Sacagawea Facts & Worksheets

Sacagawea facts and information plus worksheet packs and fact file. Includes 5 activities aimed at students 11-14 years old (KS3) & 5 activities aimed at students 14-16 years old (GCSE). Great for home study or to use within the classroom environment.

Sacagawea Worksheets

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Fact File

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Student Activities

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Table of Contents
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    Summary

    • Early Life
    • The Lewis and Clark Expedition
    • Later Life and Death
    • Controversy Surrounding Sacagawea's Name
    • Legacy

    Key Facts And Information

    Let’s know more about Sacagawea!

    Sacagawea was a young Indigenous American woman, specifically a Lemhi Shoshone, who assisted the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804 as they carried out their chartered mission objectives in the Louisiana Territory. 

    As part of the expedition, she travelled hundreds of miles from North Dakota to the Pacific, facilitating cultural interactions with Indigenous American communities and providing information about the natural history of the regions they explored. Despite the uncertainty surrounding her life, her achievements as a guide, interpreter and symbol of peace throughout the expedition are undeniably significant.

    Portrait of Sacagawea with her son
    Portrait of Sacagawea with her son

    Early Life

    • Sacagawea's early life is somewhat uncertain, with factual information mixed with oral traditions. She was born around 1788, likely into the Agaidika band of the Lemhi Shoshone nation in the area that is now Idaho.
    • A Hidatsa raiding party kidnapped Sacagawea and several other girls in 1800, when they were all around 12 years old. This event took place near present-day Salmon, Idaho. She was taken eastwards to the Hidatsa villages near present-day Bismarck, North Dakota.
    • Sacagawea was enslaved by the Hidatsa. Sometime between 1803 and 1804, she was sold or traded as a wife to Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian fur trader living in the village. She was pregnant with her first child when the Lewis and Clark Expedition arrived in the Hidatsa villages in 1804. She gave birth to her son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, on 11 February 1805, while the group was at Fort Mandan.

    The Lewis and Clark Expedition

    • Early in the 1800s, President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery. The Louisiana Purchase, a sizable region that the United States recently acquired from France, was the expedition's main goal.
    • Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the expedition's leaders, set out from Camp Dubois near present-day Hartford, Illinois, in May 1804. Their team, comprised of roughly three dozen men, went on a journey up the Missouri River. The expedition faced challenges, including navigating dangerous waters, enduring harsh weather conditions, and encountering various Indigenous American people.
    • Sacagawea, who was then pregnant, joined the expedition with her husband. Her presence was crucial to the expedition's success. As a translator, her knowledge of Shoshone and Hidatsa languages facilitated communication with Indigenous people. As a guide, her familiarity with the terrain helped the expedition navigate unfamiliar landscapes.
    • Sacagawea also used the knowledge of naturalists on the expedition. She could identify berries, herbs and roots that were medicinal or edible. Furthermore, her and her son's presence reassured the Indigenous American groups they encountered, who saw them as a sign of the expedition's peaceful intentions.
    • During the expedition, the Sacagawea River, a tributary of the Musselshell River in north-central Montana, was explored. It was approximately 30 miles long. While travelling by canoe, Sacagawea encountered a sudden storm that nearly capsized the boat. Despite the dangerous situation, she collected all the important books, records and instruments from the journey. The expedition recognised her heroic actions by naming the river after her on 20 May 1805.
    • In August 1805, the expedition encountered a Shoshone Indigenous American group, and they sought to exchange horses to facilitate their crossing of the Rocky Mountains. Sacagawea served as a translator, enabling both sides to understand each other. To their surprise, they discovered that Cameahwait, the chief of the Shoshone group, was in fact Sacagawea's brother.
    • The Shoshone provided guides for the expedition and traded horses. However, the mountain crossing took longer than expected, and the expedition's food supplies ran low. As they travelled into more moderate areas, Sacagawea helped locate and prepare camas roots, which helped them regain their strength.
    Lewis and Clark reach the Shoshone camp led by Sacagawea
    Lewis and Clark reach the Shoshone camp led by Sacagawea
    • As the expedition neared the Pacific Ocean, Sacagawea gave up her beaded belt, which the captains then traded to acquire a fur robe they intended to present to President Thomas Jefferson upon their return.
    • The expedition reached the Pacific Ocean in November 1805. They spent the winter near the coast before beginning their return journey in March 1806. The expedition arrived back in the Hidatsa-Mandan settlement on 14 August 1806, having traversed over 8,000 miles and collected invaluable information about the geography, ecology and Indigenous American cultures of the West.
    • Charbonneau was paid $500.33 and 320 acres of land in exchange for his assistance. Sacagawea, however, received no payment.

    Later Life and Death

    • In 1809, Sacagawea, Charbonneau and their son Baptiste travelled to St. Louis, where Charbonneau accepted an offer from William Clark. Their agreement specified that the Charbonneau family would receive land for farming, but in exchange, the parents would have to allow Clark to educate Baptiste. 
    • However, the farming venture did not succeed, and in April 1811, Sacagawea and Charbonneau left Baptiste in St. Louis with Clark, who had become the boy's godfather, to set out on a fur-trading expedition.
    • Unfortunately, other details about Sacagawea's life after the Lewis and Clark Expedition are scarce, and much of what is known is based on speculation and oral tradition. The most commonly accepted account suggests that she died on 22 December 1812.
    • Following the birth of a daughter, Lisette (or Lizette), Sacagawea's health suffered in August 1812. She became sick by December with 'putrid fever'. 
    • She passed away at Fort Manuel, on a hill 70 miles south of modern Bismarck. Some historians and oral histories from Shoshone descendants have disputed this account of her death.
    • Clark became the legal guardian for Lisette and Baptiste a year after Sacagawea’s death. Though nothing is known of Lisette's life, Baptiste visited Europe and worked a range of occupations in the American West before passing away in 1866. Charbonneau died in 1843.
    • Some accounts suggest that Sacagawea, after returning from the expedition, chose not to remain with Charbonneau and instead rejoined her Shoshone people. These accounts often claim she lived a long life, eventually passing away in 1884 on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.

    Controversy Surrounding Sacagawea's Name

    • The spelling of Sacagawea's name is a point of contention. The most commonly used spelling, 'Sacagawea', is itself believed to be a misinterpretation.
    • The source of the confusion came from the varying ways her name was transcribed in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The explorers, unfamiliar with the nuances of Hidatsa, her Indigenous language, recorded her name phonetically, leading to discrepancies.
    • Some scholars argue that 'Sakakawea', meaning 'Bird Woman' in Hidatsa, represents the most accurate spelling of her name. This spelling emphasises her Indigenous identity and reflects the oral traditions of the Hidatsa people.
    Lewis and Clark Expedition
    Lewis and Clark Expedition
    • Some also believed it was spelled 'Sacajawea', derived from Shoshone words meaning 'boat puller' or 'boat launcher'. This interpretation connects her name to the role she played in guiding the expedition along the waterways of the American West. Additionally, some Hidatsa oral histories contend that her name was actually 'Boinaiv', meaning 'Grass Maiden'. This interpretation highlights the importance of considering Indigenous perspectives when reconstructing historical narratives.

    Legacy

    • The lack of reliable historical records makes it difficult to definitively determine the course of Sacagawea's later life and the circumstances of her death. Despite these uncertainties, her legacy continues to inspire and educate. She is remembered as a symbol of peace, a skilled guide and interpreter, and a testament to the strength and resilience of Indigenous American women.

    A Symbol of Peaceful Diplomacy

    • Sacagawea's presence in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, particularly with her infant son, Jean Baptiste, served as a powerful symbol of peace to the Indigenous American people they encountered. In a time of escalating tensions between Indigenous communities and advancing European settlers, the image of a young mother accompanying a group of explorers conveyed a message of non-aggression and a desire for peaceful interaction. Many groups, upon seeing Sacagawea and her child, chose to assist the expedition rather than view them with suspicion.

    A Guide and Interpreter

    • Sacagawea's knowledge of the Shoshone and Hidatsa languages was important to the expedition. She facilitated communication, enabling Lewis and Clark to negotiate for safe passage, establish trade relations, and gather crucial information about the land and its people. Beyond her linguistic skills, Sacagawea possessed knowledge of the terrain. Her familiarity with landmarks, waterways and edible plants proved significant in guiding the expedition through unfamiliar landscapes.

    An Iconic Figure in American History

    • Apart from several memorials all throughout the country, Sacagawea was honoured by the US Mint with a dollar coin issued between 2000 and 2008. Designed by artist Glenna Goodacre, the coins departed from traditional coin-making practices by depicting Sacagawea gazing directly at the observer. Goodacre modelled the image of Sacagawea on a modern-day Shoshone student.
    • Furthermore, the early 20th century saw the widespread dissemination of a romanticised portrayal of Sacagawea as a 'genuine Indian princess', thanks to Eva Emery Dye's 1902 novel, The Conquest: The True Story of Lewis and Clark, which somewhat embellished the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition's struggles.
    • As a suffragist, Dye was not content with the information available at the time about Sacagawea. She sought to elevate her to the status of a remarkable female hero, and she was willing to alter the historical account to do so. Some academics now argue that Sacagawea's actual accomplishments are compelling enough and that the romanticised interpretations of her 'legend', both before and after Dye's book, do a disservice to the real woman.
    • Since Dye's novel, Sacagawea has gained popularity as a character in young adult and historical fiction. In her 1984 book Sacajawea, Anna Lee Waldo examined the narrative of her return to Wyoming 50 years after her departure. The historical evidence for Sacagawea's death in 1812 was widely known to the author, but she decided to focus on the oral tradition instead.
    • The early 20th-century National American Woman Suffrage Association embraced Sacagawea as a symbol of women's value and autonomy, commemorating her with numerous statues and plaques and extensively recounting her achievements.

    A Reminder of Indigenous American Contributions

    • Sacagawea's story serves as a reminder of the often-overlooked contributions of Indigenous Americans to the exploration and development of the United States. Her story challenges the dominant historical narrative that often minimises or erases Indigenous contributions. Her knowledge of the land, languages and customs of her people proved essential to the success of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Without her guidance, the expedition would have faced overwhelming challenges. 

    Frequently Asked Questions

    • Who was Sacagawea?

      Sacagawea was a Lemhi Shoshone woman best known for assisting the Lewis and Clark Expedition as an interpreter and guide during their exploration of the Western United States from 1804 to 1806.

    • How did Sacagawea become part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition?

      Sacagawea joined the Lewis and Clark Expedition after being invited along with her husband, Toussaint Charbonneau, who was hired as a translator. The explorers recognised the value of having a Shoshone woman who could help them communicate with Indigenous American tribes and guide them through the territory.

    • What happened to Sacagawea after the Lewis and Clark Expedition?

      After the expedition, Sacagawea returned to the Hidatsa-Mandan villages with her husband and son. Historical records about her later life are scarce and somewhat contradictory, but it is believed she lived with the Shoshone for a time and possibly died in 1812. However, some sources suggest she lived until 1884 among the Comanche.