Sacagawea

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Barbara J. Feldman

Sacagawea was born in approximately 1788 into the Lemhi Shoshone tribe of Idaho. Through the journals of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, we know some of her story because in November, 1804 a pregnant, teenage Sacagawea and her husband joined the Corps of Discovery as interpreters.

Discovering Lewis & Clark: The Faces of Sacagawea

5 stars

"There is no known image of Sacagawea that was made of her during her lifetime, so no one can be sure what she really looked like. Yet because the Shoshone woman has been the subject of so many sculptures and paintings, especially since about 1900, we have a rich heritage of artists' conceptions to contemplate." Visit Discovering Lewis & Clark to explore a dozen artistic renderings of Sacagawea, but don't miss the "interpreter" link embedded in the intro, which leads to an excellent three-page Sacagawea bio titled "The Interpreter's Wife."

Idaho Public TV: The Journey of Sacagawea

4 stars

"More mountains, lakes and streams bear her name than any other North American woman." Although the entire one-hour public television special is not available online, you can watch seven RealPlayer snippets of The Journey of Sacagawea, a Idaho Public TV production. Other reasons to visit include the commentary from historians and descendants such as David Borlaug, President of the Lewis and Clark Heritage Foundation: "She simply was a great presence. An Indian woman with a child on her back for all these other Indian Tribes to take note of. This could not be a war party, it had to be a party of peace".

Idaho Stateman: Sacajawea

5 stars

This multimedia, seven-chapter picture book is the story of Sacajawea told by her people, the Lemhi-Shoshone Indians, and my pick of the day. "Some of her tribe´s interpretations of her story differ from long-accepted facts of the story. They are presented as accurate in the sense that they reflect the oral history and opinions of the Lemhi people." Highlights include audio clips from her tribesmen, a glossary of Lemhi words, and three printable handouts for the classroom: review questions, classroom activities, and a word scramble.

National Geographic Magazine: Sacagawea

4 stars

"What we know about her: She was a teenage mother and a valued interpreter for Lewis and Clark. What we don't know about her: Almost everything else." To read the complete text of this National Geographic article for high-school students and grownups, click on the full article link just below the intro quote. Writer Margaret Talbot follows Sacagawea's life as it is recorded in the journals of Lewis and Clark, and combats common misconceptions with help from Sacagawea expert Amy Mossett and historian Carolyn Gilman.

Montana Kids: Sacagawea

3 stars

For elementary and middle-school students, Montana Kids provides a single-page illustrated Sacagawea bio, with a link to the U.S. Mint page about the Sacagawea golden dollar coin. "In 2000, Sacagawea's face was minted onto a dollar coin, following in Susan B. Anthony's footsteps. The coin depicts the Shoshone woman Sacagawea, a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, carrying her son Jean Baptiste Charbonneau.."