Title: Native American Cultures in North America | Boundless World History
Headings: Native American Cultures in North America
Native American Cultures in North America
Great Basin Culture
Key Takeaways
Key Points
Key Terms
Language
Lifeways
Religion
Pacific Coast Culture
Key Takeaways
Key Points
Key Terms
Arts and Crafts
Religious and Social Ceremonies
Eastern Woodland Culture
Key Takeaways
Key Points
Key Terms
Early Woodland Period (1000–1 BCE)
Middle Woodland Period (1–500 CE)
Late Woodland Period (500–1000 CE)
Southwestern Culture
Key Points
Key Terms
Overview
Southwestern Agriculture
Family and Religion
Conclusion
Mississippian Culture
Key Takeaways
Key Points
Key Terms
Decline of the Mississippians

Content: A ceremony amongst certain American Indian peoples of the Pacific Coast in which gifts are bestowed upon guests and personal property is destroyed in a show of wealth and generosity. animism: The worldview that non-human entities—such as animals, plants, and inanimate
objects—possess a spiritual essence. The indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast were composed of many nations and tribal affiliations, each with distinctive cultural and political identities; but they shared certain beliefs, traditions, and practices, such as the centrality of salmon as a resource and spiritual symbol. These nations had time and energy to devote to the establishment of fine arts and crafts and to religious and social
ceremonies. The term “Northwest Coast”, or “North West Coast”, is used to refer to the groups of indigenous people residing along the coasts of British Columbia, Washington State, parts of Alaska, Oregon, and northern California. The Pacific Northwest Coast at one time had the most densely populated areas of indigenous people. The mild climate and abundant natural resources,
such as cedar and salmon, made possible the rise of a complex aboriginal culture. The indigenous people in this region practiced various forms of forest gardening and fire-stick farming in the forests, grasslands, mixed woodlands, and wetlands, ensuring that desired food and medicine plats continued to be available through the use of advanced farming techniques.