Sacagawea

Sacagawea was a famous Shoshone Indian who lived from 1790-1812. She was taken captive at the age of twelve by the Hidatsa tribe. She was later bought by Toussaint Charbonneau, a French Canadian trapper, whom she later married. Charbonneau was engaged by Lewis and Clark as the interpreter for their expedition. Sacagawea was also going on the expedition and she was expected to speak well of them to the Indians they encountered along the way. Eight weeks before the expedition, Sacagawea gave birth to her first child, a son who she named Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. Sacagawea, her husband, and their infant child set out with the small expedition in 1805. When Lewis set out to make contact with a Shoshone Indian tribe, from whom he hoped to obtain horses for their long trek across the mountains, Sacagawea went along as the interpreter. When they arrived at the Shoshone camp, Sacagawea found it was led by her older brother, Cameahwait, who had taken their father's place as the chief after he died. Sacagawea, who was deeply moved by this reunion, might have taken advantage of such a coincidence to stay with her people, but instead she helped the explorers get the horses they needed and then journeyed on with them and her husband to the Pacific. If it hadn't been for Sacagawea, Lewis and Clark might never have made it to the Pacific Ocean. A river^{[Citation Needed]}, a mountain peak^{[Citation Needed]}, and a mountain pass^{[Citation Needed]} have been named for her.