Chapter THREE

History

Oregon's native inhabitants included the Wasco, Wishram, Tenino, Cayuse, Umatilla, and Nez Perce. They were collectively referred to as Oregon's Plateau Indians. They lived from the Cascade Mountains to the Wallowas. Their locations included being near rivers or at high elevations.

The native inhabitants were very successful as traders of glass beads, cotton and clothing just before the arrival of American explorers. Those who lived in the Great Basin would travel with their extended family and would join with other groups to hunt. They were mainly hunters and migrated depending on the season as a result.

There is no record of the first encounter with settlers. It was common for the Spanish to make voyages in the North Pacific in an attempt to seek colonies, wealth, and mission fields, but there is no telling if they were the first to make contact with Oregon's native inhabitants. 

About 300 ships had passed the Northwest Coast by the end of the 18th century. Those ships were from about a dozen countries. Some of those vessels had passed by Oregon and its passengers had explored near the coastline. The ships were traveling in that direction as a result of the Enlightenment. 

The first American interest in the land was a result of the news of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It created interest among fur seekers.  

Religion

The largest religion in the state is Christianity. About 75 to 79 percent of the states residents identify Christianity as their religious preference. However, the largest religious bodies are the Catholic Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Oregon is one of the state's with the largest amount of self-identified "nonreligious" residents. About 17 percent of Oregon's residents identify themselves as having no religion. The U.S. average for people identifying themselves as nonreligious is seven percent.  Oregon is also known for being a religion-tolerant state. Some of its residents also practice Wicca.


Sources:

History
 "Oregon Blue Book: Oregon History: An Inhabited Land." Oregon Blue Book: Oregon History: An Inhabited Land. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. <http://www.bluebook.state.or.us/cultural/history/history01.htm>.
Religion
"Religion in Oregon." Religion in Oregon. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. <http://www.adherents.com/loc/loc_oregon.html>.