With Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the nation doubled in size.
In an attempt to find a water passage that linked the Atlantic with the Pacific, Jefferson sent Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark to explore the acquired land.
From 1804 to 1806, these men led the Corp of Exploration to the Pacific Ocean and back, gaining geographic and scientific knowledge.
However, without the help of Native American women, their journey likely would have ended early.
The story of Sacagawea is fairly well known.
The Shoshone woman was critical to the success of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, serving as an interpreter.
Most famously, Sacagawea helped the corp find her people, the Shoshone.
By great coincidence, the Shoshone band found by Lewis and Clark was led by Sacagawea's brother Cameahwait, who provided the expedition with horses.
These horses would be crucial for the journey to come.
Perhaps a lesser-known story is about Watkuweis, a respected elder of the Nez Percé people.
