Details of her life remain sketchy, and the time and place of her death are still debated, but the young Indian woman who assisted Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their great journey west has a secure place in history.

Meaning of her Name: bird ("sacaga") woman ("wea")

Birth Date: c. 1790
Sacagawea was the daughter of a Shoshone chief.

Kidnapped: At the age of 10-12 years old, she was kidnapped by the Hidatsa and taken back to their village.

Wed: She was purchased from the Hidatsa and wed by Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian trapper.

Death: Accounts vary, but she is widely believed to have died in 1812 although there is some evidence she may have lived until 1884.

Interpreter and guide to Lewis & Clark

1804: Lewis and Clark hired Charbonneau as an interpreter for their expedition to explore the West. They relied on Sacagawea to interpret for them in several tribal tongues.

1805: Sacagawea's son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, was born. Sacagawea carried him on her back on a cradleboard during the expedition. Clark nicknamed him "Pomp."

August 1805: Sacagawea was reunited with her brother, now chief of the Shoshone tribe. She helped the explorers obtain horses and food from the tribe.

January 1806: Sacagawea convinced Clark to let her accompany him and a group of men going to get whale oil and blubber from a beached whale. She saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

Summer 1806: Clark relied on Sacagawea's knowledge of Shoshone trails on the return trip. He called her his "pilot."

August 1806: Expedition ends. Charbonneau was paid $500.33 and 320 acres of land. Sacagawea received nothing.

The Golden Dollar

Why was it minted?
While coins are more expensive to make than bills are, they last 30 years, whereas a $1 bill lasts only an average of 18 months.

Why the Golden Dollar?
Demand for a dollar coin has been great — especially by the vending and mass transit industries.

When was it introduced?
The Sacagawea Golden Dollar was introduced in 2000.

How it differs from the Susan B. Anthony Dollar Coin

	Susan B. Anthony	Golden Dollar
First issued	1979	2000
Color	Silver	Golden
Edge	Reeded	Smooth

What is on the back of the coin?
The Golden Dollar's back shows our nation's symbol, a soaring American bald eagle. There are 17 stars around the eagle — one representing each state in the union at the time of the 1804 Lewis and Clark expedition.

"We pay tribute today to Indian women, whose cultural and spiritual contributions have enriched our lives, and whose leadership have helped to change the course of history."

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton at the unveiling of the design of the Sacagawea dollar coin at a gathering of Indian leaders on May 4, 1999.

www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/saca.html

www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/sacagawea.htm

www.historynet.com/we/blsacagaweaofthelcexpedition/

http://pompstory.home.mindspring.com/