ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Sacagawea

Sure! Let's talk about Sacagawea, who was a very important person in American history. Sacagawea was a Native American woman who lived a long time ago. She was born in a place called Lemhi Shoshone, which is now known as Idaho.

Sacagawea is famous because she helped a group of explorers called the Lewis and Clark expedition. This group of explorers was trying to find a way to go all the way to the western part of the United States. They wanted to explore new lands and find a pathway to the Pacific Ocean.

Sacagawea was very special because she knew a lot about the land where she was from. She knew the plants and the animals and she could also speak many languages. This made her really helpful to Lewis and Clark because she could communicate with different native tribes they encountered on their journey.

Sacagawea was just a young woman when she joined the expedition. She was only about 16 years old and she also had a baby with her. But even with a baby, she was strong and brave and walked many miles with the explorers. Many people believe that her presence helped the group of explorers because Native Americans were more likely to trust the expedition if they saw a woman and a baby.

During the journey, Sacagawea helped the explorers find food and even saved some important belongings when their boats capsized. She was also said to be very helpful with her knowledge of the wild. For example, she helped identify edible plants and guided the group through difficult terrain.

After the expedition was over, Sacagawea and her family settled down in the Mandan-Hidatsa village in North Dakota. Later, she traveled with her husband and her baby to find her own Shoshone tribe. They found them and were very happy to be reunited with Sacagawea.

Unfortunately, Sacagawea passed away when she was still quite young. She was only about 25 years old. But even though she died young, her bravery and help during the Lewis and Clark expedition made her famous and she is remembered as a heroic figure in American history.

Today, you can see Sacagawea's face on dollar coins! She became so well-known and respected that the government decided to honor her by putting her picture on money. People can use these dollar coins to buy things and it's a way to remember Sacagawea's important role in our country's history.
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