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 farmed, but they didn’t need to grow crops to stay alive. They could catch dinner by hook, net, or spear.
One group of Native Americans living in the Pacific Northwest in 1492 was the Makah. Their villages faced the Pacific Ocean. They hunted sea otters, seals, and whales. Every spring, gray whales and fur seals swam by as they made their way 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.
