed at Fort Mandan in which at this time, Sacagawea was pregnant. After winter, Sacagawea had given birth to her baby, Jean Baptiste. She was only 16 when she had her baby. Later, Charbonneau was hired to guide Lewis and Clark. He had to bring Sacagawea and the new baby along too. Bringing her and the baby was supposed to establish the peaceful natures of the party. As Clark noted, "a woman with a party of men is a token of peace." Not to mention, they needed a native translator and negotiator who was familiar with the language, the tribes, and the customs. Her knowledge about the land saved them weeks of travel. She helped win the needed gift of horses from her people, and her knowledge about the land saved them weeks of travel. Sacagawea was also able to provide natural foods for nourishment, (roots, berries, nuts, etc.). She was a great help to Lewis and Clark and their great expedition. .
             How Sacagawea died is not very certain. There are many myths and stories about her death. One story mentions that she left the baby with Clark for him to raise, and that she left Charbonneau to spend time in St. Louis. Another story claims that she died of "putrid fever", (smallpox, tuberculosis, scarlet fever) at the age of 25. One other story, a story from a native account, states that she married a few more times, had more children and met up with her son in Wind River, Wyoming. The Native account is most likely more accurate than others. As we may not know how she died, we know that she was a very remarkable and excellent help.


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