*Includes pictures of important people, places, and events.
*Includes passages from the journals of Lewis and Clark.
*Explains Sacagawea's role in the expedition and the legends of her life and death.
*Includes a Bibliography for further reading.
"Your woman who accompanied you that long dangerous and fatigueing rout to the Pacific Ocian and back diserved a greater reward for her attention and services on that rout than we had in our power to give her at the Mandans." - William Clark in a letter to Sacagawea's husband
"Ocian in view O The Joy " - William Clark, journal entry dated November 7,1805
It is the most fabled and storied journey in American history. From 1804-1806, the first expedition across the North American continent was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson, who had recently bought a vast swath of territory from France. Though he knew he had bought a huge amount of land, Jefferson wasn't entirely sure of what he had bought, so he asked a team led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to traverse the continent until they reached the Pacific, studying everything from the ecology to geography along the way to get an understanding of the country's new region.
Lewis and Clark would find far more than they bargained for. The 33 members who made the trip came into contact with about two dozen Native American tribes, many of whom helped the men survive the journey. Though they suffered deaths on their way west, the group ultimately reached the Pacific coast and got back to St. Louis in 1806, having drawn up nearly 150 maps and giving America a good idea of much of what lay west.
Sacagawea is one of the most famous Native American women in American history, and few played such a central role in the settlement of the West for the young nation. As a young woman who was married to a French trapper from Quebec, Sacagawea happened to be in the right place at the right time for the legendary Lewis and Clark expedition, which set off for the Pacific coast after President Thomas Jefferson negotiated the Louisiana Purchase with France. The young Shoshone girl acted as a guide and interpreter for the expedition, helping it safely travel thousands of miles west from North Dakota to the Pacific over unfamiliar ground and amongst unfamiliar peoples. Put simply, the expedition could not have succeeded without her.
Sacagawea's role in the Lewis and Clark expedition made her a national figure, and she continued to be popularized in literature and even among groups advocating for women's rights. Sacagawea is still taught to every American in school and stands alongside Pocahontas as the most famous Native American women, even though few people knew much about her life aside from her role in the trek. For that reason, few truly know about her life, her tribe, or her death, the latter of which is still controversial. At the same time, given the history and conflicts between the United States and various Native American tribes during the 19th century, Sacagawea's role in helping the nation push westward at the expense of Native Americans has taken on a more mixed and controversial character.
Sacagawea and the Lewis & Clark Expedition profiles the lives, legends, and legacies of the famous explorers and their expedition, Along with excerpts from contemporary accounts, a bibliography an pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Lewis & Clark Expedition like you never have before, in no time at all.