Sacagawea was born in 1788 to the Shoshone people and liked to travel across the Rocky Mountains as a child. She was kidnapped by another tribe at age 12 but later married Toussaint Charbonneau. In 1805, Sacagawea joined the Lewis and Clark Expedition to assist as a translator and guide, using her knowledge of regional geography and languages to help the Corps explore the western territories and make contact with other tribes. She played a pivotal role in the success of the expedition before dying at age 25 in 1812.