She is one of the best-known people in U.S. history. But we really don’t know her at all. A river, two lakes, and four mountains are named for her. But no one is sure how to pronounce—or spell—her name.
Every child in the United States learns about Sacagawea (sa-CA-ga-we-a). But what do we really know about her? Here’s all we know for sure: In 1805 and 1806 she traveled with the Lewis and Clark expedition. They explored what would become North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. We know that she was one of the Shoshone people. We also know that she was about 15 when she and her two-month-old son joined a group of mostly white men she had never met. What little we know about her is found in the journals of Lewis and Clark. They say that Sacagawea earned their respect soon after she joined them. How did this teen mom fit in with a group of tough soldiers? How did she earn their respect? Read on as Kids Discover explores the life—and legends—of the Bird Woman.
