Character Catalog

Sacagawea accompanied and guided the expedition over more than 6,000 miles, from Fort Mandan to the Pacific Ocean and back. Her contributions as interpreter, diplomat, and geographic guide were fundamental to the mission's success.

Sacagawea negotiated access to horses from her own people, enabling the expedition to cross the Rocky Mountains. Her presence assured Native tribes of the peaceful intentions of the American explorers.

Throughout the journey, Sacagawea identified edible and medicinal plants that helped the expedition survive in harsh conditions. She also guided Lewis and Clark using her precise memory of the landscapes of the American West.

Sacagawea translated in a chain with her husband Charbonneau, moving from Shoshone to Hidatsa, then from Hidatsa to French, and finally from French to English. This complex linguistic network was the only means of communication between the expedition and the Native nations.

The Indian woman to whom I ascribe equal fortitude and resolution with any person onboard at the time of the accident... caught and preserved most of the light articles which were washed overboard.

The wife of Shabono our interpreter we find reconciles all the Indians, as to our friendly intentions. A woman with a party of men is a token of peace.

The Shoshone preserve the memory of Bird Woman (Sacagawea) as the one who bridged worlds, guiding strangers without betraying her people, speaking with her hands and her heart as much as with her voice.

Your woman who accompanied you that long dangerous and fatiguing route 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.

A mountain pass in the Rockies where Sacagawea recognized the lands of her childhood in 1805 and guided the expedition toward her Shoshone people. This crossing proved decisive for the survival of the Corps of Discovery.

The winter encampment where Sacagawea gave birth to Jean-Baptiste in February 1805 and officially joined the Lewis and Clark Expedition as interpreter and guide.

The final destination of the expedition, reached in November 1805 thanks in large part to Sacagawea's guidance. She was one of the very few women to see the Pacific Ocean at that time.

The trading post where Sacagawea died in December 1812, most likely of typhoid fever. The company clerk's journal records her passing.

The ancestral homeland of the Agaidika Shoshones, where Sacagawea was born. In this landscape she recognized the geographical landmarks that guided the expedition through the Rockies.