Alaskan History Timeline
- 1783 Russian fur traders established the first white settlement on Kodiak Island.
- 1804 Sitka was permanently founded by the Russians. ...
- 1824-1828 In treaties with the United States and Great Britain, Russia agreed to recognize latitude 54° 40 N as Alaska’s southern boundary and longitude 141° W as the eastern boundary. ...
What was the first Russian settlement in Alaska?
Russians settle Alaska. On Kodiak Island, Grigory Shelikhov, a Russian fur trader, founds Three Saints Bay, the first permanent Russian settlement in Alaska. The European discovery of Alaska came in 1741, when a Russian expedition led by Danish navigator Vitus Bering sighted the Alaskan mainland.
When was Alaska first discovered?
The European discovery of Alaska came in 1741, when a Russian expedition led by Danish navigator Vitus Bering sighted the Alaskan mainland. Russian hunters were soon making incursions into Alaska, and the Indigenous Aleut population suffered greatly after being exposed to foreign diseases.
How did British settlers get to Alaska?
British settlements at the time in Alaska consisted of a few scattered trading outposts, with most settlers arriving by sea. Captain James Cook, midway through his third and final voyage of exploration in 1778, sailed along the west coast of North America aboard HMS Resolution, from then-Spanish California all the way to the Bering Strait.
What was the first capital of Alaska Territory?
It soon become the primary settlement and colonial capital of Russian America. (After the United States purchased Alaska in 1867, Novoarkhangelsk was renamed Sitka and became the first capital of Alaska Territory. ) St. Michael's Cathedral in Sitka.
Who were the first white settlers in Alaska?
The first European settlement was established in 1784 by Russians at Three Saints Bay, near present-day Kodiak. With the arrival of the Russian fur traders, many Unangan were killed by the newcomers or overworked in the hunting of fur seals. Many other Unangan died of diseases brought by the Russians.
Which country owned Alaska first?
RussiaInteresting Facts. Russia controlled most of the area that is now Alaska from the late 1700s until 1867 when it was purchased by U.S. Secretary of State William Seward for $7.2 million, or about two cents an acre.
Who was the first European in Alaska?
Vitus BeringVitus Bering (1681–1741), Danish explorer for the Russians, the first European to reach Alaska.
What country owned Alaska before America?
RussiaPrints and Photographs Division. On March 30, 1867, the United States reached an agreement to purchase Alaska from Russia for a price of $7.2 million. The Treaty with Russia was negotiated and signed by Secretary of State William Seward and Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl.
Why did Russia give us Alaska?
Defeat in the Crimean War further reduced Russian interest in this region. Russia offered to sell Alaska to the United States in 1859, believing the United States would off-set the designs of Russia's greatest rival in the Pacific, Great Britain.
What was Alaska called when Russia owned it?
Russian AmericaRussian America Русская Америка Russkaya AmerikaPreceded by Succeeded by Alaska Natives Department of AlaskaToday part ofUnited Statesa. ^ The Russian-American Company was chartered by the Emperor in 1799, to govern Russian possessions in North America on behalf of the Russian Empire.20 more rows
Who was the first person in Alaska?
Prehistoric Alaska begins with Paleolithic people moving into northwestern North America sometime between 40,000 and 15,000 years ago across the Bering Land Bridge in western Alaska; a date less than 20,000 years ago is most likely.
Was Alaska a Russian colony?
Eager to release themselves of the burden, the Russians sold Fort Ross in 1842, and in 1867, after less than a month of negotiations, the United States accepted Emperor Alexander II's offer to sell Alaska. The purchase of Alaska for $7.2 million ended Imperial Russia's colonial presence in the Americas.
Is Alaska a Russian name?
Russian explorer and commander Stephan Glotov lands on Unimak Island and hears the Aleut natives refer to the land as Alyaska or Alyeska, which became the basis for the name Alaska. Russian explorers land on the mainland on the Alaska Peninsula.
When did Russia sell Alaska?
Introduction. On March 30, 1867, the United States reached an agreement to purchase Alaska from Russia for a price of $7.2 million. The Treaty with Russia was negotiated and signed by Secretary of State William Seward and Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl.
Why did Canada not buy Alaska?
There are two main reasons. First, Canada wasn't its own country in 1867. Second, Great Britain controlled the Canadian colonies. Russia did not want to sell Alaska to its rival.
What if Alaska was still Russian?
1:3613:38What if Russia Kept Alaska? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn 30 years gold was found and a rush began up north that's really it context. Over. So in thisMoreIn 30 years gold was found and a rush began up north that's really it context. Over. So in this alternate scenario there really doesn't need to be a dramatic. Effect for russia to not sell alaska.
Why did Canada not buy Alaska?
There are two main reasons. First, Canada wasn't its own country in 1867. Second, Great Britain controlled the Canadian colonies. Russia did not want to sell Alaska to its rival.
When did Russia sell Alaska?
Introduction. On March 30, 1867, the United States reached an agreement to purchase Alaska from Russia for a price of $7.2 million. The Treaty with Russia was negotiated and signed by Secretary of State William Seward and Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl.
What if Russia still owned Alaska?
1:3613:38What if Russia Kept Alaska? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn 30 years gold was found and a rush began up north that's really it context. Over. So in thisMoreIn 30 years gold was found and a rush began up north that's really it context. Over. So in this alternate scenario there really doesn't need to be a dramatic. Effect for russia to not sell alaska.
Does Russia own any part of Alaska?
Alaska is the 49th state of the United States. However, it was a part of Russia till 1867. 154 years ago, Russia had to sell Alaska to America at a meagre price of $7.2 million. But now, the estimated GDP of Alaska is estimated to be around $50 billion.
Who settled Alaska?
Russians settle Alaska. On Kodiak Island, Grigory Shelikhov, a Russian fur trader, founds Three Saints Bay, the first permanent Russian settlement in Alaska. The European discovery of Alaska came in 1741, when a Russian expedition led by Danish navigator Vitus Bering sighted the Alaskan mainland.
Who was the Russian American Company that established the Alaskan mainland?
In 1786, Shelikhov returned to Russia and in 1790 dispatched Aleksandr Baranov to manage his affairs in Alaska. Baranov established the Russian American Company and in 1799 was granted a monopoly over Alaska.
What colony was founded in 1784?
The Three Saints Bay colony was founded on Kodiak Island in 1784, and Shelikhov lived there for two years with his wife and 200 men.
When did Alaska become a state?
On January 3, 1959 , President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation admitting the territory of Alaska into the Union as the 49th state. READ MORE: Why the Purchase of Alaska Was Far From 'Folly'.
Who bought Alaska?
After the war, Secretary of State William H. Seward , a supporter of territorial expansion, was eager to acquire the tremendous landmass of Alaska, one-fifth the size of the rest of the United States. On March 30, 1867, Secretary of State William H. Seward signed a treaty with Russia for the purchase of Alaska for $7.2 million. Despite the bargain price of roughly two cents an acre, the Alaskan purchase was ridiculed in Congress and in the press as “Seward’s folly,” “Seward’s icebox,” and President Andrew Johnson’s “polar bear garden.” In April 1867, the Senate ratified the treaty by a margin of just one vote.
Who was the Secretary of State of Alaska in 1867?
On March 30, 1867, Secretary of State William H. Seward signed a treaty with Russia for the purchase of Alaska for $7.2 million.
When was gold discovered in Alaska?
Despite a slow start in settlement by Americans from the continental United States, the discovery of gold in 1898 brought a rapid influx of people to the territory. Alaska, rich in natural resources, has been contributing to American prosperity ever since.
Who bought Alaska from Russia?
Russia controlled most of the area that is now Alaska from the late 1700s until 1867, when it was purchased by U.S. Secretary of State William Seward for $7.2 million, or about two cents an acre.
How long have people lived in Alaska?
People have inhabited Alaska since 10,000 BCE. At that time a land bridge extended from Siberia to eastern Alaska, and migrants followed herds of animals across it. Of these migrant groups, the Athabaskans, Aleuts, Inuit, Yupik, Tlingit and Haida remain in Alaska.
What is Alaska's largest state?
Contents. Interesting Facts. The largest state (in area) of the United States, Alaska was admitted to the union as the 49th state in 1959, and lies at the extreme northwest of the North American continent. Acquired by the United States in 1867, the territory was dubbed “Seward’s Folly” after U.S.
Who bought the Seward's Folly?
Acquired by the United States in 1867, the territory was dubbed “Seward’s Folly” after U.S. Secretary of State William Seward, who arranged to purchase the land from Russia.
What is the tallest mountain in North America?
Alaska contains 17 of the 20 highest peaks in the United States. At 20,320 feet, Mt. McKinley is the tallest mountain in North America. Alaska has roughly 5,000 earthquakes every year.
Who claimed Alaska?
Spanish claims to the Alaska region dated to the papal bull of 1493, but never involved colonization, forts, or settlements. Instead, Madrid sent out various naval expeditions to explore the area and to claim it for Spain. In 1775 Bruno de Hezeta led an expedition; the Sonora, under Bodega y Quadra, ultimately reached latitude 58° north, entered Sitka Sound and formally claimed the region for Spain. The 1779 expedition of Ignacio de Arteaga and Bodega y Quadra reached Port Etches on Hinchinbrook Island, and entered Prince William Sound. They reached a latitude of 61° north, the most northern point attained by Spain.
When was Alaska first discovered?
The history of Alaska dates back to the Upper Paleolithic period (around 14,000 BC ), when foraging groups crossed the Bering land bridge into what is now western Alaska. At the time of European contact by the Russian explorers, the area was populated by Alaska Native groups. The name "Alaska" derives from the Aleut word Alaxsxaq (also spelled ...
Why did Russia buy Alaska?
Financial difficulties in Russia, the low profits of trade with Alaskan settlement, and the important desire to keep Alaska out of British hands all contributed to Russia's willingness to sell its possessions in North America. At the instigation of U.S. Secretary of State William Seward, the United States Senate approved the purchase of Alaska from Russia for US$7.2 million on August 1, 1867 (equivalent to approximately $133M in 2020). This purchase was popularly known in the U.S. as "Seward's Folly", "Seward's Icebox," or "Andrew Johnson's Polar Bear Garden", and was unpopular among some people at the time. Later discovery of gold and oil would show it to be a worthwhile one. Scholars debate whether the purchase of Alaska was a financially profitable for the federal Treasury itself, apart from its benefits to Alaskans and to businesses, and to national defense.
What was the name of the island where the British settled?
British settlements at the time in Alaska consisted of a few scattered trading outposts, with most settlers arriving by sea. Captain James Cook, midway through his third and final voyage of exploration in 1778, sailed along the west coast of North America aboard HMS Resolution, from then-Spanish California all the way to the Bering Strait. During the trip he discovered what became known as Cook Inlet (named in honor of Cook in 1794 by George Vancouver, who had served under his command) in Alaskan waters. The Bering Strait proved to be impassable, although the Resolution and its companion ship HMS Discovery made several attempts to sail through it. The British ships left the straits to return to Hawaii in 1779.
What were the consequences of the Russian expeditions to Alaska?
Other groups could not manage the tensions and perpetrated exactions. Hostages were taken, individuals were enslaved, families were split up, and other individuals were forced to leave their villages and settle elsewhere. In addition, during the first two generations of Russian contact, eighty percent of the Aleut population died of Old World diseases, against which they had no immunity.
How many pages is Oil and Wilderness in Alaska?
Busenberg, George J. Oil and Wilderness in Alaska: Natural Resources, Environmental Protection, and National Policy Dynamics (Georgetown University Press; 2013) 168 pages; studies competing environmental and developmental interests in the state regarding the Trans-Alaska pipeline, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, and reforms after the Exxon Valdez disaster.
How did the Good Friday earthquake affect Alaska?
On March 27, 1964 the Good Friday earthquake struck South-central Alaska, churning the earth for four minutes with a magnitude of 9.2. The earthquake was one of the most powerful ever recorded and killed 139 people. Most of them were drowned by the tsunamis that tore apart the towns of Valdez and Chenega. Throughout the Prince William Sound region, towns and ports were destroyed and land was uplifted or shoved downward. The uplift destroyed salmon streams, as the fish could no longer jump the various newly created barriers to reach their spawning grounds. Ports at Valdez and Cordova were beyond repair, and the fires destroyed what the mudslides had not. At Valdez, an Alaska Steamship Company ship was lifted by a huge wave over the docks and out to sea, but most hands survived. At Turnagain Arm, off Cook Inlet, the incoming water destroyed trees and caused cabins to sink into the mud. On Kodiak, a tsunami wiped out the villages of Afognak, Old Harbor, and Kaguyak and damaged other communities, while Seward lost its harbor. Despite the extent of the catastrophe, Alaskans rebuilt many of the communities.
Where did the Russian American Company settle in Alaska?
His first effort to establish a settlement at Old Harbor near Sitka was destroyed by the Tlingit. His second attempt, in 1804 at Novo-Arkhangelsk (“New Archangel,” now Sitka), was successful, but not without a struggle that resulted in the battle of Sitka, the only major armed conflict between Native Alaskans and Europeans. (Nevertheless, Native Alaskans continued to agitate for land rights; some of their demands finally were met with the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971.) Yet compared to the previous Russian fur traders, the Russian-American Company maintained relatively good relations with the Aleuts and the native peoples of the southeast, as well as with the Yupik of the lower Yukon and Kuskokwim river valleys. It was not uncommon for Aleuts to marry Russians and convert to the Russian Orthodox faith, and quite a few Aleuts—some with Russian surnames—worked for the Russian-American Company.
What tribes lived in Alaska during the migrant era?
Of these migrant groups, the Athabaskans, Aleuts, Inuit, Yupik, Tlingit, and Haida remain in Alaska.
Why did Russia sell Alaska?
The near extinction of the sea otter and the political consequences of the Crimean War (1853–56) were factors in Russia’s willingness to sell Alaska to the United States. U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward spearheaded the purchase of the territory and negotiated a treaty with the Russian minister to the United States. After much public opposition, Seward’s formal proposal of $7.2 million was approved by the U.S. Congress, and the American flag was flown at Sitka on Oct. 18, 1867. The Alaska Purchase was initially referred to as “Seward’s Folly” by critics who were convinced the land had nothing to offer.
How many miles of road did the Alaska Highway connect?
This aggression prompted the construction of large airfields, as well as the Alaska Highway, more than 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of road linking Dawson Creek, B.C., with Fairbanks. Both proved later to be of immense value in the commercial development of the state.
Why did the expedition fail to locate North America?
In 1728 an expedition commissioned by Tsar Peter I (the Great) of Russia and led by a Danish mariner, Vitus Bering, determined that the new land was not linked to the Russian mainland, but, because of fog, the expedition failed to locate North America.
Where did the Aleuts settle?
The first European settlement was established in 1784 by Russians at Three Saints Bay, near present-day Kodiak. With the arrival of the Russian fur traders, many Aleuts were killed by the newcomers or overworked in the hunting of fur seals. Many other Aleuts died of diseases brought by the Russians.
When was Alaska first elected?
In 1906 Alaska’s first representative to Congress, a nonvoting delegate, was elected, and in 1912 Congress established the Territory of Alaska, with an elected legislature. Meanwhile, gold had been discovered on the Stikine River in 1861, at Juneau in 1880, and on Fortymile Creek in 1886.
Where did the first white settlers move to?
The earliest permanent white settlers in the South East were the occupiers of Pastoral Land in the Portland District who moved over the border from Victoria into South Australia. As time went by these first occupiers obtained Pastoral Leases from the South Australian Government.
Who was John White?
John White (Jacky) was one of the earliest permanent residents in the Sou?h East. In 1843 he selected land in what is now the Hundred of Townsend, and m 1846 he increased his holding to 126 square miles. The huge run took in nearly all Townsend and much of the Hundreds of Minniecrow and Conmurra. At the widest point his boundaries extended from almost Reedy Creek to Lucindale.
15,000 - 4,000 Before Present
- Western science asserts the first people came to Alaska about 15,000 years ago following herd animals across the Bering Land Bridge. The Amerind migration group continued south to populate all of t...
- The second migration across the Bering Land Bridge brought the Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut. They arrived in Alaska about 12,000 BP and moved through the north to populate Alaska an…
- Western science asserts the first people came to Alaska about 15,000 years ago following herd animals across the Bering Land Bridge. The Amerind migration group continued south to populate all of t...
- The second migration across the Bering Land Bridge brought the Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut. They arrived in Alaska about 12,000 BP and moved through the north to populate Alaska and Canada.
- The most recent ice age ended and sea levels rose to cover the Bering Land Bridge, isolating the American populations.
4,000 - 3,500 Before Present
- New data from the fossil record revealed the first permanent settlements in the high arctic areas appeared 4,000-3,500 years ago. Obsidian artifacts dating from 4,000-1,000 years before present hav...
The 1700s
- In 1728, Vitus Bering, a Danish explorer, documents the Bering Strait between Asia and North America.
- In 1741, A Russian expedition led by Vitus Bering, along with George Steller, made the first "discovery" of Alaska, landing near what today is Kayak Island.
- In 1778, Captain James Cook sailed into what is now the Cook Inlet. Captain Cook continue…
- In 1728, Vitus Bering, a Danish explorer, documents the Bering Strait between Asia and North America.
- In 1741, A Russian expedition led by Vitus Bering, along with George Steller, made the first "discovery" of Alaska, landing near what today is Kayak Island.
- In 1778, Captain James Cook sailed into what is now the Cook Inlet. Captain Cook continued to sail up the western coast of Alaska, through the Bering Strait, and entered into the Arctic Ocean but w...
- In 1780, a Japanese whaling ship ran aground near the western end of the Aleutian Islands. Rats from the ship reached the nearest island giving it the name "Rat Island."
The 1800s
- In April of 1867 The United States purchased Alaska for $7.2 million dollars in gold; roughly two cents an acre.
- In 1872 gold was discovered near Sitka.
- During 1888, more than 60,000 people arrived in Alaska in search of gold.
- Special legislation in 1898 extends the provisions of the Homestead Act of 1862to the Territor…
- In April of 1867 The United States purchased Alaska for $7.2 million dollars in gold; roughly two cents an acre.
- In 1872 gold was discovered near Sitka.
- During 1888, more than 60,000 people arrived in Alaska in search of gold.
- Special legislation in 1898 extends the provisions of the Homestead Act of 1862to the Territory of Alaska allowing settlers in the state to stake a claim for 160 acres of public land for developmen...
The 1900s
- In 1900 the Capital of Alaska was moved from Sitka to Juneau.
- President Theodore Roosevelt established the Tongass National Forest in 1907.
- In 1925 a diphtheria epidemic cripples Nome, Alaska. Weather conditions prohibit the life-saving serum from being shipped by plane, so 20 dog-sled teams race the medicine 674 miles (1,085 km) from...
- In 1900 the Capital of Alaska was moved from Sitka to Juneau.
- President Theodore Roosevelt established the Tongass National Forest in 1907.
- In 1925 a diphtheria epidemic cripples Nome, Alaska. Weather conditions prohibit the life-saving serum from being shipped by plane, so 20 dog-sled teams race the medicine 674 miles (1,085 km) from...
- During World War II in 1942, Japan invades the Aleutian Islands of Attu and Kiska. It would be a year before the American military would re-take the islands.