History of Washington

Before becoming the 42nd state of the United States, Washington was a part of Oregon territory. In 1853, it was separated from Oregon and was known as Washington Territory.

Early History

The history of Washington dates back to thousands of years. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Pacific Northwest was among the first populated regions in North America.

Before the arrival of European explorers, the region was home to many tribes of Native Americans. Salmon fishing and whale hunting were among the most prominent industries for people living near the Pacific coast. People living in the interior had a very subsistence-based culture, largely dependent on hunting, food gathering and some forms of agriculture. Chinook, Lummi, Makah, Quileute, and Snohomish were the principal tribes of the coastal areas while Cayuse, Nez, Perce, Spokane, and Yakima were the Plateau tribes.

European Settlement

It is believed that the Spaniard Juan Perez was the first European to land on the Washington coast in 1774. The first European record of landing on Washington coast is of Don Bruno de Heceta in 1775. He, along with his crew members, claimed all the coastal land up to Prince William Sound in the north.

In 1778 James Cook, a British explorer, sighted Cape Flattery, but it was not discovered until Charles William Barkley sighted it in 1787. The Nootka Convention of 1790 ended Spanish claims of exclusivity. It allowed access of the Northwest Coast for traders and explorers from other regions, most notably Britain and Russia.

Nineteenth Century History

The Anglo-American Convention of 1818 allowed UK and USA a joint occupation of the land west of the Continental Divide to the Pacific Ocean. Disputed joint-occupancy by UK and US lasted for many decades. In 1839, Marcus Whitman and other missionaries established numerous settlement, including Waiilaptu. Whitman settlement helped the Oregon Trail in 1843. In 1847, the killing of Marcus Whitman and other settlers led to the Whitman massacre, which eventually triggered the Cayuse War between the settlers and Indians.

The first European settlement in Puget Sound area was founded in 1833. In 1852 a memorandum was drafted by the people of region, which was to become Washington state. The memorandum expressed their desire to be granted statehood. The state was named Washington in honor of the first US president. It became the 42nd state in the Union on November 11, 1889.

Recent History

Agriculture and lumber were early prominent industries in the state. Seattle has been an important port for trade. Yakima River Valley became popular for its apple orchards. Tacoma was noted for its smelters for a long time. A number of hydroelectric dams were constructed during the Great Depression. In 1941, the largest concrete structure, Grand Coulee Dam, was completed in the United States. During World War II, the state manufacturing industries came up. In 1943, the Hanford Works atomic energy plant was set up, which played an important role in the production of Atomic bombs.

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