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Who Was Sacagawea, The Unsung Heroine Of Lewis And Clark's Expedition?

Gisele Goldman  | 2 months ago
Sacagawea was a Shoshone Indo-American woman and famous "guide" for the Lewis and Clark expedition. She is the most well-known American woman, and numerous lakes and mountains are known by her name. In fact, she was honored with statues that outnumber those of other women on North American continents.

In the Lewis and Clark expedition, she is the only lady with 32 male members and the special member of the leading group. She was a Shoshone interpreter but not working on the payroll; however, Toussaint Charbonneau, her husband from France, was. 

Charbonneau received $533.33 and 320 acres of Missouri land as a reward for his interpretive services, as Sacagawea was not paid. As the expedition progressed, Sacagawea played many roles and was a valuable asset to the Corps of Discovery.

Sacagawea’s Role And Significance In The Lewis And Clark Expedition

Token Of Peace
Her most significant contribution was her presence, as it helped to ease tensions between Native Americans and explorers. During its journey, the expedition encountered various Native American tribes. The survival of the group was dependent on their ability to communicate well. She was able to show them that explorers intended peaceful activities. Sacagawea was a symbol of peace and victory in Indian connections.
Sacagawea’s Role And Significance In The Lewis And Clark Expedition
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​Recognizing Landmarks

Many historians have provided numerous evaluations of her role as an expedition guide. Sacagawea's assistance in the Corps of Discovery is based on recognizing landmarks that she recalled from her childhood and guiding the friendly routes in the Shoshone lands. Lewis wrote three journals that mentioned familiar landmarks Sacagawea had remembered from her childhood before arriving in the Shoshone nation. 

Sacagawea had never written any journal entries that indicated her familiarity with an area. She was as unfamiliar with the other regions as she was with the rest of her expedition.
​Recognizing Landmarks
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Interpreting
It wasn't easy to interpret. The communication between the chief and Clark needed an English to French, French to Hidatsa, and Hidatsa to Shoshone translator. Sacagawea played a significant role as a translator in the expedition.

​Resourcefulness And Endurance

Sacagawea was more than an interpreter on the trip. She supported Lewis and Clark in obtaining horses and essential supplies and identifying edible plants and herbs. She also prevented aggressive relations from other tribes by simply being there with them.
​Resourcefulness And Endurance
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Know More About Sacagawea's Childhood
A young girl of extraordinary stature was born in 1788. Sacagawea was her name. She belonged to the Shoshone tribe and lived in the mountains at the border of Idaho and Montana. Sacagawea's childhood was hard. The Hidatsa, a rival tribe, brutally attacked Sacagawea's family when she was just a child. 

Death Controversy Of Sacagawea

The death of Sacagawea has been very controversial till now. 1812 is the most widely accepted date. Others, who rely on American Indian oral traditions, believe she died in Shoshone lands in 1884.

It is said that in December 1812, the cause of death was typhus or a "putrid fever ."A scholar claimed that Sacagawea had not died from a fever in the early 1900s. Instead, Sacagawea lived in 1884 and died in Wyoming. 

These claims were disproven by historians more than a century later and after much research. Most people believe that this woman was different and is now known as the "Wind River Sacagawea."
Death Controversy Of Sacagawea
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Bottom line
Hope this article helps you know more about the unsung heroine of Lewis and Clark's expedition. Sacagawea was a strong woman. As a teenager, Sacagawea was a Shoshone explorer who tethered her baby to her back and bravely traveled westward through America as part of Lewis and Clark's famed expedition. 

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✍ WRITTEN BY

Gisele Goldman

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