Native peoples of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska

Grade 7 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Northwest Coast nations

   Nation (own name)	Homeland	Traditional ways of life	Changes and hard history	Today
   Tlingit	Southeast Alaska	?	Russians tried to settle the coast; in 1867 the United States bought Alaska from Russia, though Alaska Native peoples disputed Russia's right to sell their land	the Sealaska Heritage Institute, founded in 1980, keeps Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian languages and arts strong and holds Celebration, a large gathering, every two years
   Haida	Haida Gwaii, islands off British Columbia, and part of Southeast Alaska	living from the land and sea of Haida Gwaii, with the mighty cedar tree at the center; carving monumental poles from red cedar	Canada's ban on the potlatch applied to the Haida, as to every First Nation in Canada	the Council of the Haida Nation looks after the lands and waters of Haida Gwaii and teaches the Haida language; it manages Gwaii Haanas together with Canada under the Gwaii Haanas Agreement, which marked 20 years in 2013
   Kwakwaka'wakw	northern Vancouver Island and the nearby coast, British Columbia	potlatches: gatherings where hosts give gifts to guests, who witness events such as a name being given; songs and dances carry history	a Canadian law passed in 1884 banned the potlatch until 1951; in 1921, after a potlatch at Village Island, 45 people were arrested and masks and regalia were taken	the U'mista Cultural Society in Alert Bay cares for returned treasures; museums sent pieces back in 1988 and 2002

   The cell marked ? is blank. Below the chart: each nation's own name comes first. Potlatch comes from a Chinook word meaning to give.

2. 1.

   Ari's chart has a blank: what are the Tlingit traditional ways of life?

   • Fishing from cedar canoes and trading dried fish
   • Holding a large gathering once in two years
   • Carving monumental poles from red cedar
   • Raising cattle on dry grassland plains
3. 2.

   Bo's chart has a blank: what changed for the Kwakwaka'wakw?

   • A Canadian law required the potlatch until 1951
   • A Canadian law banned the potlatch until 1951
   • The United States bought their land from Russia
   • Museums sent treasures back in 1988 and 2002
4. 3.

   Kira's chart has a blank: what does the Haida Nation do today?

   • It once lived on Haida Gwaii, but the nation is gone now
   • Its cultural society in Alert Bay cares for returned masks
   • It carves houses and dugout canoes from red and yellow cedar
   • Its council looks after Haida Gwaii and teaches the language

5. Northwest Coast nations

   Nation (own name)	Homeland	Traditional ways of life	Changes and hard history	Today
   Tlingit	Southeast Alaska	fishing for salmon, halibut, cod and herring from cedar canoes up to 60 feet long; trading dried fish and Chilkat robes	Russians tried to settle the coast; in 1867 the United States bought Alaska from Russia, though Alaska Native peoples disputed Russia's right to sell their land	the Sealaska Heritage Institute, founded in 1980, keeps Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian languages and arts strong and holds Celebration, a large gathering, every two years
   Haida	Haida Gwaii, islands off British Columbia, and part of Southeast Alaska	living from the land and sea of Haida Gwaii, with the mighty cedar tree at the center; carving monumental poles from red cedar	Canada's ban on the potlatch applied to the Haida, as to every First Nation in Canada	the Council of the Haida Nation looks after the lands and waters of Haida Gwaii and teaches the Haida language; it manages Gwaii Haanas together with Canada under the Gwaii Haanas Agreement, which marked 20 years in 2013
   Kwakwaka'wakw	northern Vancouver Island and the nearby coast, British Columbia	potlatches: gatherings where hosts give gifts to guests, who witness events such as a name being given; songs and dances carry history	a Canadian law passed in 1884 banned the potlatch until 1951; in 1921, after a potlatch at Village Island, 45 people were arrested and masks and regalia were taken	the U'mista Cultural Society in Alert Bay cares for returned treasures; museums sent pieces back in 1988 and 2002

   Below the chart: each nation's own name comes first. Potlatch comes from a Chinook word meaning to give.

6. 4.

   Where is the Haida homeland, by the chart, Jun asks?

   • The Aleutian and Pribilof Islands of Alaska
   • Southeast Alaska alone, without any islands
   • Haida Gwaii and part of Southeast Alaska
   • Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia
7. 5.

   How long could Tlingit canoes be, by the chart, Luz asks?

   • Up to 6 feet long
   • Exactly 60 feet, each one the same
   • Up to 600 feet long
   • Up to 60 feet long
8. 6.

   In what year did the potlatch ban end, Milo asks?

   • 1884
   • 1980
   • 1951
   • 1921
9. 7.

   What is a potlatch, by the chart and its note, Noah asks?

   • A law that Canada passed in 1884 about gatherings
   • A tall pole carved from red cedar to stand in a village
   • A gathering where hosts give gifts to guests who witness events
   • A canoe carved for long trips on the open ocean
10. 8.

    The chart says museums sent pieces back. Where had the treasures been, Ren asks?

    • In Celebration, a gathering held in Juneau
    • In the Haida Nation's care on Haida Gwaii
    • In Alert Bay the whole time, not moved
    • In museums, after they were taken in 1921
11. 9.

    Which sentence about the Tlingit fits the Today column, Tala asks?

    • The Tlingit carve monumental poles on Haida Gwaii
    • The Tlingit people were sold along with Alaska in 1867
    • A heritage institute keeps Tlingit languages and arts strong
    • The Tlingit lived in Southeast Alaska long ago, before they were gone
12. 10.

    Which sentence about the Haida uses the right tense, Esme asks?

    • The Haida lived on Haida Gwaii, but their nation is gone
    • The Haida were left out of the potlatch ban in Canada
    • The Haida hold the Celebration gathering in Juneau
    • The Haida live on Haida Gwaii and look after its lands