Friday, 4 May 2012

Facts Regarding The History Of Alaska

By Deena Lawson


The history of Alaska is one that dates back to around 14,000 BC, also known as the Paleolithic period. This is when Asiatic populations crossed the Bering land bridge into the area that is now considered the western portion of the state. When European contact occurred, by way of Russian explorers, native groups made up most of the population in the region.

The state was given its name from the Aleut word that means mainland. The 1890s saw an influx of population of miners and settles who relocated as a result of gold rushes in the area, including in the Yukon Territory. By 1912, the land was given territorial status.

In 1942, the Japanese occupied two of the Aleutian Islands: Attu and Kiska. For Americans, reclaiming this land became a goal for national pride reasons. They set up military bases in the region, which offered population grown in surrounding cities. Then, in 1953, it was given statehood.

By 1968, oil was found at Prudhoe Bay. Shortly after, in 1977, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline was officially completed. Both of these achievements resulted in an oil boom. Today, there is conflict over whether or not drilling should be performed in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

It is believed that both Inuit and European groups occupied this region early on. Nowadays, there still exists a large separation between populations: the Aleut, two kinds of Eskimos, the Athabascans and the Southeastern Coastal Indians. The practices of these different native groups range, as the people are spread across the large area.

There were some parts of the area in which traders were able to coexist with all locals and other parts in which tension and conflict arose. The tension often resulted in hostages, slavery, villages and more. Disease became a major problem and destroyed a large population of people. the history of alaska extends thousands of years and has been a motherland for oil and many types of people.




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