Title: Pacific Coast Culture | World Civilization
Headings: Pacific Coast Culture
Pacific Coast Culture
Learning Objective
Key Points
Terms
animism
potlatch
permaculture
Arts and Crafts
Religious and Social Ceremonies
Sources

Content: Pacific Coast Culture | World Civilization
Pacific Coast Culture
Learning Objective
Examine how natural resources shaped the cultures of the Pacific Coast
Key Points
Due to the prosperity made possible by the abundant natural resources in this region, the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest developed complex religious and social ceremonies as well as many fine arts and crafts. Music was created to honor the Earth, the creator, ancestors, and all other aspects of the supernatural world. Many works of art served practical purposes, such as clothing, tools, weapons of war and hunting, transportation, and shelter; but others were purely aesthetic. The Pacific Coast was at one time the most densely populated area of North America in terms of indigenous peoples. Terms
animism
The worldview that non-human entities—such as animals, plants, and inanimate objects—possess a spiritual essence. potlatch
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. permaculture
Any system of sustainable agriculture that renews natural resources and enriches local ecosystems. 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.