How Did Sacagawea Contribute To The Lewis And Clark...

The Lewis and Clark Expedition, otherwise known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was a military project conducted by William Clark and Meriwether Lewis with the goal of exploring the Pacific Northwest and the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase. Many people were involved in this operation, even a dog. Still, one of the most influential people involved in the project, and the only woman, was a Shoshone Indian by the name of Sacagawea. Although she was often overlooked by many, Sacagawea was a huge contributor to the success of this expedition. Sacagawea impacted American history by contributing to the Lewis and Clark Expedition with her guidance, translation, and knowledge of the world around her. Sacagawea is shrouded in mystery, as we know …show more content…
She was born into the Lemhi band of the Shoshone Indians, of which her father was the chief. Around 1800, when she was approximately 12 years old, Sacagawea was taken prisoner by a Hidatsa raiding party at the Missouri River where her band was camping. She was brought to a Hidatsa Village in which she would have her name changed from Boinaiv to Sacagawea. This isn’t entirely a confirmed thought because there is some skepticism when it comes to how the name “Sacagawea” is spelled. Around 1800 through 1804, Sacagawea was said to have been either bought or won via gambling by a French-Canadian trader by the name of Toussaint Charbonneau. He would later go on to marry Sacagawea alongside another girl he bought from the Hidatsa village. They resided in a Hidatsa village called Metaharta. Through this marriage, Sacagawea would be found by Lewis and Clark and would begin her legacy as a legend. Although Sacagawea was heavily involved in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, it didn’t originally start that way. On April 30, 1803, the United States agreed to buy 828,000 square miles of land from the French for 15 million …show more content…
Lewis would later designate William Clark as his co-commander and both men, alongside 45 others, would embark on their expedition on May 14, 1804. That winter, the men decided to settle near the Knife River in North Dakota, the same place where Mandan and Hidatsa villages were located. Clark would then be approached by Charbonneau asking to be hired by them as an interpreter. Clark agreed and realized that throughout their mission they would encounter tribes that spoke the Shoshone language. They decided to also bring along Sacagawea as she would be of great help when it came to interacting with other tribes, but she would end up helping with much more than just communication barriers. Throughout the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Sacagawea would prove to be skilled at various tasks. While the group of travelers traversed the new territory, Sacagawea managed to point out different landmarks and objects that she recognized. On this trip, Sacagawea would reencounter the territory that she once lived on and would tell the party of men that they were getting closer and closer to their

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How Did Sacagawea Contribute To The Lewis And Clark Expedition

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How Did Sacagawea Contribute To The Lewis And Clark Expedition

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