Question

In which ways did the environment affect the diet of Northwest Coast Indians? Check all that apply.

Northwest Coast Indians hunted buffalo, which provided an abundant supply of meat.


A variety of seafood from oceans and rivers was available.


A limited amount of food was available, forcing Northwest Coast Indians to get more through trade.


Northwest Coast Indians could relax during the winter months and not have to search for food.


Meadows and forests provided berries and fruit

Answer 1

The environment affected the diet of Northwest Coast Indians in several ways, including the availability of seafood from oceans and rivers, the presence of meadows and forests providing berries and fruit, and the need to trade for a sustainable supply of food.

Step-by-step explanation:

The diet of Northwest Coast Indians was affected by the environment in several ways:

• A variety of seafood from oceans and rivers was available. The coastal region provided a constant supply of fish, seals, and shellfish, which formed an important part of their diet.
• Meadows and forests provided berries and fruit. In addition to seafood, the environment offered wild edible plants like nuts, fruits, berries, and wild grains.
• A limited amount of food was available, forcing Northwest Coast Indians to get more through trade. Although natural resources were abundant, the population density and the need for a sustainable supply of food necessitated trading with neighboring groups to obtain necessary resources.

Answer 2

The diet of Northwest Coast Indians was primarily influenced by the rich marine life and the mild climate, which allowed them to gather and fish for food such as salmon and shellfish, as well as to forage for berries and fruits in the forests.

Step-by-step explanation:

Several factors influenced their diet, including the availability of marine life and the climate enabling a sedentary lifestyle with permanent villages. We can determine their diet based on the environmental context:

• Seafood from oceans and rivers, including salmon, seals, and shellfish, was a staple in the diet. The ease of capturing fish, such as salmon during their spawning season, greatly influenced their reliance on fishing.
• Meadows and forests provided accessible resources like berries and fruit, supplementing their diet with various plant-based foods.
• They did not hunt buffalo; it was the Plains Indians who hunted buffalo. The Northwest Coast Indians had a distinctly different set of resources available, primarily marine-based.
• The abundance of food allowed Northwest Coast Indians to live in large, permanent towns during the winter months, reflecting in their complex political structure and the practice of potlatch to maintain hierarchy.