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This page is about the region that includes parts of Canada and the United States. For the U. S. -only region, see Northwestern United States. See also Pacific Northwest The Northwestern United States comprise the northwestern states up to the western Great Plains regions of the United States
The Pacific Northwest from space
The Pacific Northwest from space

The Pacific Northwest is a region in the northwest of North America (the term refers to the land, not the ocean). There are several partially overlapping definitions but the term Pacific Northwest should not be confused with the Northwest Territory (aka the Great Northwest) or the Northwest Territories. For the Canadian territory see Northwest Territories. For the northwestern corner of the Lower 48 see Northwestern United States. The Northwest Territories (ˌnɔrθˌwɛstˈtɛrɨtɔriz ( NWT or NT; French, les Territoires du Nord-Ouest) is a territory The term Northwest Coast is often used when referring only to the coastal regions. The term Northwest Plateau has been used to describe the inland regions, although they are commonly referred to as "the Interior" (which in British Columbia is by convention capitalized and is used as a proper name). The British Columbia Interior or BC Interior or Interior of British Columbia, usually referred to only as The Interior, is one of the three main regions The inland portion of the U. S. is called the Inland Empire. The Inland Empire is a region in the Pacific Northwest centered on Spokane, Washington, including much of the surrounding Columbia River basin

The region's biggest cities are Vancouver, British Columbia; Seattle, Washington; and Portland, Oregon. Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers

The area's biomes and ecoregions are distinct from the surrounding areas. A biome is a climatically and geographically defined area of ecologically similar climatic conditions such as communities of Plants Animals and An ecoregion ( ecological region) sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or " The Georgia Strait-Puget Sound basin is shared between British Columbia and Washington, and the Pacific temperate rain forests, comprising the world's largest temperate rain forest zone, stretch along the coast from Alaska to California. The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait (also known as the Gulf of Georgia) is a Strait between Vancouver Island (as well as its nearby Puget Sound (ˈpjuːʤᵻt is an arm of the Pacific Ocean, connected to the rest of the Pacific by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, in the Pacific Northwest The Pacific temperate rain forests of North America are the largest Temperate rain forest zone on the planet Temperate rainforests are Coniferous or broadleaf Forests that occur in the Temperate zone and receive high rainfall The dryland area inland from the Cascade Range and Coast Mountains is very different from the terrain and climate of the Coast, and comprises the Columbia and Fraser Plateaus and mountain ranges contained within them. The Coast Mountains are a Mountain range of the Pacific Cordillera, running along the north western shore of the North American continent extending south The interior regions' climates are a northward extension of the Great Western Desert which spans the Great Basin farther south, although by their northern reaches dryland and desert areas verge with boreal forest and various alpine flora regimes.

Contents

Definitions and related terms

Different definitions of Pacific Northwest and related terms. Click image for legend.
Different definitions of Pacific Northwest and related terms. Click image for legend.

The Pacific Northwest, broadly defined, extends from the ocean to the continental divide and includes all of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, part of British Columbia, and adjoining parts of Alaska, Montana, Yukon Territory and California. A continental divide is a line of elevated Terrain which forms a border between two watersheds such that Water falling on one side of the line eventually Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent Montana ( is a state in the Western United States. One-third of the state in the western part contains numerous mountain ranges (approximately 77 named of the northern Yukon (ˈjuːkɒn is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three territories. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. [1][2] Both the name Pacific Northwest and the name Cascadia, which is derived from the Cascade Range, are commonly used without a definition, although the term "Pacific Northwest" is considerably older, having its origins in the early 19th century.

Cascadia is of recent coinage (1980s) and is sometimes used in geology, ecology and climatology and increasingly by community members and small businesses and organizations with a regional-marketing identity. Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit Ecology (from Greek grc οἶκος oikos, "house(hold" and grc -λογία -logia) is the scientific study of Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of It is also the name of a two-year college in Bothell, Washington. Of the two terms, only "Pacific Northwest" is in general use throughout the region, and also encompasses more area than the Cascadia concept, which tends to be more coastal and limited to the Evergreen Triangle area of Washington and Oregon and British Columbia. As a bioregion, Cascadia has been defined as "the watersheds of rivers that flow into the Pacific Ocean through North America's temperate rainforest zone. An ecoregion ( ecological region) sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or " A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions "

In the United States, the term Pacific Northwest is also used for most of the official region of the Northwestern United States, which includes the American states of the Pacific Northwest but excludes areas of it in Canada. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the See also Pacific Northwest The Northwestern United States comprise the northwestern states up to the western Great Plains regions of the United States Canadians might be forgiven for asking "Northwest of what?" since the areas popularly designated "Pacific Northwest" are actually to the South and West of central Canada; however, the dominance of US popular culture in Canada means that many Canadians accept this term as applying to British Columbia's coastal regions.

History

See also: Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast

The Pacific Northwest was occupied by a diverse array of Native American peoples for millennia, beginning with Paleoindians who explored and colonized the area roughly 15,000 years before Europeans arrived. The Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast are the Pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, their descendants and many Ethnic groups The Pacific Coast is seen by a growing number of scholars as a major migration route for late Pleistocene peoples moving from northeast Asia into the Americas. Archaeological evidence for these earliest Native Americans is sketchy--in part because heavy glaciation, flooding, and post-glacial sea level rise have radically changed the landscape--but fluted Clovis-like points found in the region were probably left by Paleoindians at least 13,000 years ago. Even earlier evidence for human occupation dating back as much as 14,500 years ago is emerging from caves in central Oregon.

With a history of human occupation spanning many millennia, and the incredible richness of Pacific Northwest fisheries (salmon, etc. Salmon is the common name for several species of Fish of the family Salmonidae. ), it is not surprising that the Indian Tribes who occupied the area historically were some of the most complex hunter-gatherer-fishers in history. They lived in large villages or towns, built plank houses and large canoes, and had sophisticated artistic and technological traditions. In British Columbia and Southeast Alaska, for instance, maritime tribes like the Tlingit and Haida erected the large and elaborately carved totem poles that are iconic of Pacific Northwest artistic traditions. Not to be confused with the Turkic Telengit people The Tlingit (ˈklɪŋkɪt in English also /-gɪt/ or Tlinkit /ˈtlɪŋkɪt/ which The Haida (19th C-early 20th C Indigenous nation of the west coast of North America. Totem poles are monumental Sculptures carved from great Trees usually cedar but mostly Western Redcedar, by a number of Indigenous cultures along Throughout the area, thousands of descendants of these proud Pacific Northwest tribes still live and many of their cultural traditions continue to be practiced.

Initial European Exploration

Landscape in Oregon Country, by Charles Marion Russell.
Landscape in Oregon Country, by Charles Marion Russell. Charles Marion Russell (March 19 1864 St Louis Missouri—October 24 1926 Great Falls Montana) also known as C

British Captain and erstwhile privateer Francis Drake sailed off the Oregon coast in 1579. A privateer was a private Warship authorized by a country's Government by Letters of marque to attack foreign shipping Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral, (c 1540 &ndash 27 January 1595 was an English Privateer, navigator, Slaver, and politician Juan de Fuca, Greek captain in the employ of Spain, might have found the Strait of Juan de Fuca around 1592. Ioánnis Fokás ( Greek: Ιωάννης Φωκάς better known as Juan de Fuca (born 1536 on the Ionian island of Kefallonia; died there 1602 Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Strait of Juan de Fuca (also called Juan de Fuca Strait) is a large body of water about long forming the principal outlet for the Georgia Strait and Puget The strait was named for him, but whether he discovered it or not has long been questioned. During the early 1740s, Imperial Russia sent the Dane Vitus Bering to the region. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Vitus Jonassen Bering (also less correctly Behring) ( August 1681 &ndash December 19, 1741) was a Danish -born navigator in the By the late 1700s and into the mid-19th century, Russian settlers had established several posts and communities on northeast Pacific coast, eventually reaching as far south as Fort Ross, California.

In 1774 the viceroy of New Spain sent Juan Pérez in the ship Santiago to the Pacific Northwest. The Viceroyalty of New Spain (Virreinato de Nueva España was a name given to the Viceroy -ruled territories of the Spanish Empire in North America, For the 18th century explorer see Juan José Pérez Hernández, and for the mayor of Sheboygan Wisconsin see Juan Perez (politician. Peréz made landfall on the Queen Charlotte Islands on July 18, 1774. The Queen Charlotte Islands or Haida Gwaii ("Islands of the People" and originally in Haida, Xhaaidlagha Gwaayaai ("islands on The northernmost latitude he reached was 54° 40' N. This was followed, in 1775, by another Spanish expedition, under the command of Bruno de Heceta and including Juan Peréz and Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra as officers. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Bruno de Heceta (Hezeta y Dudagoitia (1744-1807 was a Spanish Basque explorer of the Pacific Northwest. Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra (baptized 3 June, 1743 &ndash 26 March, 1794) was a Peruvian naval officer born in On July 14, 1775 they landed on the Olympic Peninsula near the mouth of the Quinault River. Geography The Olympic Peninsula is home to some of the only Temperate rain forests in the world including the Hoh, Queets, and Quinault The Quinault River is a River located on the Olympic Peninsula in the U Due to an outbreak of scurvy, Heceta returned to Mexico. On August 17, 1775 he sighted the mouth of the Columbia River but could not tell if it was a river or a major strait. The Columbia River (known as His attempt to sail in failed due to overly strong currents. He named it Bahia de la Asúnciõn. While Heceta sailed south, Quadra continued north in the expedition's second ship, the Sonora. He reached 59° N, before turning back. [3]

In 1776 English mariner Captain James Cook visited Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island and also voyaged as far as Prince William Sound. Captain James Cook FRS RN ( – 14 February 1779) was an English Explorer, Navigator and For other uses of the word Nootka see Nootka (disambiguation. Vancouver Island is a large Island in British Columbia, Canada, one of several North American regions named after George Vancouver, the British Prince William Sound is a sound of the Gulf of Alaska on the south coast of the U In 1779 a third Spanish expedition, under the command of Ignacio de Artega in the ship Princesa, and with Quadra as captain of the ship Favorite, sailed from Mexico to the coast of Alaska, reaching 61° N. Two further Spanish expeditions, in 1788 and 1789, both under Esteban Jose Martínez and Gonzalo López de Haro, sailed to the Pacific Northwest. Gonzalo López de Haro (bef 1788 &ndash 1823 was a Spanish explorer notable for his expeditions in the Pacific Northwest in the late 18th century During the second expedition they met the American captain Robert Gray near Nootka Sound. Robert Gray ( May 10, 1755 – c July 1806 was an American merchant sea-captain and explorer For other uses of the word Nootka see Nootka (disambiguation. Upon entering Nootka Sound, they found William Douglas and his ship the Iphigenia. There followed the Nootka Crisis, which was resolved by agreements known as the Nootka Convention. The Nootka Crisis was a political dispute between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Spain, triggered by a series of events that took place during For other uses of the word Nootka see Nootka (disambiguation. In 1790 the Spanish sent three ships to Nootka Sound, under the command of Francisco de Eliza. Francisco de Eliza y Reventa (1759 &ndash February 19, 1825) was a Spanish naval officer Navigator, and Explorer. After establishing a base at Nootka, Eliza sent out several exploration parties. Salvador Fidalgo was sent north to the Alaska coast. Salvador Fidalgo ( 6 August 1756 – 27 September 1803) was a Spanish explorer who commanded an exploring expedition for Spain Manuel Quimper, with Gonzalo López de Haro as pilot, explored the Strait of Juan de Fuca, discovering the San Juan Islands and Admiralty Inlet in the process. Manuel Quimper Benítez del Pino (c 1757 – April 1844 was a Peruvian born Spanish Explorer, Cartographer, naval officer and colonial official The San Juan Islands are a part of the San Juan Archipelago in the northwest corner of the continental United States. Admiralty Inlet is a Strait in the US state of Washington connecting the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Puget Sound Francisco de Eliza himself took the ship San Carlos into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. From a base at Port Discovery, he explores the San Juan Islands, Haro Strait, Rosario Strait, and Bellingham Bay. In the process he discovered the Strait of Georgia, exploring it as far north as Texada Island. The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait (also known as the Gulf of Georgia) is a Strait between Vancouver Island (as well as its nearby He returned to Nootka Sound by August of 1791. Alessandro Malaspina, sailing for Spain, explored and mapped the coast from Yakutat Bay to Prince William Sound in 1791, then sailed to Nootka Sound. Alessandro Malaspina (also spelled Alexandro and Alejandro; November 5, 1754 - April 9, 1810) was an Italian Yakutat Bay is a 29-km-wide (18 mi bay in the US state of Alaska, extending southwest from Disenchantment Bay to the Gulf of Alaska. A scientific expedition in the manner of James Cook, Malaspina's scientists studied the Tlingit and Nuu-chah-nulth peoples before returning to Mexico. Not to be confused with the Turkic Telengit people The Tlingit (ˈklɪŋkɪt in English also /-gɪt/ or Tlinkit /ˈtlɪŋkɪt/ which The Nuu-chah-nulth (pronounced) (also formerly referred to as the Nootka, Nutka, Aht, Nuuchahnulth) are one of the Indigenous peoples Another Spanish explorer, Jacinto Caamaño, sailed the ship Aranzazu to Nootka Sound in May of 1792. There he met Quadra, who was in command of the Spanish settlement. Quadra sent Caamaño north, where he explored the region of today's Alaska panhandle. Various Spanish maps, including Caamaño's, were given to George Vancouver in 1792, as the Spanish and British worked together to chart the complex coastline. Captain George Vancouver [3]

George Vancouver charted the Pacific Northwest on behalf of Great Britain, including the bays and inlets of Puget Sound, the Strait of Georgia and the Johnstone Strait-Queen Charlotte Strait and the much of the rest of the British Columbia Coast and Alaska Panhandle shorelines. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Puget Sound (ˈpjuːʤᵻt is an arm of the Pacific Ocean, connected to the rest of the Pacific by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, in the Pacific Northwest The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait (also known as the Gulf of Georgia) is a Strait between Vancouver Island (as well as its nearby Johnstone Strait is a 110 km (68 mi channel along the north east coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Queen Charlotte Strait is a Strait between Vancouver Island and the Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. The British Columbia Coast is Canada 's western continental coastlines The Alaska Panhandle, sometimes referred to as Southeast Alaska, is the southeastern portion of the U From Mexico Malaspina dispatched last Spanish exploration expedition in the Pacific Northwest, under Dionisio Alcalá Galiano and Cayentano Valdes aboard the schooners Sutíl and Mexicana. Dionisio Alcalá Galiano ( October 8, 1760 &ndash October 21, 1805) was a Spanish naval officer cartographer and explorer Cayetano Valdés y Flores (1767-1834 was a Spanish naval officer who served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, fighting for both sides at different [4] They met Vancouver in the Strait of Georgia on June 21, 1792. Vancouver had explored Puget Sound just previously. The Spanish explorers knew of Admiralty Inlet and the unexplored region to the south, but decided to sail north. They discovered and entered the Fraser River shortly before meeting Vancouver. For other uses of this name see Fraser River (disambiguation. After sharing maps and agreeing to cooperate, Galiano, Valdés, and Vancouver sailed north, charting the coastline together. They passed through Johnstone Strait and returned to Nootka Sound. As a result, the Spanish explorers, who had set out from Nootka, became the first Europeans to circumnavigate Vancouver Island. Vancouver himself had entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca directly without going to Nootka first, so had not sailed completedly around the island. [3]

In 1786 Jean François La Pérouse, representing France, sailed to the Queen Charlotte Islands after visiting Nootka Sound but any possible French claim to this region were lost when La Pérouse and his men and journals were lost in a shipwreck near Australia. Jean François de Galaup comte de La Pérouse (23 August 1741&ndash1788? was a French Navy officer and Explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Queen Charlotte Islands or Haida Gwaii ("Islands of the People" and originally in Haida, Xhaaidlagha Gwaayaai ("islands on For other uses of the word Nootka see Nootka (disambiguation. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Captain James Barclay (also spelled Barkley) also visited the area flying the flag of the Austrian Empire. James Barclay (born 1965 is a High fantasy author He has written two Trilogies, Chronicles of The Raven and Legends of The Raven, and a For the history of these states before 1804 see Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and articles on each of the component countries. American merchant sea-captain Robert Gray traded along the coast and discovered the mouth of the Columbia River. Robert Gray ( May 10, 1755 – c July 1806 was an American merchant sea-captain and explorer The Columbia River (known as

Territorial disputes

US Navy Admiral Charles Wilkes' 1841 Map of the Oregon Territory from "Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition." Philadelphia: 1845
US Navy Admiral Charles Wilkes' 1841 Map of the Oregon Territory from "Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition. Charles Wilkes ( April 3, 1798 &ndash February 8, 1877) was an American naval officer and explorer. The Oregon Territory is the name applied both to the unorganized Oregon Country claimed by both the United States and Britain (but normally referred to " Philadelphia: 1845

Initial formal claims to the region were asserted by Spain, based on the Treaty of Tordesillas which, in the Spanish Empire's interpretation, endowed that empire with the Pacific Ocean as a "Spanish lake". The Treaty of Tordesillas ( Portuguese: Tratado de Tordesilhas, Spanish: Tratado de Tordesillas) signed at Tordesillas (now in Russian maritime fur trade activity extending from the farther side of the Pacific prompted Spain to send expeditions north to assert Spanish ownership, while at the same time British claims were made and advanced by Captain James Cook and subsequent expeditions by George Vancouver. Captain George Vancouver Potential French, Austrian and Portuguese claims were never advanced. As of the Nootka Conventions, the last in 1794, Spain gave up its exclusive a priori claims and agreed to share the region with the other Powers, giving up its garrison at Nootka Sound in the process. For other uses of the word Nootka see Nootka (disambiguation. For other uses of the word Nootka see Nootka (disambiguation.

The United States later established a claim following the exploration of the region by the Lewis and Clark Expedition, partly through the negotiation of former Spanish claims north of the Oregon-California boundary. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the From the 1810s until the 1840s, modern-day Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and western Montana, along with most of British Columbia, were part of what Americans called the Oregon Country and the British called the Columbia District. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Oregon Country or Oregon (to be distinguished from the American State also called Oregon) was a predominantly American term referring to This region was jointly claimed by the United States and Great Britain after the Treaty of 1818, which established a condominium of interests in the region in lieu of a settlement. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands The Convention respecting fisheries boundary and the restoration of slaves between the United States and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, also known as the In 1840 American Charles Wilkes explored in the area. Charles Wilkes ( April 3, 1798 &ndash February 8, 1877) was an American naval officer and explorer. John McLoughlin, Chief Factor of the Hudson's Bay Company, headquartered at Fort Vancouver, was the de facto local political authority for most of this time. For the survivor of the attacks of September 11 2001 see John McLoughlin (World Trade Center attack survivor For articles on John McLaughlin see Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost along the Columbia River that served as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company in the company's

This arrangement ended as U. S. settlement grew and President James K. Polk was elected on a platform of calling for annexation of the entire Oregon Country and of Texas. James Knox Polk ( November 2 1795&ndashJune 15 1849 was the eleventh President of the United States, serving from March 4 1845 to March 4 1849 After his election, supporters coined the famous slogan "Fifty-four Forty or Fight", referring to 54 degrees latitude, 40 minutes north - the northward limit of the region. After a war scare with the United Kingdom, the Oregon boundary dispute was settled in the 1846 Oregon Treaty, partitioning the region along the 49th parallel and resolving most but not all of the border disputes (see Pig War). The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Oregon boundary dispute (or Oregon question) arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Pacific Northwest of The Oregon Treaty, officially known as the Treaty with Great Britain in Regard to Limits Westward of the Rocky Mountains, Buchanan-Packenham 49th Parallel ( is the third film made by the British writer-director team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The Pig War was a confrontation in 1859 between American and British authorities over the boundary between the United States and British North America.

The mainland territory north of the 49th Parallel remained unincorporated until 1858, when a mass influx of Americans and others during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush forced the hand of Colony of Vancouver Island's Governor James Douglas, who declared the mainland a Crown Colony, although official ratification of his unilateral action was several months in coming. 49th Parallel ( is the third film made by the British writer-director team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, (also Fraser Gold Rush) occurred in 1858 after Gold was discovered on the Thompson River in British Columbia See main article Vancouver Island Vancouver Island (officially known as the Island of Vancouver and its Dependencies was a Crown colony of British James Douglas may refer to any of the following individuals Scottish noblemen Lords of Angus James Douglas 3rd Earl of Angus (1428-1446 The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom The two colonies were amalgamated in 1866 to cut costs, and joined the Dominion of Canada in 1871. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The U. S. portion became the Oregon Territory in 1848; it was later subdivided into territories that were eventually admitted as states, the first of these being Oregon itself in 1859. The Oregon Territory is the name applied both to the unorganized Oregon Country claimed by both the United States and Britain (but normally referred to See Washington Territory. The Washington Territory was a historic Organized territory of the United States that was formed in February 8, 1853 from the portion of the

American expansionist pressure on British Columbia persisted after the colony became a province of Canada, even though Americans living in the province did not harbor annexationist inclinations. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page the early years of the United States, some distinguished American political figures were in favor of invading and annexing Canada, and even pre-approved Canada's admission to The Fenian Brotherhood openly organized and drilled in Washington, particularly in the 1870s and the 1880s, though no cross-border attacks were experienced. The Fenian Brotherhood was an Irish Republican organization founded in the United States in 1850s by John O'Mahony and Michael Doheny. During the Alaska Boundary Dispute, U. The Alaska Boundary Dispute was a Territorial dispute between the United States and Canada (then a British Dominion with its foreign affairs S. President Teddy Roosevelt threatened to invade and annex British Columbia if Britain would not yield on the question of the Yukon ports. Theodore Roosevelt (ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 27 1858 January 6 1919 also known as T Yukon (ˈjuːkɒn is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three territories. In more recent times, during the so-called "Salmon War" of the 1990s, Washington Senator Slade Gorton called for the U.S. Navy to "force" the Inside Passage, even though it is not an official international waterway. This article is about the senator Slade Gorton (born 1832, who co-founded Gorton's of Gloucester was an ancestor of the senator Inside Passage of the Alaska Panhandle and coastal British Columbia is a coastal route for oceangoing vessels along a series of passages between the mainland and the Disputes between British Columbia and Alaska over the Dixon Entrance of the Hecate Straight between Prince Rupert and the Queen Charlotte Islands still continue. Dixon Entrance is a Strait about long and wide in the Pacific Ocean at the International Boundary between the U Prince Rupert is a port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The Queen Charlotte Islands or Haida Gwaii ("Islands of the People" and originally in Haida, Xhaaidlagha Gwaayaai ("islands on

Geology

See the main article at Geology of the Pacific Northwest. The geology of the Pacific Northwest refers to the study of the composition (including rock, Minerals, and Soils) structure physical properties and the

The Northwest is still geologically active, with both active volcanoes and geologic faults. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the In Geology a fault, or fault line, is a planar rock fracture which shows evidence of relative movement

Geography

The Pacific Northwest is a diverse geographic region, dominated by several mountain ranges, including the Coast Mountains, the Cascade Range, the Olympic Mountains, the Columbia Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. The Coast Mountains are a Mountain range of the Pacific Cordillera, running along the north western shore of the North American continent extending south The Olympic Mountains are a Mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. Columbia Mountains is a group of Mountain ranges located in British Columbia, and partially in Montana, Idaho, Washington. Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a Mountain range in western North America. The highest peak in the Pacific Northwest is Mt. Rainier, in the Washington Cascades, at 14,410 feet (4,392 m). Immediately inland from the Cascade Range there is a broad plateau, narrowing progressively northwards, and also getting higher. In the US this region, semi-arid and often completely arid, is known as the Columbia Plateau, while in British Columbia it is the Interior Plateau, also called the Fraser Plateau. The Columbia River Plateau is a geologic and geographic region that lies across parts of the U Interior Plateau comprises a large region of central British Columbia, and lies between the Cariboo and Monashee Mountains on the east and the Hazelton The Columbia Plateau was the scene of massive ice-age floods, as a consequence there are many coulees, canyons, and plateaus. The Columbia River cuts a deep and wide gorge around the rim of the Columbia Plateau, and through the Cascade Range on its way to the Pacific Ocean. The Columbia River (known as After the Mississippi, more water flows through the Columbia than any other river in the lower 48 states.

Because many areas have plentiful rainfall, the Pacific Northwest has:

The major cities of Vancouver, Portland, and Seattle all began as seaports supporting the logging, mining, and farming industries of the region, but have developed into major technological and industrial centers (such as the Silicon Forest), which benefit from their location on the Pacific Rim. Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo History The term Silicon Forest can refer to all the technology companies in Oregon but often is in reference only to those in Washington County on Portland’s west side The Pacific Rim refers to the countries and cities located around the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

The region has four U.S. National Parks: Crater Lake in Oregon, and Olympic, Mount Rainier, and North Cascades in Washington. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution Crater Lake is a Caldera Lake located in the US state of Oregon. Olympic National Park is located in the US state of Washington, in the Olympic Peninsula. Mount Rainier is an active Stratovolcano (also known as a composite volcano in Pierce County Washington, located southeast of Seattle, Washington The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. Other outstanding natural features include the Oregon Coast, the Columbia River Gorge, The Columbia River, Mt. St. Helens, and Hells Canyon on the Snake River between Oregon and Idaho. The Columbia River Gorge is a Canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The Columbia River (known as Mount St Helens is an active Stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States Hells Canyon is a ten mile wide Canyon located along the border of eastern Oregon and western Idaho in the United States. The Snake River is a major Tributary of the Columbia River in the U There are several Canadian National Parks in the Pacific Northwest, from Pacific Rim National Park on the west coast of Vancouver Island, and Mount Revelstoke National Park and Glacier National Park in the Selkirk Range alongside Rogers Pass, as well as Kootenay National Park and Yoho National Park on the British Columbia flank of the Rockies. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is a Canadian National park in British Columbia made up of three separate regions Long Beach the Broken Group Islands Vancouver Island is a large Island in British Columbia, Canada, one of several North American regions named after George Vancouver, the British Mount Revelstoke National Park is located adjacent to the city of Revelstoke British Columbia, Canada. Glacier National Park is one of seven national parks in British Columbia, Canada. Rogers Pass (elevation 1330 m is a high Mountain pass through the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia used by the Canadian Pacific Railway Kootenay National Park is located in southeastern British Columbia Canada covering 1406 km² (543 mi² in the Canadian Rockies and forms part of Yoho National Park is located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains along the western slope of the Continental Divide in southeastern British Columbia. Although unprotected by national parks and only a handful of provincial parks, the south-central Coast Mountains in British Columbia contain the five largest mid-latitude icefields in the world. An ice field (also spelled icefield) is an area less than 50000 km² (19305 mile²) of Ice often found in the colder climates and higher altitudes

Climate

The Pacific Northwest experiences a wide variety of climates. Oceanic climate ("marine west coast climate") occurs in many coastal areas, typically between the ocean and high mountain ranges. An oceanic climate (also called marine west coast climate and maritime climate) is the Climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes Alpine climate dominates in the high mountains. For the climate of the mountains named the Alps, see Climate of the Alps. Semi-arid and Arid climate is found east of the higher mountains, especially in rainshadow areas. A Semi-arid climate or steppe climate generally describes climatic regions that receive low annual Rainfall (250-500 mm or 10-20 in In general terms the Climate of a local or region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available Water, to the extent of hindering For the Australian television series see Rain Shadow (TV series. The Harney Basin of Oregon is an example of arid climate in the Pacific Northwest. The Harney Basin is an arid basin (and a physiographic section in southeastern Oregon in the United States, at the northwestern corner of the Great Basin Hemiboreal climate occurs in places such as Revelstoke, British Columbia. Hemiboreal means halfway between the temperate and subarctic (or Boreal) zones Revelstoke ('rɛvəlstoʊk (population 7500 municipal est 2005 is a city in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. Subarctic climate occurs farther north. Regions having a subarctic climate (also called boreal climate) are characterized by long usually very cold winters and brief warm summers Mediterranean climate occurs in various areas such as Victoria, British Columbia. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide Victoria (vɪkˈtɔɹiə is the capital city of British Columbia.

Population

Map of Cascadia megacity, showing population density (shades of yellow/brown), highways (red), and major railways (black). Public land shown in shades of green.
Map of Cascadia megacity, showing population density (shades of yellow/brown), highways (red), and major railways (black). Public land shown in shades of green.

Most of the population of the Pacific Northwest is concentrated in the Vancouver-Seattle-Portland corridor. Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers This area is sometimes seen as a megacity (also known as a conurbation, an agglomeration, or a megalopolis). A megacity is generally defined as a Metropolitan area with a total Population in excess of 10 million people A conurbation is an Urban area or Agglomeration comprising a number of Cities, large Towns and larger urban areas that through Population In the study of human settlements an agglomeration is an extended City or Town area comprising the built-up area of a central place ( usually a Municipality A megalopolis (or megapolis) is defined as an extensive Metropolitan area or a long chain of roughly continuous metropolitan areas This megacity stretches along Interstate 5 in the states of Oregon and Washington and Hwy 99 in the province of British Columbia. Interstate 5 (I-5 is the main Interstate highway on the West Coast of the United States, paralleling the Pacific Ocean from Canada to Mexico Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Highway 99 is the major north-south artery through Metro Vancouver. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C As of 2004, the combined populations of the Greater Vancouver Lower Mainland, the Seattle metropolitan area and the Portland metropolitan area totaled almost nine million people. Metro Vancouver, legally the Greater Vancouver Regional District, is the inter-municipal body or regional district, charged with certain aspects The Lower Mainland is a name commonly applied to the region surrounding Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Seattle metropolitan area in the US state of Washington includes the city of Seattle, King County, Snohomish County, and For the metropolitan area in Maine see Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area.

Population is expected to increase steadily.

Politics

A major divide in political opinion separates the region's greatly more populous urban core and Western rural areas from its less populated Eastern rural areas. The former - especially in the cities of Vancouver, Bellingham, Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Portland and Eugene - is one of the most politically liberal parts of North America, consistently supporting left-wing political candidates and causes by significant majorities, while the latter tends to be more conservative and consistently supports right-wing candidates and causes (though it should be noted that the religious right has far less influence throughout the region than elsewhere in Canada and the U. S. ).

The urban core is known for supporting liberal political views of a controversial nature. Many jurisdictions have relatively liberal abortion laws, gender equality laws, legalized medical marijuana, and are supportive of LGBT rights. Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-choice advocates emphasize their beliefs that having a child is a personal choice that affects a woman's body and Medical cannabis refers to the use of the Cannabis plant as a physician-recommended Herbal therapy as well as synthetic THC and Cannabinoids Due to the urban core's size and voting impact, their counties and states as a whole have generally followed their leads (often to the disgruntlement of the more conservative rural areas). Oregon was the first (and remains the only) U. S. state to legalize physician-assisted suicide, with the Death with Dignity Act of 1994. Physician-assisted suicide: may refer to Euthanasia, in cases where the physician performs the action may refer to Assisted suicide, where Ballot Measure 16 of 1994 established the US state of Oregon 's Death with Dignity Act ( ORS 127 Colegio Cesar Chavez, the nation's first fully accredited Hispanic college, was founded in Mount Angel, Oregon in 1973. Colegio Cesar Chavez ( Spanish for "Cesar Chavez College" was a U Mt Angel is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States, named after Engelberg, Switzerland, where Rev King County, Washington, of which Seattle is a part, rebranded itself in honor of Martin Luther King.

These areas, especially around Puget Sound, have a long history of political radicalism. The radical labor organizers called Wobblies were particularly strong there in the mines, lumber camps and shipyards. The Industrial Workers of the World ( IWW or the Wobblies) is an international union currently headquartered in Cincinnati Ohio, USA A number of anarchist communes sprung up there in the early 1900s (see Charles Pierce LeWarne's Utopias on Puget Sound, 1885-1915 for an excellent overview of this popular yet forgotten movement). Anarchism is a Political philosophy encompassing theories and attitudes which support the elimination of all compulsory Government, i Seattle is still the only major city in North America in which the populace engaged in a general strike and was the first major American city to elect a woman mayor, Bertha Landes. The Seattle General Strike of February 6 to February 11, 1919, was a general work stoppage by over 65000 individuals in the U Bertha Knight Landes ( October 19, 1868 - November 29, 1943) was the first female mayor of a major American city Socialist beliefs were once widespread (thanks in large part to the area's large numbers of Scandinavian immigrants) and the region has had a number of Socialist elected officials: so great was its influence that the U. Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution S. Postmaster General, James Farley, jokingly toasted the "forty-seven states of the Union, and the Soviet of Washington," at a gala dinner in 1936 [5].

The region also has a long history of starting cooperative and communal businesses and organizations, including Group Health [6], REI, Puget Consumer's Co-ops and numerous granges and mutual aid societies. Group Health Cooperative, based in Seattle Washington, is a consumer-governed nonprofit healthcare system It also has a long history of publicly-owned power and utilities, with many of the region's cities owning their own public utilities. A public utility (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the Infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using In part as a result, the region enjoys the lowest electrical power rates on the continent.

Economy

Some of the notable industries and products from the region:

Aluminium smelting was once an important part of the region's economy. Starbucks Corporation ( is an international Coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle Washington. Tully's Coffee is a specialty Coffee retailer and wholesaler based in Seattle Washington. Blenz Coffee (aka Blenz The Canadian Coffee Company) is a Canadian franchise chain of Coffee shops Nordstrom Inc ( is an upscale Department store chain in the United States. Zumiez ( NASDAQ: ZUMZ is a mall-based specialty apparel store founded by Tom Campion in 1978, and publicly traded since 2008. Goldcorp Inc () is one of the world’s lowest cost and fastest growing multi-million ounce gold producers Teck Cominco Limited () is a Canadian Mining company It was formed from the amalgamation of Teck and Cominco in 2001 Alpine skiing (or downhill skiing) is a recreational activity and Sport involving sliding down Snow -covered hills with long Skis attached Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a Snow -covered slope on a Snowboard attached to a participant's feet using a special boot set into a mounted binding The word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries but there are differences in usage Kayaking is the use of a Kayak for moving across water Kayaking is generally differentiated from Canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of Mountain biking entails the Sport of riding Bicycles off-road often over rough terrain whether riding specially equipped Mountain bikes or hybrid road bikes Nike Inc ('naɪki ( is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. Columbia Sportswear Company is a United States company that manufactures and distributes outerwear and Sportswear. lululemon athletica inc () (ˌluːluːˈlɛmən with the last two syllables pronounced like "lemon") — self-described as a Yoga -inspired athletic Aluminium smelting is the process of extracting Aluminium from its oxide Alumina, generally by the Hall-Héroult process. Hydroelectric power generated by the hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River powered at least ten aluminium smelters during the mid-20th century. Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by Hydropower, ie the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling water By the end of World War II these smelters were producing over a third of the United States' aluminium. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Production rose during the 1950s and 1960s, then declined. By the first decade of the 21st century the aluminium industry in the Pacific Northwest was essentially defunct. [7]

The region as a whole, but especially Seattle, is a hot-bed of high-tech business. It is also a leading "creative class" economic driver, with a thriving cultural sector, many knowledge workers and numerous international advertising, media and design firms.

B. C. , Washington and Oregon together generate more than $450 billion worth of goods and services annually. If the three were a separate country, their GDP would be in the top 20 economies of the world.

Culture

The Pacific Northwest's culture is quite varied, and to a certain degree reflects the varied geography of the region.

Environmentalism is prominent throughout the region. Environmentalism is a broad philosophy and Social movement centered on a concern for the conservation and improvement of the environment. Ecologically conscious services such as recycling and public transportation are fairly well-developed and generally available in the more populated areas. Recycling involves processing used materials into new products in order to prevent the waste of potentially useful materials reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials reduce The international organization Greenpeace was born in Vancouver in 1970 as part of a large public opposition movement in British Columbia to US nuclear weapons testing on Amchitka Island in the Aleutians. Greenpeace, originally known as the Greenpeace Foundation, was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1972 Conservative Northwesterners, like U. S. Senator Slade Gorton, are prominent in the development of conservative approaches to environmental protection. This article is about the senator Slade Gorton (born 1832, who co-founded Gorton's of Gloucester was an ancestor of the senator Seattle, in particular, is an epicenter of environmentalism, with a mayor who has lead the national movement of cities ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, large philanthropic institutions like the Bullitt, Brainerd and Glazer Foundations, the sustainability thinktank Sightline, and two of the nation's leading online environmental journalism magazines, Grist and Worldchanging. The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the international Framework Convention on Climate Change with the objective of reducing Greenhouse gases in an effort Alan Thein Durning (born 1964 is the founder and executive director of the Sightline Institute, (formerly Northwest Environment Watch a Non-profit organization For the publication see Grist Magazine. Grist is Grain that has been separated from its Chaff in preparation for grinding Worldchanging is an American non-profit online magazine and Blog about Sustainability and Social innovation.

Skiing, snowboarding, climbing, hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, boating and water sports are popular outdoor activities. In general, residents appreciate the region's varied geography, and enjoy spending time in the great outdoors. The region is noted for a large number of gardening clubs as well.

In his book Nine Nations of North America, author Joel Garreau claimed that the Pacific Rim region he called "Ecotopia" after the novel of the same name had a different culture from that of what he called The Empty Quarter to the east, and was necessarily different economically as well as ecologically. The Nine Nations of North America is a book written in 1981 by Joel Garreau. Joel Garreau (born 1948 is an American Journalist and Author. The Pacific Rim refers to the countries and cities located around the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Ecotopia The Notebooks and Reports of William Weston is the title of a seminal book by Ernest Callenbach, published in 1975 The Empty Quarter is a name given to the historically sparsely populated regions within the western United States and Canada. It must be noted that "Ecotopia," and "Cascadia," vary in definition and can be used to signify a large array of concepts.

Video game usage is higher per-capita than any other region of the country[8].

The Pacific Northwest is also known for indie music, especially grunge and alternative rock as well as historically-strong folk music and world music traditions. In Popular music, independent music, often abbreviated as indie, is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels and an autonomous Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous The term world music includes Traditional music (sometimes called Folk music or roots music of any culture that are created and played by indigenous musicians This area is where bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Presidents of The United States of America, Heart (band), Death Cab For Cutie, Modest Mouse, Nickelback, Nelly Furtado, Swollen Members, Alice in Chains and Nirvana got their start and became essential rock bands of their times. Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990 The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as simply The Presidents, PotUSA or PUSA, is a Grammy -nominated Heart is a rock band whose founding members came from the Seattle, Washington, scene but came together in Vancouver, British Columbia Death Cab for Cutie is an American Indie rock band formed in Bellingham, Modest Mouse are an American Alternative rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah Washington by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Nickelback is a Canadian rock band formed in Hanna Alberta by Chad Kroeger, Mike Kroeger, Ryan Peake and then-drummer Nelly Kim Furtado (born December 2 1978 is a Canadian Singer-songwriter, record producer actor and instrumentalist, who also holds Portuguese Swollen Members are a hip hop group from Vancouver British Columbia, consisting principally of the duo Mad Child and Prevail Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle Washington in Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen Washington. KEXP. KEXP (903 FM) is a public Radio station based in Seattle Washington, that specializes in independent and Alternative rock programmed org is a popular and nationally-noted Seattle-based public indie music radio station.

Cuisine of the area include wild salmon, huckleberries, and locally-produced fruits, vegetables, and cheeses. Salmon is the common name for several species of Fish of the family Salmonidae. A distinct version of West Coast fusion cuisine more influenced by Asian and Mid-East influences than its Californian counterpart. Fusion cuisine combines elements of various culinary traditions while not fitting specifically into any Due to the close proximity of locally-grown fruit and vegetables, weekly and monthly farmers markets are popular during the growing season. Farmers' markets, sometimes called greenmarkets, are Markets usually held out-of-doors in public spaces where Farmers can sell produce

Northwest craft beers and premium Northwest wines are popular with alcohol consumers. Cannabis use is relatively popular and tolerated, especially around Vancouver, Bellingham, Seattle, Olympia, Portland, and Eugene.

Latinos make up much of the agricultural labor force and population east of the Cascade Range in the U. S. states, and are an increasing presence in the general labor force in the western regions as well. African Americans are less numerous than either Asians or Latinos in many communities in the American Pacific Northwest, however the overall African American population has been on an upwards growing trend in other smaller urban areas throughout the American portion of the region, such as Spokane and Eugene. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa [9] They are concentrated in western urban areas such as Seattle and Portland, though unlike other regions, there are fewer majority black communities than the majority Asian communities that can be found in Vancouver and Seattle. As of the 2000s, many Asians were moving out and into middle class suburbs, though some would voice concern about preserving historical communities. African-Americans have held the positions of Mayor and King County executive, while Washington state elected a Chinese American Governor during the 1990s, Gary Locke. Chinese Americans ( Chinese: 华裔美国人 are Americans of Chinese descent Gary Faye Locke (born January 21, 1950) was elected governor of Washington (1997-2005 British Columbians of many ethnicities are prominent in all levels of politics and government there, and the province has a number of "firsts" in Canadian political history, including the first non-white Premier, Ujjal Dosanjh (who is Indo-Canadian) and the first non-white Lieutenant-Governor, the Hon. The Premier of British Columbia is the First minister, Head of government, and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province Ujjal Singh Dosanjh, PC, MP (born September 9, 1947, Jalandhar, India) is a Canadian Lawyer Indo-Canadians are Canadians whose origins trace back to the Indian sub-continent, often referred to in this way because the term Indian has been used The Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia is the vice-regal representative of the Queen of Canada in the province of British Columbia. David Lam. David See-Chai Lam OC, CVO, OBC, (林思齊 Pinyin: Lín Sīqí (born September 2, 1923) was Lieutenant-Governor

Language

The Pacific Northwest English accent is considered to be "very neutral" to most Americans and Canadians. Pacific Northwest English is a Dialect of the English language spoken in the Pacific Northwest. Although it does possess the low back vowel merger, or the Cot-caught merger, it is one of the closest living accents to conservative General American English. Father-bother merger The father-bother merger is a merger of the Early Modern English vowels /ɑː/ and /ɒ/ that occurs in almost all varieties of North American English General American is an accent of American English within American English General American and accents approximating it are contrasted with Southern American It lacks the Northern Cities Vowel Shift, and does not participate as strongly in the California Vowel Shift or the Canadian raising as do other regional accents. The Northern cities vowel shift is a Chain shift in the sounds of some Vowels in the Dialect region of American English known as the California English is a Dialect of the English language spoken in the U Canadian raising is a phonetic phenomenon that occurs in varieties of the English language, especially Canadian English, in which Diphthongs are "raised" Because of its lack of any distinguishing vowel shift, the accent is very similar to and hard to distinguish from conservative speakers in other dialect regions especially the Northern Midlands, California, and the prairies.

Chinook Jargon was a pidgin or trade language established among the indigenous inhabitants of the region. Chinook Jargon originated as a Pidgin trade language of the Pacific Northwest, and spread quickly up the West Coast from modern Oregon to the regions now A pidgin is a simplified language that develops as a means of communication between two or more groups that do not have a language in common in situations such as Trade A pidgin is a simplified language that develops as a means of communication between two or more groups that do not have a language in common in situations such as Trade The Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast are the Pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, their descendants and many Ethnic groups After contact with Europeans, French, English and Cree words entered the language, and "eventually Chinook became the lingua franca for as many as 250,000 people along the Pacific Slope from Alaska to Oregon". Cree (also known as Cree-Montagnais Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi is the name for a group of closely-related Algonquian languages spoken by approximately 117000 people across [1] Chinook Jargon reached its height of usage in the 19th century though remained common in resource and wilderness areas, particularly but not exclusively by Native Americans and Canadian First Nations people, well into the 20th century. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States First Nations is a term of Ethnicity that refers to the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis people Today its influence is felt mostly in place names and a handful of localized slang terms, particularly the word skookum, which remains hallmark of people raised in the region. Toponymy refers to the scientific study of place-names ( toponyms) their origins meanings use and Typology. Slang is the use of highly informal Words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's Dialect or Language. Skookum is a Chinook jargon word that has come into general use in British Columbia and Yukon Territory in Canada, and in the U

Besides English and indigenous languages, Chinese has been common since the gold rushes of the mid-19th century, particularly in British Columbia. A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers into the area of a dramatic discovery of commercial quantities of Gold. Since the 1980s the Toishan, a Cantonese-based dialect which was predominant in the area, has been replaced by mainstream Cantonese and by Mandarin because of large-scale immigration from Asia. Taishan (Chinese 台[[wiktionary 山|山]] Mandarin: Táishān Cantonese: Toisan; Taishanese: Hoisan, Other Punjabi is also common in British Columbia, which has a large Sikh community. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism.

Spirituality and religion

Plurality of religious preference by state, 2001. The Pacific Northwest is the only part of the U.S. where the largest plurality of citizens report no religion.
Plurality of religious preference by state, 2001. The Pacific Northwest is the only part of the U. S. where the largest plurality of citizens report no religion.

Religious views are very much less commonly expressed in Northwest American politics than in the rest of the United States, and conservative Christians have considerably less political influence than in other regions[10].

However, the region is certainly not without religion, and three of the four large international charities in the region are faith-based: Northwest Medical Teams International, World Concern, World Vision International, and Mercy Corps. The definition of charitable organization, and of charity varies according to the country and in some instances the region of the country in which the charitable organization operates Medical Teams International (formerly Northwest Medical Teams is a Non-profit humanitarian aid and development organization. World Concern - Non-profit organization of Christian origin providing development and relief assistance for needy countries World Vision, founded in the United States in 1951 is an international Christian relief and development organization whose stated goal Mercy Corps is a Non-profit organization engaged in Humanitarian aid and development activities The archetype of the Skid Road mission, a shelter offering soup and sermons to down-and-out workers and inebriates, was launched on the skid roads of Seattle and Vancouver, with the Salvation Army having deep roots in Vancouver's Gastown district, dating back to the era of the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (1880s) and attained prominence in the same centers during the Klondike Gold Rush. A skid row or skid road is a run-down or dilapidated urban area with a large population of impoverished abusers of Alcohol and often other Drugs The Salvation Army is a Christian charity and church that is internally organised like a military service. Gastown is an area of Vancouver, British Columbia, located at the northeast end of Downtown adjacent to the Downtown Eastside. The Canadian Pacific Railway ( The Klondike Gold Rush, infrequently referred to as the Yukon Gold Rush or Alaska Gold Rush, was a frenzy of Gold rush Immigration to and for

Despite its low rate of church attendance, the region is also known as a magnet for unique Christian groups, ranging from the Doukhobors to the Mennonites of British Columbia, and countless religiously-based communal efforts by ethnic groups such as Finns, Norwegians, Danes and others. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The Doukhobors or Doukhabors (Духоборы Dukhobory) earlier Dukhobortsy (Духоборцы are a Christian group of Russian The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after Menno Simons (1496&ndash1561 though his teachings were a relatively British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C The Mennonite Central Committee Supportive Care Services is based in Abbotsford, BC. The Mennonite Central Committee (MCC is a relief service and peace agency representing 15 Mennonite, Brethren in Christ and Amish bodies in North [11] Mennonite Central Committee and Mennonite Disaster Service enjoy a heavy rate of enlistment and donations from the strong Mennonite community in BC's Fraser Valley. Fraser Valley is the section of the Fraser River basin in southwestern British Columbia downstream of the Fraser Canyon. Also within the region there is a fairly strong representation of Orthodox churches (Greek, Russian, Serbian and others) as well as the Ukrainian Uniate Catholic church. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world

"American Buddhist with Thai Buddha", Living Enrichment Center, Wilsonville, Oregon, 1998.
"American Buddhist with Thai Buddha", Living Enrichment Center, Wilsonville, Oregon, 1998. Living Enrichment Center, often referred to as LEC, was a New Thought Megachurch and retreat center

Eastern religions (especially Buddhism and Taoism) have been adopted by an unusual number of people in the Pacific Northwest, and Tibetan Buddhism in particular has a strong local following[12]. Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including The Northwest Tibetan Cultural Association, claimed to be the largest organization of its kind in the world, was founded in Portland in 1993. Yogic teachings, Sufism, tribal and ancient beliefs and other philosophies are widely studied and appreciated. Because of immigration to Canada the Lower Mainland of British Columbia has a very large Sikh community and cultural presence as well as a major growth in Chinese Buddhist temples and congregations since the increase in immigration from Asia in the 1980s. The Lower Mainland is a name commonly applied to the region surrounding Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. Chinese Buddhism ( Pinyin fójiào refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that have flourished in China proper since ancient times There is a small Hindu population, a number of Parsee (Zoroastrians), and an emerging Muslim population from India, the Middle East, Africa, the Balkans, Southeast Asia and elsewhere. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion

People in the area also embrace alternative religions and spirituality, such as New Age spirituality and Neo-Paganism[13]. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Spirituality, in a narrow sense concerns itself with matters of the Spirit, a concept closely tied to religious belief and Faith, a transcendent reality New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is an Umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements particularly those influenced by historical Before its closure in 2004, Mary Manin Morrissey's "megachurch" called Living Enrichment Center, located in Wilsonville, Oregon, was one of the biggest New Thought churches in the entire world, with a congregation estimated at between two thousand and five thousand members. Mary Manin Morrissey (born 1949 is a New Thought minister from Oregon, U Living Enrichment Center, often referred to as LEC, was a New Thought Megachurch and retreat center Wilsonville is a city primarily in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. The New Thought Movement or New Thought is a New religious movement developed in the United States during the late 19th century which emphasizes metaphysical Morrissey's "Life Keys" religious program was broadcast to several major networks around the U. S. West Coast. Neale Donald Walsch, author of Conversations with God, lives in Ashland, Oregon, where he runs a retreat center. Neale Donald Walsch (also known as Neale Marshall-Walsch (b September 10, 1943 in Milwaukee) is an American author of the series Conversations with God (CwG is a sequence of nine books written by Neale Donald Walsch, written as a dialogue in which Walsch asks questions and God answers Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California Gangaji, an internationally recognized spiritual teacher and disciple of Poonjaji, lives in Ashland, Oregon. Gangaji born Merle Antoinette ("Toni" Roberson in Texas in 1942 is an American author speaker sometimes considered a lay or spiritual counselor teacher or " Sri H W L Poonja (Hariwansh Lal Poonja * 13 October 1910 in Punjab, (now Pakistan earlier British India † 6 September 1997 Established in more recent times, the training school of the immortal (according to the organization) being Ramtha is headquartered in Yelm, Washington. Yelm is a city in Thurston County, Washington, United States. The followers of the Guru Rajneesh, the sannyasins, established a center for their beliefs and lifestyle near Antelope, Oregon, which included an ashram complex as well as, for a while, an attempted takeover of the local economy. "Rajneesh" Chandra Mohan Jain (रजनीश चन्द्र मोहन जैन (December 11 1931 – January 19 1990 also known as Acharya Rajneesh "Sanyasi" redirects here For the motion picture see Sanyasi (1975 film Sannyasa, ( Devanagari: संन्यास Antelope is a city in Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The population was 59 at the 2000 census An Ashram in ancient India was a Hindu hermitage where sages lived in Peace and tranquility amidst Nature. The Emissaries of the Divine Light are a notable presence in the region of 100 Mile House, BC. More controversially, the commune run by Brother Twelve in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia early in the 20th century. Edward Arthur Wilson, better known as Brother XII, ( July 25 1878 – November 7 1934 ? was a notorious English The Gulf Islands are the Islands in the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and the mainland Pacific coast of British Columbia British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Oregon's Willamette Valley has a large population of Russian Old Believers. The Willamette Valley () is the region in northwest Oregon in the United States that surrounds the Willamette River as it proceeds northward from its emergence Introductory summary of origins In 1652 Nikon (1605 – 1681 Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church from 1652 to 1658 introduced a number of ritual and textual [14]

See also

References

  1. ^ Orkin, David. Oregon Country or Oregon (to be distinguished from the American State also called Oregon) was a predominantly American term referring to The Oregon boundary dispute (or Oregon question) arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Pacific Northwest of The Alaska Boundary Dispute was a Territorial dispute between the United States and Canada (then a British Dominion with its foreign affairs The human history of the west coast of North America is believed to stretch back to the arrival of the earliest people over the Bering Strait, or alternately along a now-submerged Chinook Jargon originated as a Pidgin trade language of the Pacific Northwest, and spread quickly up the West Coast from modern Oregon to the regions now The Atlantic Northeast is a region of North America comprising New England in the United States and the Maritimes in Canada Climate change in the American state of Washington is a subject of study and projection today Northwest Coast art is the term commonly applied to a style of art created primarily by artists from Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Kwakwaka'wakw The Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast are the Pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, their descendants and many Ethnic groups "Pacific Northwest: The Complete Guide To The Pacific Northwest", The Independent (London), May 26, 2001. The Independent is a British compact Newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly 's Independent News & Media. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Retrieved on 2008-03-12. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving  
  2. ^ http://www.sightline.org/research/cascadia_scorecard/res_pubs/cascadia
  3. ^ a b c Hayes, Derek (1999). Historical Atlas of the Pacific Northwest: Maps of exploration and Discovery. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 1-57061-215-3.  
  4. ^ Captain Alexandro Malaspina. Malaspina University-College. Retrieved on 2008-02-05. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France.
  5. ^ Communism in Washington State - History and Memory Project
  6. ^ HistoryLink Essay: Group Health Cooperative - Part 1: Planting the Seeds, 1911-1945
  7. ^ Aluminum, Columbia River History, Northwest Power & Conservation Council
  8. ^ "Seattle Top Gaming City?", Digital Trends, May 2, 2006. Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.  
  9. ^ uwnews.washington.edu
  10. ^ Crosscut Seattle - Why Washington Republicans got creamed in 2006 and what they can do about it
  11. ^ Mennonite Central Committee Supportive Care Services
  12. ^ NY Times Advertisement
  13. ^ ABC News: School Says Halloween Disrespectful to Witches
  14. ^ Oregon Historical Society article about Old Believers Retrieved February 9, 2007

External links

Dictionary

Pacific Northwest

-proper noun

  1. The region of North America along the Pacific coast, the core of which is the states of Washington and Oregon, variously including southern British Columbia, northern California, Idaho, and the panhandle of or all of Alaska.
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