They
did not develop democracy: Unlike other tribes
across the country, the Pacific Northwest Coastal Indians never developed
democracy. That made them different. Instead, they ruled by wealth.
The clan
with the most wealth had the most power. They set great store by wealth,
family connections, and slave ownership. They took social climbing to a new
level. One of the ways you gained great respect was by giving things away.
If someone gave you one blanket, you gave them two or three blankets.
Such generosity made a man famous.
The Potlatch
The
Fur Trade
Money
Blankets & Coppers
Clans
& Marriage
