Review of "The Truth About Sacajawea," by Kenneth Thomasma

 Review of

The Truth About Sacajawea, by Kenneth Thomasma, ISBN 9781880114186

Five out of five stars

The truth about an important figure

 Most students study the Meriwether Lewis and William Clark expedition and the Native American woman named Sacajawea is always mentioned. However, the critical role that she played in the success in the mission is rarely covered. She was only 16 when she first met Lewis and Clark and was married to a Frenchman.

 Sacajawea had a child named Jean Baptiste that was approximately 8 weeks old when she joined the expedition. Her contributions in knowledge of the terrain, languages of the other native tribes that the expedition encountered were invaluable and chronicled here. She also once became very ill and was close to death. It is darkly amusing that Sacajawea sometimes demonstrated a higher level of bravery than her husband did.

 Sacajawea and her husband joined the expedition on November 4, 1804 and left it on August 17, 1806. Citing the extensive journal kept by Lewis and Clark, Thomasma describes the actions of Sacajawea in supporting the goals of the expedition. Not only did she hold up her end of the work, but she did also so while carrying for an infant. Strapped to a cradleboard, Jean Baptiste was an experienced traveler before his first birthday.

 This is a book that should be a part of every curriculum and should be read when the Lewis and Clark expedition is covered in detail. Sacajawea was a critical force in one of the greatest explorations ever done by humans.

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