1. By: Abbie, Alex, Brian, Madison, Kanjana
Pacific Northwest
By: Abbie, Alex, Brian, Madison, Kanjana

2. Culture
Tribes in the Pacific Northwest were very religious. In their daily life women would cook and clean. The men were responsible for hunting and fishing. Tribes in the Pacific Northwest were the best hunters and fishermen. Tribes in this region had very advanced hunting and fishing tools. They were very well known for their art and they used art, such as totem poles and paintings, to tell stories. They always had a surplus of food and resources, so there wasn’t really an economy. Tribes in this region spoke over one hundred different languages, but they did not have a written language.

3. Belief System
-Religion was based around a guardian spirit. Each tribe had their own guardian spirit that gave them unique skills. Usually these skills were carving, hunting, or weaving. -Tribes also believed in animism, which attributes life to objects in nature.
-Most of these beliefs were passed down through songs, dances and stories.

4. Political Structure
-Political Structure was ruled by the amount of wealth, a member had.
-The wealthiest person in the clan, would most likely be head of the society(Chief). They would usually wear elegant headdresses, to show off their wealth.
-The chief of a society would normally make day-day decisions for a tribe and was responsible for distributing wealth down to all the members.
-The chief also had a group of nobles that would also help with making bigger decision, much like a king and his court.

5. European Contact
-The first contact between the Europeans and the tribes were in the late 1700’s and 1800’s.
-The Northwestern tribes and Europeans were able to set up a trade system, where Europeans gave the tribes money in order for the fur.
-Europeans started making a lot of money from the fur trade and they created the Pacific fur company.
-The Europeans eventually started cheating the tribes, and stopped paying them.
-Many tribes were forced off their land, and had little money left.
-Around the same there was a deadly measles outbreak, which wiped out many indians.

6. maps

7. Estimated population pre contact with Europeans
They estimated that there was 500,000 natives living
in the northwest in 1750
The Northwestern Indian tribes were considered the
rich compared to other Indian nations because of the
abundant food supply and sturdy shelter.
The women do chores around the house and the men spent their days hunting and gathering.
The Chinook tribe were very skilled traders and when the Europeans started to settle, the Chinook tribe was eager to trade with them. Little did they know that the Europeans were carrying diseases that could wipe out a whole tribe.

8. Estimated population 100 years after European contact
"For 500 generations they flourished until newcomers came...
much was lost; much was devalued, but much was also hidden
away in the hearts of the dispossessed…”
When european travelers traded fur, fish, and vegetables to cure
illnesses like scurvy, they exposed the Native American tribes to
european diseases such as smallpox and influenza. (No natural immunity)
Most historians agree that the epidemic breakout started in the mid 1770’s and went to the 1840’s.
During the 100 year period, 65% to 95% of the Northwestern Indian populations were wiped out due to the spread of illness.
The population in 1850 was 100,000.

9. 1800 Pacific Northwestern Tribes

11. Important Figures Chief Seattle: Chief Joseph: -Died on June 6, 1866
-Was Chief of Suquamish Tribe
-Born in the Puget Sound area
-Thwarted attack from rival clan that would’ve wiped out his tribe
-Kept his tribe out of a war with the military over the treaty which ceded Suquamish and other Tribes’ lands.
Chief Joseph:
-Died Septer 21, 1904
-Seen as the leader of the resistance to US expansion
-Protected the women and children for the next generation of the Tribe upon retreat.
-Forced to agree to unfair treaties
-Chief of the Nez Pearce Tribe

12. Important Figures Looking Glass: Ollokot: White Bird: -Died in 1877
-Protected the Nez Pearce retreat to the Canadian border during the Nez Pearce war
-Believed the US Government would leave them alone if they left them alone
-Surrendered to General Miles, the one tasked with pursuing the tribe before they crossed over the border.
Ollokot:
-Died in 1877 during the battle of Bear Paw (40 miles from Canada)
-Organized and devised strategy for the Nez Pearce resistance
White Bird:
-Helped organize the Nez Pearce along with Chief Joseph
-Died 1892 when murdered by a fellow Nez Pearce

13. Important Events
Nez Pearce War (1877): Started when president Ullyses S. Grant opened up the Nez Pearce land to US settlement. War broke out shortly and eventually, the Nez Pearce surrendered.
Rogue River War (1853): Miners massacred 28 natives to start a war to generate jobs for them. Ended with the natives signing a treaty ceding over 2 million acres to the federal government for 60,000 dollars, 15,000 of which was paid to the Oregon miners for expenses.
(1856): Rogue River indians numbering close to 1000 were forced to march out of their lands to Oregon.
Modoc War (1870): Settlers started to occupy the Modoc territory and the Modoc were forced to move to a poor reservation. The Modoc returned to their lands ceded to the federal government and were attacked by the US army and forced to surrender.
(1873): The Modoc people merged with natives on the Quapaw reservation as their numbers dropped from 250 to 30 people.

14. Works Cited http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/northwest/dailylife.html
Belief System Citations
Indian-Facts.shtml