Lewis and Clark

Sacagawea, also spelled Sacajawea, is best known for her role in helping Meriwether Lewis and William Clark during their journey to explore the American West. They set out on their journey on May 14, 1804. They left from near Wood River, Illinois; it was during winter in South Dakota when they met Sacagawea. They reached the Pacific Ocean on the coast of Oregon in November 1805.

The journey was unique. The new frontier was full of unknown native people and the land was dangerous. Without the help of someone who knew the land, Lewis and Clark may not have made it to the Pacific.

Sacagawea was the young Shoshone wife of a French-Canadian fur trapper named Toussaint Charbonneau. Together, she and her husband served as interpreters, guides, and negotiators for Lewis and Clark. Their friendship with Clark was so strong that when they returned, they moved to his hometown of St. Louis. Clark became the guardian of her children after her death.

Which of the following sentences best explains how important Sacagawea was to Lewis and Clark’s expedition?