Kidnapped and sold into marriage to a man 20 years her senior, Sacagawea (with a newborn baby on her back) ended up playing a vital role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition. She acted as an interpreter, guide, and symbol of peace to the natives who were wary of the gun-wielding white explorers. Sacagawea’s life story is one of triumph and tragedy. 

In this podcast, I share the history of Sacagawea’s life, and how she became the heroine of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

In the spring of 1788, Sacagawea was born into a clan of northern Shoshone known as the Agaidika, the salmon-eaters. When Sacagawea was twelve, one of the neighboring tribes, the gun-wielding Hidatsa, launched a sudden and violent raid. Killing a number of men, women and boys, but kidnapping the young girls, including Sacagawea.

The origin of the name Sacagawea appears to be Hidatsa, not Shoshone, meaning bird-woman in the language of her captors. When she was thirteen years old, she was sold as one of two wives to a French trapper, Toussaint Charbonneau. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were tasked with exploring the recently purchased Louisiana Territory, and they hired Charbonneau so he would bring along his teenage wife (with their newborn baby) since she could function as an interpreter. 

Sacagawea’s importance to the success of the Lewis and Clark Expedition is clear from the daily diaries the explorers kept. She not only acted as a guide and “pilot” through dangerous mountain passes, she also helped the explorers identify which native plants were edible when they were on the verge of starvation, and was a symbol of peace to the native tribes since war parties in their culture never traveled with women. 

Sacagawea’s memory was revived a century after her death by the suffragette movement. The story of the crucial role she played in Lewis and Clark’s expedition, including voting on at least one important decision along with the men, became symbolic of female strength and influence.

➡️ Acknowledgements

A huge “thank you” to Brenda Mickelson for the artwork used in our thumbnail.

I Feel You by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100841
Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Rome learned the hard way that if you push a woman down enough times...eventually she’ll rise up, unite the Celtic tribes, and burn your cities to the ground.

Boudicca was a Celtic warrior queen who led a violent rebellion against the Roman Empire’s domination of Britain. Boudicca’s life story is filled with victory and tragedy. As queen of the Iceni Celts, she protested the Roman occupier’s brutal treatment of her people. The Romans responded by publicly scourging the barbarian queen and raping her daughters. Rather than admit defeat, the Celtic queen led an army in a ruthless revolt against Roman rule of Brittania, and burned several cities to the ground. 

The facts about Boudicca’s life and uprising come to us through the writings of Roman historians Tacitus and Cassius Dio. The Romans were known to exaggerate the violence of their enemies to justify their own imperial ambitions. This raises the question of how much of the Roman account of Boudicca’s revolt is factual...and how much is Rome justifying its brutal treatment of the Celtic tribes. History has alternately painted her as either a noble queen defending the oppressed Celts, or a “treacherous lioness” (Gildas the Monk) terrorizing and torturing the unsuspecting Romans. 

Either way, the fiery red-haired Celtic queen has captured the imagination of people for centuries. Boudica’s story is remarkable:  ruling in a time where women were not viewed as natural leaders, surviving the Roman scourge, enduring the rape of her daughters, leading a savage rebellion to defend the Iceni tribe, and eventually dramatically dying after her last battle. Queen Boudicca continues to be a stirring symbol of victory and freedom. 

Who was Boudicca? And what did Boudicca do?

• Celtic warrior queen, famous for leading the Iceni Celts in a revolt against the Romans.
• Also known as Boudica, Boadicea, or Buddug
• What did Boudicca look like:  Tall, red-haired barbarian queen, wore a torque and carried a spear, and rode in a chariot. 
• Defeated by the Romans after burning three of their cities to the ground. 
• Boudica’s Rebellion has become legendary not only because it was led by a woman, but also because the Celts were an “underdog” who had incredible success warring against the Romans. 

➡️ Acknowledgements

A huge “thank you” to Brenda Mickelson for the artwork used in our thumbnail.

Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100588

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

This is the life story of Joan of Arc, the illiterate peasant who rose from obscurity during the Hundred Years War, and became a military advisor to King Charles VII based on mystical experiences and voices that guided her. 

Who was Joan of Arc? Joan was a virgin visionary who rose to fame during the Hundred Years War. The Mad King Charles VI had died, and France was in chaos. Joan went to a garrison commander and described a visitation from the archangel Michael and two dead saint, who were calling her to to break the siege of Orleans and see the true king (Charles VII) crowned at Reims.  

She is called the “Maid of Orleans” because she energized the demoralized French troops, and ultimately broke the siege of Orleans–the city the English had surrounded. The history of Joan of Arc is full of uncanny moments. After the siege of Orleans was lifted, Joan said she was called by heaven to see Charles VII crowned at Reims. 

In 1429 the army of France arrived at the walls of Reims, and the city threw open its gates in immediate submission. The following day, Charles VII was crowned King of France, while Joan of Arc looked on in a place of honor at his side, her heavenly vision fulfilled. 

Eventually, Joan of Arc was captured by the English and burned at the stake. Joan of Arc’s death is a gruesome indictment of Charles VII, who refused to ransom his number one fan. In 1803, Napoleon dubbed her the symbol of France. In 1920, Joan of Arc was named a saint. Saint Joan of Arc is remembered today for her courage, commitment, and character.

Acknowledgements:

Special thanks to Brenda Mickelson for her outstanding artwork used in this thumbnail.

Thank you to the phenomenal band French Fuse for their incredible music.