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The true story of Sacajawea - Karen Mensing

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In the early 19th century, a young Agaidika teenager named Sacajawea was enlisted by explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to aid her husband Toussaint Charbonneau as a guide to the Western United States. Karen Mensing debunks some of the myths that surround the familiar image of the heroic woman with a baby strapped to her back and a vast knowledge of the American wilderness.

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Karen Mensing
  • Director Darcy Vorhees
  • Artist Tom Beuerlein, Marissa Hutchins, Sarah Johnson, Stephen Brooks
  • Narrator Jim Sharpe
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Reliable historical information about Sacajawea is very limited. More information about the Lewis and Clark Expedition can be found in this video.
Sacagawea, the daughter of a Shoshone chief, was born circa 1788 in Lemhi County, Idaho. At around age 12, she was captured by an enemy tribe and sold to a French-Canadian trapper who made her his wife. In November 1804, she was invited to join the Lewis and Clark expedition as a Shoshone interpreter. After leaving the expedition, she died at Fort Manuel in what is now Kenel, South Dakota, circa 1812.
The Shoshone are a Native American tribe in the United States with three large divisions: the Northern, the Western and the Eastern. They traditionally spoke the Shoshoni language, a part of the Numic languages branch of the large Uto-Aztecan language family. The Shoshone were sometimes called the Snake Indians by early ethnic European trappers, travelers, and settlers.
More about Toussaint Charbonneau.
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New York, NY
Many people get Sacajawea and Pocahontas mixed up. Compare and contrast these two historical women.
08/08/2013
Avatar for Avery Coleman
Avery Coleman • LESSON IN PROGRESS

Pocahontas was from a different time and different tribe but her story is similar in one important way - she helped Europeans meet their goals showing personal bravery and independence. Pocahontas was from what is now Virginia and was the daughter of the Chief of the Powhatan confederation (? in any case, a chief of chiefs). This was one of the tribes that lived near the Jamestown settlement (early 17th Century). She was said to have befriended several of the colonists and married one of them (John Rolfe, later tobacco plantation owner) converting to Christianity and traveling to England where she was celebrated in upper class society. Apparently her marriage wOn the way back to what is now the US and after she had a son, she died.

Sacagawea lived over 200 years later and was from a Western rather than an eastern tribe. Though she too seemed to have been from among the ruling class in her tribe (her brother was a Chief), she was kidnapped by the Hidatsa tribe and sold into marriage

12/03/2013
Avatar for nathan klahsen
nathan klahsen • LESSON IN PROGRESS

sacajawea only helped lewis and clark but pocahontas fell in love with a english man

02/11/2016 • 
IN RESPONSE TO Avery Coleman Show the comment
Avatar for Alyssa Fontaine
Alyssa Fontaine • LESSON IN PROGRESS

Sacajawea was born in 1788 into the Agaidika tribe of the Lemhi Shoshone (modern day Idaho) and she helped Lewis and Clark tremendously on their expedition, even while carrying a newborn on her back. Sacajawea mostly enjoyed being on this trip and Lewis & Clark and her created a great bond. However, "Pocahontas" was a Powhatan girl born in 1595, much earlier than Sacajawea. "Pocahontas's" real name is Matoaka. Contrary to popular belief thanks to a greatly inaccurate Disney movie, Matoaka was taken prisoner by the English while on a social visit and held hostage at Jamestown for over a year. During her captivity, John Rolfe took an interest in her and in condition for her release she had to marry him. I suggest checking out this website http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.html for more information on the real "Pocahontas".

06/10/2016
Avatar for sam lowsky
sam lowsky • COMPLETED LESSON

Sacajawea: Pocahontas:
1.Helped Lewis 1. Before America was a thing.
and Clark. 2.Married John Smith
3.Daughter of a chief.
2.She was kidnapped.

01/09/2019
Avatar for Kimberly Rosas
Kimberly Rosas • COMPLETED LESSON

Pocahontas and Sacajawea are both daughters of chiefs. Both girls belong to an Indian Tribe. Pocahontas fell in love with someone and Sacajawea was forced to be married. Sacajawea was kidnapped at 12 years old and the guy she was forced to marry eventually got her pregnant. Pocohantas is from the late 1500's and Sacajawea is from the early 1700's

01/09/2019
Avatar for kyara chaparro
kyara chaparro • COMPLETED LESSON

Kyara, Angel, Jack
Sacagawea Pocahontas same
she helped an she only saved they were both
entire expedition john smith daughters of a chief

01/09/2019 • 
IN RESPONSE TO  Show the comment
Avatar for Tommy Le
Tommy Le • COMPLETED LESSON

Difference between Sacagawea and Pocahontas:

Sacagawea:
Died at the age on 24
Part of the Shoshone tribe
Had 2 kids
Lived in what is now Idaho, United States

Pocahontas
Died at the age of 21
Had 1 kid
Apart of the Powhatan tribe
Lived in Virginia, United States

12/09/2019
Avatar for Griffin Blair
Griffin Blair • COMPLETED LESSON

Pocahontas was a totally different person, but is depicted very similar to Sacajawea.

01/06/2020
Avatar for Josiah Smith
Josiah Smith • LESSON IN PROGRESS

thay chradid stuf that thay nedid .

01/14/2021
Avatar for Sarah-Lou Boissinot
Sarah-Lou Boissinot • LESSON IN PROGRESS

These two heroic characters were really similar to each other. They both helped European explorers to reach their goals but as you can see there is many differences between them. First their backgrounds was not the same, Sacajawea was a young kidnapped women sold to another tribe and ''resold'' to another tribe which was not the case for Pocahontas. Sacajawea was married to her ''kidnapper'' which was not the case for Pocahontas. Sacajawea never converted to Christianity like Pocahontas did. These are the main differences between these two women.

05/28/2021

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Karen Mensing
  • Director Darcy Vorhees
  • Artist Tom Beuerlein, Marissa Hutchins, Sarah Johnson, Stephen Brooks
  • Narrator Jim Sharpe