Jean Baptiste Charbonneau was born in 1805 to Sacagawea, a Shoshone woman, and Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian fur trader. He is best known for being the son of the famous guide and interpreter who assisted the Lewis and Clark Expedition in exploring the western United States. As a child, Charbonneau traveled with his mother and the expedition team, gaining exposure to various cultures and landscapes. Later in life, he became a fur trapper and a gold prospector, contributing to the westward expansion of the United States. He passed away in 1866.