Reliable historical information about Sacagawea is limited. If you know anything at all about Sacagawea, you probably know that she was a guide on the Lewis and Clark Expedition (also known as the Corps of Discovery) to explore the Louisiana Purchase and Pacific Northwest, sagely leading her charges through unforgiving terrain with an almost mystical knowledge of the landscape. At about 17 years of age, she was the only woman among 31 older men on this portion of the expedition. These tribes carried rifles provided by white traders which gave them advantage over the Shoshones. They built Fort Clatsop near present-day Astoria, Oregon, and they remained there until March of the following year. 3. Sacagawea said she would . In 1880, when Sacagawea was 12 years old, their tribe was attacked by a group of Hidatsa, a gun-wielding tribe, who kidnapped several girls including Sacagawea and held them captive. And while the 1884 theory has its supporters, most sources, including U.S. government websites, agree with the evidence that Sacagawea died in 1812. She was kidnapped when she was about four years old.really young ! When Sacagawea was just eleven years old, the Hidatsa riding party . Toussaint Charbonneau, a trapper from Canada and AstorSIGNORE, a fur trader, led a party of eight men up the Salmon River, trading goods and services. Sacagawea was a Shoshone interpreter best known for being the only woman on the Lewis and Clark Expedition into the American West. Reenactment Sacagawea became an invaluable member of the expedition. Her death was a great loss to her husband, Lewis, who always spoke highly of her intelligence and courage. Charbonneau was steering a boat through choppy waters when a suddengust of windcaused the boat to tip sideways and fill with water. After reaching the Pacific coast in November 1805, Sacagawea was allowed to cast her vote along with the other members of the expedition for where they would build a fort to stay for the winter. Her knowledge oftheShoshone and Hidatsalanguageswasa great help during their journey. Sacagawea gave birth to her second child, a daughter named Lisette, three years later. Sacagawea, who was pregnant, spoke both Shoshone and Hidatsa, Charbonneau Hidatsa and French but did not speak English. In 1810, Sacagawea gave birth to a daughter. 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. She demonstrated to the Native tribes that their mission was peaceful, dispelling the notion that they were about to conquer. Postal Service released a Sacagawea stamp in 1994; and the U.S. Mint issued Sacagawea golden dollar coins from 2000 to 2008. She showed the men how to collect edible roots and other plants along the way. 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. Her death was a great loss to her husband, Lewis, who always spoke highly of her intelligence and courage. Sacagawea was born in either 1788 or 1789. 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. She was born c. 1788 into the Agaidika ('Salmon Eater', aka Lemhi Shoshone) tribe near present-day Salmon, Lemhi County, Idaho.This is near the continental divide at the present-day Idaho-Montana border.. 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. Sakakaweas story is currently taught in schools across the country, and she is one of the most significant figures in American history. Kastor and many historians agree that Sacagawea, with a hard g, is probably more historically correct. Charbonneau was steering a boat through choppy waters when a sudden, caused the boat to tip sideways and fill with water. Accessed January 7, 2021.https://www.nps.gov/lecl/learn/historyculture/sacagawea.htm, Sacagawea. PBS. joy. Sacagawea was the only woman in the expedition made up of 32 male members. The couple had two children together, a son named Jean-Baptiste and a daughter named Lisette. She convinced the Shoshone to provide additional guides and horses to the expedition members. In 1805, Sacagawea gave birth to her son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, while traveling with the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Sacagaweas place and date of death are as contentious as the spelling of her name. Scholars estimate that there were approximately 3,000 to 4,000 Hidatsas and Mandans living along the Missouri River at that time. was limited to the Idaho/Montana region where she, (rather than the entirety of the expedition), a great help during their journey. Abigail Adams was an early advocate for women's rights. In 1800, when she was 12 years old, Hidatsa warriors raided her tribe and captured many young people, including Sacagawea. With her her baby on her back and her husband by her side, Sacagawea and the men left Fort Mandan on April 7. Sacagawea proved herself again after the group took a different route home through what is now Idaho. 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. Her mere presence might also have been invaluable. For the return journey, the Corps divided into two groups,one led by Lewis and the other by Clark. 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. it is worthy of remark that this was the first child which this woman had boarn, and as is common in such cases her labour was tedious and the pain violent; Mr. Jessome informed me that he had freequently admininstered a small portion of the rattle of the rattle-snake, which he assured me had never failed to produce the desired effect, that of hastening the birth of the child; having the rattle of a snake by me I gave it to him and he administered two rings of it to the woman broken in small pieces with the fingers and added to a small quantity of water. Sacagawea also made a miraculous discovery of her own during the trip west. Another theory is that her name means boat puller, which would make sense given her role in helping Lewis and Clark navigate the rivers during their expedition. The Lemhi Shoshone belonged to the north band of Shoshones that lived along the Lemhi and Salmon Rivers banks. 2. Clark even offered to help him get an education. Four years later, Sacagawea had a chance to make history. Sacagawea was regarded as a valuable addition to Lewis and Clarks language skills. [Sacagawea's] experiences may have made her one of those people permanently stuck between cultures, not entirely welcome in her new life nor able to return to her old. She was a Shoshone interpreter best known for serving as a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition into the American West and for being the only woman on the famous excursion. Although she was only 16 years old and the only female in an exploration group of more than 45 people, she was ready to courageously make her mark in American history. This name is most commonly pronounced with the letter g (/s*k**wi*/), and is usually accompanied by a soft g or j sound. The U.S. Navy has named three ships after her over the years; the U.S. Did Lewis and Clark treat Sacagawea well? Picture of Toussaint Charbonneau introducing one of his wives, Sacagawea, to Lewis and Clark. The infant was just four months old when Charbonneau, Sacagawea and little Jean Baptiste joined expedition. Native American Indians did not develop a written language; oral Indian tradition holds that Sacagawea died in 1884 and is buried in Wyoming. Sacagawea was not afraid. Precise details about Sacagawea's early life are hard to come by, but she was born around 1788 in modern-day Idaho. After her daring actions saved Lewis and Clarks lives, a branch of the Missouri River was named for her. Sacajawea:TheGirl Nobody Knows. . Carrying her infant son on her back, Sacajawea helped guide the famous team It was through her that the expedition was able to buy horses from the Shoshone to cross the Rocky Mountains. After Sacagawea's death, Clark looked after her two children, and ultimately took custody of them both. Sacagawea faced the same dangers and difficulties as the rest of the expedition members, Sacagawea showed bravery and clear thinking, and Clarks praise and gratitude. There, she was later sold as a slave to Toussaint Charbonneau . Sacagawea was not paid in any way, and she was only responsible for assisting the other members of the team. In 1800, when she was about 12 years old, Sacagawea and several other girls were taken captive by a group of Hidatsa in a raid that resulted in the deaths of several Shoshone: four men, four women, and several boys. Despite this joyous family reunion, Sacagawea remained with the explorers for the trip west. getting kidnapped and sold into marriage, she ultimately triumphed by leading America to its success: expansionism to the west. She communicated with other tribes andinterpretedfor Lewis and Clark. Contents. Charbonneau knew Hidatsa and the sign languages common among the river tribes, , where they would likely encounter and need to trade with the Shoshone, is and Clark hired Charbonneau as a member of, The Americans stayed in their relatively safe and warm camp through the winter of 1804-05 and waited. Lewis and Clark arranged for a meeting with the chief, Cameahwait, and Sacagawea served as. The National Park Service claims there are more statues dedicated to Sacagawea than to any other American woman. (Some of those statues are controversial for their depiction of Sacagawea, however, and at least one has been removed.) As a result, she could communicate with the Shohanies (both tribes spoke two completely different languages). has been of great service to me as a pilot through this country.. During the journey, Clark had become fond of her son Jean Baptiste, nicknaming him "Pomp" or "Pompey." Painting by Split Rock. When the corps encountered a group of Shoshone Indians, she soon realized that its leader was actually her brother Cameahwait. Sacagawea delivered her son Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau (known as Baptiste) on February 11, 1805. 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. Sacagawea and new born son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. The Salmon Eater or Agaidika tribe was who she was born into. As a result, Charbonneau was around 34 years old at the time of his marriage to Sacagawea in 1757. Accessed January 7, 2021.http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/saca.html, Toussaint Charbonneau. PBS. Sacagawea was either 16 or 17 years old when she joined the Corps of Discovery. Sacagawea didn't have a proper education, but she learned from her tribes. Then, in 1804, when she was only sixteen years old, Sacajawea met Lewis and Clark. According to the theory, Clark received information from Luttig. She would travel with them for two years, from October 1804 to August 1806, from North. Sacagawea and the men left Fort Mandan on April 7, 1805, with her baby on her back and her husband by her side. Sacagaweas actual day of birth is not known. Many historians believe Sacagawea died in December 1812, likely of typhus, when she was about 25 years old. 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. 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. (Charbonneau had adopted several aspects of Hidatsa culture, including polygamy.) Tetanoueta and Sakakawea were met at a point in the area by Lewis and Clarks expedition in 1813. During a crisis on May 14,1805,Sacagawea showed bravery and clear thinkingthat earnedLewisand Clarks praise and gratitude. She is best known for her role in assisting the Lewis and Clark expedition. Without these supplies, the expedition would have been in serious trouble. She suggested that I follow the Rocky Mountains (now known as Bozeman Pass) to get there. Pomp was left in Clark's care. 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. In 1800, at the age of 12, she was kidnapped by Hidatsa (or Minitari) Natives and taken from what is now Idaho to what is now North Dakota. The territory is now known as Idaho but boasted a peaceful backdrop for her upbringing. ThoughSacagaweas role as a guidewas limited to the Idaho/Montana region where shehad grown up(rather than the entirety of the expedition), she still proved criticalto theCorps. Sacagawea was only 25 or 26 when she died, most likely of an infection related to childbirth. Theyarrived atthe Hidatsa villages two days later, where Sacagawea and her family departed the expedition. Sacagawea is a very important hero. The group built Fort Mandan, and elected to stay there for the winter. Sacagawea was the only woman in the expedition made up of 32 male members. She's inspired lesson plans, picture books, movies, and one-woman shows. Sacagaweas familiarity with the landscape was also helpful throughout the expedition. In this lesson, students will experience the tragedy of the commons through a team activity in which they compete for resources. In addition to being the husband of Sacagawea, he is also known as the father of her three children. Most of the times the Shoshones were defeated, had their possessions raided or destroyed and their members killed or kidnapped. Sacagawea may have been born "Boinaiv" about 1784. Kidnapped by a raiding tribe, whose language she must learn, she is enslaved and groomed for the chief's son. Sacagawea spoke Shoshone and Hidatsa, and Charbonneau spoke Hidatsa and French; their ability to translate multiple languages would make it easy for the expedition to trade for horses with the Shoshone in order to trek through the Rocky Mountains. Sacagawea was borncirca 1788in what is now the state of Idaho. It is believed that Sacagaweas second child, Lizette, died during childhood as there is no mention of her after her mothers death. In 1800, when she was roughly twelve-years-old, she . Did Sacagawea get kidnapped? In 1800, when she was just 12 years old, Sacagawea was kidnapped by a group of Hidatsa Indians who were at war with the Shoshones. There is some ambiguity aroundSacagaweasdeath. Cameahwait was the leader of a group of Shoshone Indians, according to Sacagawea. Her horse management skills were particularly useful, as were her interpretive skills in interpreting complex Indian sign languages used by the expedition members. The following is the journal entry made by Lewis on February, 1805 about the birth of Jean Babtiste: about five Oclock this evening one of the wives of Charbono was delivered of a fine boy. What happened to Sacagawea A few years after she was kidnapped? The English-Shoshone communication would require a four language chain interpretation. In 1800, when she was about 12 years old, Sacagawea was kidnapped by a war party of Hidatsa Indians -- enemies of her people, the Shoshones. The Hidatsa tribe kidnapped her in 1800 when she was about 18 years old, and she was taken to their homeland in the Knife River Valley near Stanton, North Dakota, where she is still known today. Sacajawea was 14 when she was kiddnapped. Toussaint Charbonneau (March 20, 1766 August 12, 1843) was a French-Canadian explorer, trader, and member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Sacagawea was an American Indian woman, the only one on Lewis and Clark's 1804 expedition. Around 1800 when Sacagawea was between 11 or 13 years old, the Hidatsas raided her camp and kidnapped her and other young Shoshone women making them their prisoners. She had given birth to at least three children, the last one just a few months before her death. She was born a member of the Lemhi Shoshone tribe. The story goes that she was traveling with a buffalo hunting party in the fall of 1800 when the group was attacked by members of the Hidatsa tribe. On February 11,1805, Sacagaweagavebirth to ason, Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau, whom Clark later nicknamed "Pomp," meaning "first born" in Shoshone. consider, but wanted to keep the baby until it nished . Her courage and knowledge of native plants, languages, and terrain all contributed to the success of the expedition. Every March, people in the United States celebrate the achievements and history of women as part of Womens History Month. Jan 17, 1803. She aided in the Lewis and Clark Expeditions exploration of the western United States as a guide. There are seven variations of its spelling in the journals: Sah-kah-gar-we-a, Sah-ca-gar-me-ah, Sah-cah-gah-ew-a, Sah-cah-gah-we-a, Sah-cah-gar-we-ah, Sah-car-gar-we-ah and Sah-car-gar-me-ah. . She was alsoskilledat finding edible plants, which proved to be crucial to supplementing their rationsalong the journey. They needed local guides to help them through this unknown territory. The two groups reunited on August 12,1806. 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. 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. ", According to Washington University history professor Peter Kastor, the spelling Sacajawea, with the accompanying soft g sound on the j, became the prominent one simply because that's the one the Philadelphia-based editor picked when Lewis and Clarks journals were published. His birth was aided by Lewis who described her labor as tedious with violent pain. Other evidence that cropped up during the 20th century indicated that Sacagawea, living under the name Porivo, died in 1884 in Wind River, Wyoming, near age 100. National Women's History Museum. In his journals, Clark writes that the presence of a Native American woman helped assure the tribes they encountered that the groups intentions were peaceful; otherwise, they might have been mistaken for a war party., On more than one occasion, though, Sacagaweas contributions to the expedition were a bit more tangible. Lewis and Clark resorted to Private Francois Labiche, who spoke French and English. [Note: All journal entries are presented sic throughout.]. President Thomas Jeffersons Louisiana Purchase of western territory from France nearly doubled the size of the United States. Sacagawea spent the next year with the Lewis and Clark expedition, before returning to her homeland in present-day Montana. 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. How Old Was Sacagawea When She Was Kidnapped Sacagawea was captured by an enemy tribe, the Hidatsa, when she was about 12 years old, and was taken from her Lemhi Shoshone people to the Hidatsa villages near Bismarck, North Dakota, at the time. Sacagawea was born to the Shoshones, about 1788. She was kidnapped from her village by the Hidatsa Indians when she was 12. Sakakawea, on the other hand, has a following. Clark even praised her as his pilot.. She was married to a French trader named Toussaint Charbonneau while living in the Mandan-Hidatsa region. American National Biography. The Lewis and Clark Expedition, which visited the Pacific Northwest from St. Louis in 1804-06, is regarded as Sacagaweas greatest achievement. According to some, the term Otter Woman was intended to refer to interpreter Toussaint Charbonneaus other wife. McBeth, Sally. What happened to Sacagawea when the expedition returned East? With her her baby on her back and her husband by her side, Sacagawea and the men left Fort Mandan on April 7,1805. Her knowledge of the native languages made her an invaluable resource for the expedition. Sacagawea gets sold Sacagawea gets sold to Toussaint Charbonneau. Sacagawea, which means bird woman in Hidatsa, translates as bird woman. Sacajawea could also refer to a boat launch in Shoshone. When a boat she was riding on capsized, she was able to save some of its cargo, including important documents and supplies. Lewis and Clark spelled her name several different ways throughout their journals, and historians have disagreed about whether the proper spelling is Sacajawea, Sakakawea, or Sacagawea; whether its pronounced with a soft g or a hard one; and which syllable gets the emphasis. (There were stories that it was another wife of Charbonneau who died at Fort Manuel, but historians don't give much credence to this.) 600 aoo In 1800, an enemy tribe kidnapped Sacagawea. [Sacagawea], 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. Summary: (Adult Life) 3 things about Sacagawea 1) She led the Lewis and Clark expedition through the U.S. in 1805-1806. 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. ette in 1812. 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. Sacagawea returns to Three Forksan area where three rivers come together in what is now Missouriwhere she was captured as a child. 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. Around 1800 when Sacagawea was between 11 or 13 years old, the Hidatsas raided her camp and kidnapped her and other young Shoshone women making them their prisoners. , whom Clark later nicknamed "Pomp," meaning "first born" in Shoshone. Early on Sacagawea was able to help out with the expedition. 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. He forced them both to become his "wives . . The above image is a Creative Commons, 2.0/mountainamoeba image. The Shoshones were constantly attacked by the Hidatsa Indians also known as Minitaree Sioux or Gros Ventre, allies with the Mandans, and by the Blackfeet. 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. Her story was later written down by her granddaughter, Lucy McKissick, and preserved through oral traditions after Sakakaweas death in 1887. Only a few months after her daughter's arrival, she reportedly died at Fort Manuel in what is now Kenel, South Dakota, around 1812. Pompy was about 18 months old at the time. During the 1800s, the Hidatsa tribe kidnapped Sacagawea during a buffalo hunt in search of gold, and the Shoshone were enemies of the gun-toting Hidatsa tribe. She demonstrated her leadership abilities by assisting the expedition members in crossing the wide, treacherous rivers and braving the dangerous buffalo herds. According to his service, Charbonneau received 320 acres of land valued at $500.33, while Sacagwea received no compensation. Historical documents suggest that Sacagawea died just two years later of an unknown sickness. . Clarks journal shows that Sacagawea contributedtothis decision, a sign of the respect the white, male crewmembers held for her knowledge of the land. Three years later, she was bought by Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian trapper, and made his wife. 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. She was the only female among a group of 33 members that set out on a journey through a wilderness area that had never been explored before. When he was hired as a guide for Lewis and Clarks expedition in 1804, Sacagawea also joined as an interpreter to talk to Native-American people on their 8,000-mile journey. The diaries of Lewis and Clark provide a wealth of information about their journey. View Lab Report - Sacagawea from HIST HIST 223 at American Public University. Lewis and Clark met Charbonneau and quickly hired him to serve as interpreter on their expedition. 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 married to a man named Toussaint Charbonneau. Who Was Sacagawea? At the age of twelve (1800) she was kidnapped by a group of Hidatsa and the battle that provoked it caused the death of four women, four men and several boys from the Shoshone tribe. In 1983, he formed the Ben Vaughn Combo. The most common spelling of the name of the. Sacagawea gave birth on Monday, February 11, 1805 to a healthy baby boy named Jean Babtiste Charbonneau, nicknamed Pompy. Sacagawea gets kidnapped When Sacagawea was 12 years old, Hidatsa warriors raided her tribe and captured many young people, including herself. Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her sixty-year career. The expeditions valuable suppliesfellinto the water and Charbonneau froze. 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. As the daughter of the chief o the Lemhi Shoshone, her birth would not have been. Lewis and Clark prepared for their journey back to St. Louis, but before they left,Clark offered to takeSacagaweas sonPomp back to St. Louis with him. Later, she was married off to a fur trader who was twice her age. Sacagawea was only 16 or 17 years old when she joined Lewis and Clark's grueling expedition. Sacagawea was only 17 years old when he joined Lewis and Clarks Corps of Discovery. Theres a great deal about Sacagawea that we just arent sure about, including how to spell and pronounce her name. They made her a slave. [Sacagawea] was one of the female prisoners taken at that time; tho' I cannot discover that she shows any emotion of sorrow in recollecting this events, or of joy in being again restored to her native country; if she has enough to eat and a few trinkets to wear I believe she would be perfectly content anywhere. 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). Sacagawea, a young Native American, joined them. In other words, you probably have it all wrong. Here's how they got it done. In February 1805, Sacagawea gave birth to a son named Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. Sacagawea. . It will be held in honor of Lewis and Clarks journey across the country. A few years later, she was traded to or purchased by a . She is buried in a dispute over where she is buried and when she died. Sacagawea and her husband lived among the Hidatsa and Mandan Indians in the upper Missouri River area (present-day North Dakota). 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 soon became a respected member of the group. Sakakawea or Sacajawea was a Lemhi Shoshone woman, who is well-famed for Leading Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition to find the Pacific Ocean through the Western United States, acting as an interpreter and guide. one led by Lewis and the other by Clark. He lived among the Mandans and Hidatsas and adopted their way of life. There is no doubt in her mind that she is a skilled and determined fighter. the Shoshone tribe. 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. How old was Sacagawea when she was taken captive? She was 16 years old, she was not originally Shoshone she was Hidatsa, she had been kidnapped when she was 12 and taken from the Hidatsa to the Shoshone, Where she now lived with her husband, Toussaint. As a result of her presence, she helped dispel preconceived notions about their plans to conquer Native American tribes. Her presence was regarded as a peace offering and her greatest contribution. Sacagawea served as interpreter and guide for the Meriwether Lewis and William Clark expedition that traveled west from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Coast.