In 1492, the rivers and oceans of the Pacific Northwest were filled with salmon, halibut, and many other fish.
Along the shore, people dug for clams and mussels. The area got lots of rain. Tall cedar trees grew in the forests. So did bushes full of tasty berries. Many of the people in the Pacific Northwest were farmers, but they didn’t need to grow crops to stay alive. They could catch dinner with a hook, a net, or a spear.
One group of Native Americans living in the Pacific Northwest in 1492 was the Makah. They hunted whales and seals, so their villages faced the Pacific Ocean. Every spring, gray whales and fur seals swam nearby as they made their way back to cold northern waters. When the Makah saw the whales, they got ready for the hunt. The last whaling canoe is about to leave. Hop aboard for a ride.
