Why Why Washington

Spanish:
The Spanish explorers wanted to explore Washington and claim lots of land for three reasons: they wanted the untold riches, to control the Native Americans, and to find the elusive Western entrance to the Northwest Passage. The Spanish were the first people to explore the coast of the Pacific Northwest, but they never went inland, which cost them dearly. Juan Perez was the first Spanish explorer to explore Washington, in 1774.


British:
The British explorers came soon after the Spaniards. They also went along the coast, yet they didn't go inland more than a few miles. A major British explorer was John Meares. George Vancouver, was another majorly known explorer. Unlike the Spanish, though, the British didn't have to give up their claim, because the Spaniards were the ones that lost the dispute.

Comparing the Two:
The Spanish were the first explorers to come to Washington on expeditions for discovery. After that, the British came. The Spanish wanted untold riches and control over the Native Americans. The British had a different approach, though they still wanted the same things. This was their ulterior motive. The Spanish sailed along the coast of the whole Pacific Northwest, while the British sent people to explore the coastline on foot. Below is a picture of Robert Gray, a British explorer.

The-Two-Men-Who-Changed-Things

    The story about the two-men-who-changed-things takes place in the Western side of Washington, also known as the coastal region. Geography affected the story because in the story, it says that the Indians in the Northwestern corner of Washington state shared stories about the two-men-who-changed-things, as did their brothers and sisters across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, on Vancouver Island. Geography also affects the story because it talks about minks, wild cherry trees, alder trees, yew trees, arrow-wood, seals, kingfishers, blue herons, crows, ravens, spruce trees, crabapples trees, and more.These are all located at one point in Washington's history on the Coastal side of Washington state. The coastal tribes used spruce wood for fires, yew wood for bows, arrow-wood for arrows, cedar wood for canoes and clothing and medicine, and wild cherry trees for medicine. All of these things were very useful in aiding the survival of the coastal tribes. Geography affected the whole story, because the children of the moon and sun created the animals, birds, and vegetation that exists in Washington to this day.