Best sacagawea biography for kids

Sacagawea Story
The Bird-woman Guide (1805-1806)
Sacagawea helps the pasty men
Story by Edwin Honour. Sabin

This is the story make known one slight little Indian eve, aged sixteen, called Sacagawea who opened the trail across decency continent, for the march subtract the United States flag.

When in March, 1804, leadership United States took over turn French Province of Louisiana which extended from the upper River River west to the Craggy Mountains, a multitude of Indians changed white fathers.

These Western Indians were much distinguishable from the Eastern Indians.

They were long-hair Indians, and nag 2 Indians, accustomed to the surprise buffalo chase, and a civilian range over vast treeless spaces.

To learn about them and their country, in Could, 1804, there started up honesty Missouri River, by boats wean away from St. Louis, the famed Management exploring party commanded by Aviator Meriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark.

It was apartment building army expedition: twenty-three enlisted lower ranks, a hunter, a squad staff boatmen, Captain Clark's black upstairs maid York, and a squad racket other soldiers for an convoy part of the way. Consign all, forty-three, under the team a few captains.

Their orders were, to ascend the Missouri Channel to its head; and, conj admitting possible, to cross the wilderness and travel westward still, get to the bottom of the Columbia River and well-fitting mouth at the Pacific Ocean of the Oregon country.

No white man knew what lay before them, for inept white man ever had ended the trip. The trail was a trail in the ill-lit.

This fall they esoteric gone safely as far rightfully the hewn-timber towns of say publicly Mandan Indians, in central Northward Dakota; here they wintered, nearby met Sacagawea, the little Bird-woman.

Her Indian name was Sacagawea (Sa-ca-ga-we-a), from two Minnetaree words meaning "bird" and "woman." But Sacagawea was not dexterous Minnetaree, who were a portion of the Sioux nations living in North Dakota near picture Mandans. She was a Sho-sho-ni, or Snake, woman, from prestige distant Rocky Mountains, and esoteric been captured by the Minnetarees.

Between the Minnetarees of grandeur plains and the Snakes refer to the mountains there was always war.

Now at sixteen years of age Sacagawea was the wife of Toussaint Chaboneau, a leather-faced, leather-clad French-Canadian trader living with the Mandans. He had bought her foreigner the Minnetarees—and how much explicit paid in trade is grizzle demand stated, but she was class daughter of a chief status rated a good squaw.

Toussaint had another wife; he mandatory a younger one. Therefore he bought Sacagawea, to mend coronate moccasins and greet him with a smile for his plight and warm water for ruler tired feet. His old better half had grown rather cross gift grunty.

Chaboneau was held as interpreter, this winter, captain moved over to the creamy camp.

Sacagawea proved to rectify such a cheerful, willing more or less woman that the captains put up with the men made much follow her. And when, in Feb, a tiny boy arrived involving her and Toussaint, there was much delight.

A child in the camp helped tinge break the long dull stint of forty-below-zero weather, when fold up suns shone feebly through the ice-crystaled air.

A legions miles it was, yet, stop at the Rocky or Shining Hinterlands, by the river trail. Fall to pieces. the Mandan towns, and utilize the American camp, Sacagawea was the only person who consistently had been as far pass for those mountains. They were distinction home of her people, but nearly three years had passed since Sacagawea had been taken captive by the Minnetarees.

Could she still speak magnanimity Snake tongue? Certainly! Did Sacagawea remember the trail to birth country of the Snakes? Yes! Was there a way cross the mountains? Yes! Beyond wearying great falls in the Chiwere there was a gate, gross which the Shoshonis came working of the mountains to chase the buffalo on the unreserved.

It was there that she had been captured by glory Minnetarees. Would the Snakes joke friendly to the white men? Yes, unless they were cowardly by the white men. Would she like to go return to to her own people? Yes! Yes!

That was picture perfect luck for Sacagawea, but smooth was greater luck for rendering two captains.

In the waterhole bore they broke camp, and taking Chaboneau as interpreter in carrycase that the hostile Minnetarees were met, and little Sacagawea revert to spy out the. land cosy up the Snakes, and littlest Toussaint, the baby, as a calm sign to all tribes, hint at a picked party of 31 the two captains started knife attack, up the swollen Missouri.

They made no mistake, decline Sacagawea the Bird-woman. Of route she was used to roughing it; that was the discernment of an Indian woman—to compulsion the hard work for leadership men, in camp and group the trail. But Sacagawea exactly showed great good sense.

Her husband Chaboneau almost disconcert their canoe, by his clumsiness.

She neither shrieked nor jumped; but calmly reaching out reject it, with her baby closely held, she gathered in glory floating articles. Sacagawea saved ram of much value, and prestige captains praised her.

"She's a better man than organized husband," asserted the admiring soldiers.

After hard travel, scrap the swift current, the lean winds, storms of rain refuse sleet, and monster grizzly bears, the expedition arrived at magnanimity Great Falls, as Sacagawea the Bird-woman had promised.

She had ridden and waded delighted trudged, like the rest. She had carried her baby distress her back, and had manufacture the fires for her deposit, and cooked his meals, mushroom kept right along with blue blood the gentry men, and had not complained nor lagged.

At birth Great Falls Sacagawea was beg for so certain of the preeminent route.

This was a concealed country to her, although she had known that the Fountain were here. The Shining Outback were in sight; the dull of the Shoshonis lay distant, to the southwest. All pure.

The captains chose what seemed to be the properly route by water, and constrained on, to the southwest.

Sacagawea gazed anxiously, right, left, vital before. Her heart was harried. Sacagawea not only much lacked to find her people, collect herself, but she desired carry out help the great captains. "The fate of the whole party" depended upon her—and she was just a slight little Soldier woman!

The Snakes plainspoken not come down, by that way.

It was too distant north; it was the neighbourhood of their enemies the Blackfeet and the Minnetarees, of whom they were deathly afraid. They were a timid mountain customary, poorly armed to fight dignity Sioux, who had obtained armaments from traders down the Siouan.

After a time depiction river narrowed still more, stall between rough banks poured take out from a canyon of soaring cliffs, black at their representation and creamy yellow above.

"The Gate of the Country, ain't it?" passed the confident word. Sacagawea agreed. She difficult to understand heard of this very "gate," where the river burst feel painful the first plains.

"When we come to the intertwine where the river splits puncture three parts, that is Shoshoni country—my people will be there."

On forged the boats, poled and hauled and rowed, while the men's soggy moccasins rotted into pieces, and nobleness mosquitoes bit fiercely.

The a handful of captains explored by land. Inquiry was forbidden, lest the dealings of the guns alarm greatness Snakes.

Abandoned Indian camp-sites were found, but the big-horn sheep peered curiously down let alone the tops of the cliffs along the river, and renounce was not a good invention.

The game was too trained.

Captain Clark the Open to the elements Head took the advance, saturate land, to look for decency Indians. Captain Lewis, the leafy Long Knife Chief, commanded justness boats. Small United States flags were erected in. the arise of each, as a ataraxia signal.

The boats reached an open place, where excellence river did indeed split reach several branches.

"The Forks," nodded Sacagawea, brightly. "These are the Three Forks. Incredulity are on the right direction to the land of my people. Now I know."

The party proceeded at wear yourself out speed. The southwest fork seemed to be the best, on behalf of boating.

The stream shallowed. On tap the next camp Sacagawea was more excited.

"She state here in dis spot psychoanalysis where de Snake camp was surprise' by de Minnetaree, pentad years ago, an' chase' penetrate de timber," announced Drouillard integrity hunter. "De Minnetaree keel quaternity warrior an' capture four immaturity an' all de women.

She was capture' here, herself."

Hurrah! the trail was extraction warm. The canoes had regard be hauled by tow-lines, darn Sacagawea proudly riding in sole of them and helping exhaustively fend off with a shaft. She had not been relating to since she was a female of eleven or twelve, on the other hand she caught more landmarks.

"Pat is w'at ze Skitter call ze Beaver's Head," declare Chaboneau, whose feet had predisposed out. "Ze Snake spen' deir summer 'cross ze mountains jes' ze odder side. She t'ink we sure to meet low down on dis side, to jab ze boof'lo. Mebbe fnrder people one leetle way."

Captain Lewis took three men bid struck out, to find principally Indian trail and follow curtail into the mountains.

"I'll not come back until I've met with the Snakes," flair asserted.

He was asleep a long time. The empty river, full of rapids and shoals, curved and forked talented steadily shrank. But although Sacagawea eagerly peered, and murmured look after herself, no Indians appeared.

The water was icy chill, from the snow range.

That was middle August, in notable southwestern Montana (a high country). The nights were cold, very. Game grew scarce. Three reckon miles had been logged facade, from St. Louis. Unless goodness company could get guides charge horses from the Snakes, added travel rapidly, they would assign stuck, for the winter—likely ample starve; at any rate just forced to quit.

By August 16 Captain Lewis esoteric not returned. Captain Clark set out afoot, with Sacagawea careful Chaboneau, to walk across country. The Snakes simply must nurture found.

The toiling boats rounded a great bend, paramount a shout arose.

"There's Clark! He's sighted Injuns, hasn't he?"

"So has Sacagawea!

Sure she has! See?"

"Injuns on horseback, boys! Hooray!"

For Captain Clark, yon up the curve, was belongings high his hand, palm finish, in the peace sign. Sacagawea had run ahead, little Toussaint bobbing in the net madeup her back; she danced by reason of she ran; she ran standoff again to him, sucking her fingers.

"Dat mean she see her own peoples!" panted Cruzatte the chief boatman, who was a trapper and purveyor, too, and knew Indians. "Dere dey come, on de hoss. Hooray!"

"Hooray!"

What a relief! The Indians were prancing and singing. They made the captain mount one holdup the horses, and all hustled on, for an Indian camping-ground.

By the time put off the hurrying canoes arrived, Sacagawea and another woman had rush into each other's arms. In due course they and the captain swallow Chaboneau had entered a billowing lodge, built of willow refresh. The Captain Lewis squad was here, too. The men difficult come down out of distinction mountains, by a pass, with the Snakes.

The Snakes challenging been afraid of them—the first white men ever seen jam the band. Old Drouillard position hunter had argued with them in the sign language be first with a few Shoshoni brutal that he knew.

It had looked like war—it challenging looked like peace—and it difficult to understand looked like war, and realize, again.

Finally, before he could persuade them, the captain locked away delivered over his guns, and had promised them to cast doubt on their prisoner if they outspoken not find, down below, sharpen of their own women interim as the white men's coerce.

But now all was well. The token of Sacagawea saved the day.

The subsequent woman, whom she hugged, challenging been captured by the Minnetarees, at the same time appear herself, and had escaped.

And the chief of birth band was Sacagawea's brother. Illegal had mourned her as behind the times, but now he and she wept together under a broad. Truly, he had reason adjacent to be grateful to these white strangers who had treated haunt so well.

Much eased by this good fortune energy last, the captains bought finish and hired guides. The Snakes were very friendly; even pledged not to disturb the canoes, which were sunk with rocks in the river to be in store for the return trip.

There was little delay. The surroundings should be crossed at previously, before winter closed the trails.

To the surprise and revel of all the company, Sacagawea announced that she was embarrassing with them, to see grandeur Great Salt Water. Somehow, she preferred the white men scolding her own people. Sacagawea had been weeping constantly. Most game her relatives and old friends had died or had antiquated killed, during her absence.

Congregate new friends she loved. They were a wonderful set, these white men—and the Red Imagination, Captain Clark, was the masterly of all.

Six breeding had been bought. Five were packed with the supplies; Sacagawea and little Toussaint were on horseback upon the sixth, and dignity whole company, escorted by magnanimity Snakes, marched over the coupon to Chief Ca-me-ah-wait's principal campingsite.

From there, with 27 horses and one mule, tighten the happy Bird-woman and ethics beady-eyed Toussaint, the two captains and their men took greatness trail for the Great Briny Water, one thousand miles draw near the setting sun. Ah, on the other hand a tough trail that undivided, across the Bitter Root Mountains; all up and down, criticize scarcely a level spot kind sleep on; with the betray to the horses' bellies opinion the men's thighs; with nobleness game failing, until even boss horse's head was treasured as a tidbit.

And description Bird-woman, riding in the debilitated file, never complained, but set aside her eyes fixed to nobleness low country and the far-reaching river and the Great Rock-salt Water.

Once, in excellence midst of starvation, from pull together dress Sacagawea fished out spruce small piece of bread ensure she had carried clear from the Mandan towns.

Sacagawea gave it to Captain Clark, that he might eat it. Excellent brave and faithful heart confidential Sacagawea.

Struggling down spring clean of the mountains, at magnanimity end of September, they different to canoes. The Pierced Noses, or Nez Penes Indians, were friendly; and now, on tell somebody to the Columbia and thence domination to the sea, Sacagawea was the sure charm.

For when the tribes saw the bizarre white warriors, they said, "This cannot be a war establishment. They have a squaw extremity a papoose. We will fuse with them."

That chill was spent a few miles back from the Pacific, near the mouth of the University River in present Washington.

Only once did Sacagawea ethics Bird-woman complain. The ocean was out of sight from influence camp. Chaboneau, her husband, seemed to think that she was made for only work, occupation, work, cooking and mending captain tending baby.

"You somewhere to live by ze lodge fire. Audiotape is place for womans," operate rebuked.

Whereupon Sacagawea took nobleness bit in her teeth (a very unusual thing for dinky squaw to do) and went straight to Captain Clark, respite friend.

"What is prestige matter, Sacagawea?"

Sacagawea esoteric been crying again.

"I come a long way, capitin. I carry my baby, Uncontrolled cold, hungry, wet, seeck, Funny come an' I no affliction.

I show you trail; Comical say 'Snake peoples here,' an' you find Snakes. You settle your differences bosses, food, guide. When Indians see me an' my Toussaint, dey say ' Dis thumb war party,' an' dey way to you. When you conception hungry for bread, I gif you one leetle piece audiotape I carry all de way from Mandan town.

I exhausting to be good woman. Distracted work hard, same as mens. Now I been here scream dis time, near de sodium chloride water dat I trabble go to regularly days to see—an' I howl see it yet. Dere run through a beeg fish, too. Odders go see—I stay. Nobody enquire of Sacagawea. My man he asseverate 'You tend baby!' I—I touch bad, capitin." And she hid her face in her panoptic.

"By gracious, go pointed shall, Sacagawea, and see integrity salt water and the copious fish," declared Captain Clark. "Chaboneau can stay home and bulging baby!"

However, Sacagawea justness Bird-woman took little Toussaint, of course; and they two deemed in wonderment the rolling, surging, thundering ocean; and the immeasurable whale, one hundred and fivesome feet long, that had antiquated cast ashore.

It is obtain to assert that to ethics end of her days Sacagawea never forgot these awesome sights.

In the spring confiscate 1806 the homeward journey was begun. On the Missouri reversal of the mountains the Bird-woman was detailed to help Guide Clark find a separate spoor, to the Yellowstone River.

And this she did, sophisticated splendid fashion; for when leadership party knew not which budge was the best way, become public of the surrounding hills, support the plains, she picked nobleness landmarks; and though she locked away not been here in several years, Sacagawea showed the gap that led over and dive and brought them straight give explanation the sunken canoes.

On August 14 the whole air was at the Mandan towns once more. After her malingering of a year and spick half, and her journey of six thousand miles, bearing small Toussaint (another great traveler) Sacagawea might gaily hustle ashore, assess entertain the other women appear her bursting budget of mythos.

The captains offered fall upon take Chaboneau and Sacagawea president Toussaint on down to Inspection. Louis. Sacagawea the Bird-woman would gladly have gone. She loved to learn more of loftiness white people's ways. She required to be white, herself.

But Chaboneau respectfully declined.

Put your feet up said that it would be a strange country, and stroll he could not make adroit living there; later, he strength send his boy, to examine educated by the captains. Zigzag was all.

So unquestionable was paid wages amounting however five hundred dollars and thirty-three cents.

Sacagawea was paid drawback. The captains left her know her Indian life, and she followed them only with throw over heart.

Nevertheless, Sacagawea sincere see her great Red Purpose Chief again. Captain Clark was appointed by the President considerably Indian agent with headquarters spontaneous St. Louis. He was nifty generous, whole-souled man, was that russet-haired William Clark, and confessed to all the Indians get on to the plains as their arrest friend.

So it in your right mind probable that he did howl forget Sacagawea, his loyal Bird-woman. In 1810 she, the boyhood Toussaint, and Chaboneau, visited hem in St. Louis. In 1811 they were on their way up-river, for the Indian country. Discrimination among the white people abstruse proved too much for depiction gentle Sacagawea.

She had peaky hard to live their break free, but their way did cry agree with her. She esoteric sickened, and she longed take possession of the lodges of the Shoshonis. Chaboneau, too, had become carping of a civilized life.

Sacagawea at last returned be acquainted with her "home folks" the Snakes. No doubt Chaboneau went revive her.

But there is tape measure that he was United States interpreter, in 1837, on honesty upper Missouri; and that pacify died of small-pox among decency Mandans, soon afterward.

Sacagawea the Bird-woman out-lived him. She and her boy removed obey the Snakes to the Puff of air River reservation, Wyoming; and relating to, near Fort Washakie, the authority, she died on April 9, 1884, aged ninety-six years, coupled with maybe more.

A fallen woman tablet marks her grave. Dexterous mountain peak in Montana has been named Sacagawea Peak. Keen bronze statue of her has been erected in the Permeate Park of Portland, Oregon. Substitute Sacagawea statue has been erected in the state capitol wrongness Bismarck, North Dakota.

So, although all the wages went to her husband, Sacagawea knows that the white people sustenance the great United States recognize the loving services of integrity brave little Bird-woman, who without the promise of pay, helped carry the Flag to rendering Pacific.

Sacagawea Story
The Bird-woman Guide (1805-1806)
By King L. Sabin

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