Explorers
The First Visitors
 Probably came from China or Japan
 Remains of boats and porcelain found on WA coast
 Didn’t stay and make settlements here
Search for the Northwest Passage
Search for the Northwest Passage
 Explorers were looking for a water route that would be
a shortcut from Europe to Asia.
 No one ever discovered the route during this time.
 It was discovered in 1903, but is not very usable for
commercial purposes.
 Reasons for searching for it:
 It took a long time (about 2 years) to travel to Asia either
going around the tip of Africa or South America.
 It was a dangerous voyage.
 Whoever discovered it for Britain would get a cash prize
equal to $1 million today.
Spanish Explorers
 Juan de Fuca found the Strait of Juan de Fuca in 1596
 Didn’t do much land exploration
 Had conflicts with Indians
 No large populations of Natives to enslave
 Many Spanish suffering from scurvy
 No gold & silver along Pacific Coast
 Too busy with other interests in other places
 Coastline was steep and rugged, making it difficult to settle
 Didn’t like our weather/climate
 Last expedition in this area was in 1775
Spanish Explorers
Strait of Juan de Fuca
British Explorers
 James Cook was
looking for the
Northwest Passage.
 Made his crews eat
sauerkraut, which
happened to contain
vitamin C and
prevented scurvy.
James Cook
 He traded with Natives on Vancouver Island for sea
otter furs.
 He was killed in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii).
 After he died, his crew found went to China and found
that the Chinese were very interested paying high
prices for furs.
Sea Otters
 Between 1750-1790, thousands of sea otters were killed
for their fur.
 Traded with Chinese for silk, spices, and tea.
 Used for coats and blankets.
 1977 sea otter placed on Endangered Species list.
American Explorers
 Robert Gray
 Navigated the very rough entrance to the Columbia
River & claimed land on both sides for the U.S.
 Traded with Chinook Indians for furs.
 Didn’t do any significant exploration of the Columbia
River because he realized the sea otters he was after
were captured in the ocean, not the river.
Navigating the Columbia River
Pirates
 Between 1575-1742
there were at least
25 different pirate
ships along the
Pacific coast.
 Pirates came from
England, Holland,
& France and were
looking for Spanish
ships to rob.
Naming the Islands
Vancouver Island
 George Vancouver
(British) 1792
 Others friends of
Vancouver’s were
men with names
like Baker, Rainier,
Whidbey, & Puget
Columbia River
Lewis & Clark
1804-1806
 Set out to explore the Louisiana Territory, which
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President Thomas Jefferson bought from France in
1803 for $15 million.
Were looking for the Northwest Passage and to learn
about the land, plants, animals and Native people.
Took 28 people with them, including one slave.
Started in St. Louis, Missouri on May 14, 1804 and
traveled up the Missouri River.
Spent the first winter in North Dakota with the
Mandan Indians.
Lewis & Clark
1804-1806
 Sacajawea (16 years old) and her husband
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Charbonneau helped to guide them. She carried her
baby on her back the whole trip!
Got horses to help them cross the mountains.
Nez Perce Indians helped them build dug out canoes.
Reached the Pacific Ocean in November 1805.
Had hoped to meet a ship to take them back around to
the East, but none came.
Build a shelter on the south side of the Columbia River
called Fort Clatsop to spend the winter.
Lewis & Clark
1804-1806
 Sacajawea (16 years old) and her husband





Charbonneau helped to guide them. She carried her
baby on her back the whole trip!
Got horses to help them cross the mountains.
Nez Perce Indians helped them build dug out canoes.
Reached the Pacific Ocean in November 1805.
Had hoped to meet a ship to take them back around to
the East, but none came.
Build a shelter on the south side of the Columbia River
called Fort Clatsop to spend the winter.
Lewis & Clark
1804-1806
 March 23, 1806 they start the return trip home.
 They reach St. Louis on September 23, 1806.
 Many people thought they had died.
 They are treated as national heroes!
Lewis & Clark
1804-1806
American Fur Traders
 Pacific Fur Company
 Built Fort Astoria near the mouth of the Columbia
 War of 1812
 Gave both Britain and the U.S. ownership of the Oregon
Territory.
 Established the 49th parallel as the border between U.S.
and Canada
British Fur Traders
 Canadians explored British Columbia two years before
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Lewis & Clark.
Hudson’s Bay Company
Built new fort near mouth of Willamette River called
Fort Vancouver.
Main business of forts was trading for furs.
Beaver fur was very popular and used for hats.
Beavers were almost hunted to extinction.
Fur Trade Ends
 By late 1840’s the fur trading era was over.
 Fur-bearing animals were nearly gone.
 Styles had changed.
 Pioneers were moving into the area.
Chinook Jargon
 A trade language used by Native Americans and white
fur traders and settlers.
 Could also be used for one group of Indians to talk to
another because they had different tribal languages.
 Had about 300 words.