Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest

     The Northwest Coast winters are mild and summers are cool on the Northwest Coast--the area shown in gold on the map. With the Pacific Ocean, rivers, and streams all teeming with fish, and dense forests full of wildlife and plants, early settlers had no need to farm.

True or false:

The climate of the Northwest Coast is unusually harsh.

true            false

The tribes of the Northwest Coast were excellent farmers.

true            false

The Tlingit

     In the 1700s, the 400 coastal miles around Sitka, Alaska, were controlled by the Tlingit , who were said to use technology to improve their living conditions. Skilled woodworkers and fishermen, they built enormous canoes, multi-family plank houses facing the sea, and intricate totem poles to decorate their villages. Clans celebrated events with special feasts called potlatches.

Which tribe made totem poles?

A. The Lakota
B. The Penobscot
C. The Tlingit
D. All of them