Alaska Studies

By dhanna
  • 12,000 BCE

    Mesa site north of Brooks Range

    Earliest human occupation identified in Alaska.
  • 11,500 BCE

    Oldest human remains

    Oldest human remains discovered in Alaska were to infants buried side-by-side in upward Sun River site in Tanana River Valley.
  • 1500

    Dogs began pulling sleds

  • 1st European in Alaska

    Vitus Bering sent by Russian government

  • Scramble for sea otter pelts

    Capt. James Cook reported of rich trad in sea otter pelts causing people to flood the area.

  • Russians take fur grounds

    Russians find Pribilof Islands and force Alaskan Natives off seal breeding grounds to claim their fur.

  • Russian Orthodox priests arrive in St. Paul

  • Sitka Tlingit allows Russians to build a trading post

  • Tlingits formed alliance to destroy Russian settlement for Harvesting sea otters

  • Fur trade declined due to overharvesting

  • John Veniaminov; Archbishop Innocent

    Arrived in Unalaska to begin a year-long observation/note taking

  • Yakov Netsvetov

    Aleut born, he became a priest in 1828 and transferred to Central Yupik in 1842 to develop a writing system and translate books to Yupik. Author of Russian-Aleut dictionary of 19th century

  • Smallpox

    Smallpox hit Interior Athabascan groups (Deghitan/Koyukon)

  • Russians enter Yukon/Kuskokwim Valleys

  • New Archangel Seminary opened in Sitka

    54 students, 3 teachers, a library. 23 out of 54 students were Alaska Natives. They were taught 6 years of Aleut, Tlingit, Yupik language.

  • Fort Yukon

    English established Fort Yukon restricting Russian expansion.

  • Russia sells Alaska to United States for $7.2 million

  • Navy destroyed villages

    Nearly wiping out Tlingit and Haida completely.

  • Sheldon Jackson founded mission at Wrangell

  • Canning Salmon arrived in Alaska

  • Starvation of Eskimos

    In winter, 1,500 St. Lawrence Island Eskimos starved to death reducing the population by 75%.

  • Organic Act

  • Ban on liquor and firearms

  • Universal Schooling in Native language established on Annette Island

    Tsimshians from British Columbia led by William Duncan form a community called Metlakatla. It is the only Indian reservation in Alaska til this day.

  • Dena'aina Man

    Remains of Dena'ina man found in Kenai

  • Congress allowed whites to take Native property for business

  • Gold Rush

    From 1896-1899, people flocked to Alaska for gold.

  • Alaska became U.S. Territory

  • First Tanana Chiefs Conference

  • Airplanes flew supplies

    Airplanes began flying supplies around the state, eliminating the need for dog sleds.

  • Tlingit/Haida pursue land claims

  • Baby Boom

    Tuberculosis eradicated allowing for baby boom 1950's and 1960's

  • White population increased after World War II

  • Alaska becomes 49th State

    Allowing Natives to establish their land

  • Good Friday Earthquake

  • Oil found on North Slope

  • Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act

  • Molly Hootch settled out of court for educational rights

  • Trans Alaskan Pipeline finished

    Pipeline was built from 1975-1977.

  • Tribal Controlled Community College Assistance Act

  • Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act

  • Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound

  • New state school board regulations

    State School Board of Education requires ELA, Math, Science, and other subjects to be offered to build life skills for students.

  • Every Student Succeeds Act

  • Over 128,000 K-12 students attend 54 school districts statewide

  • Alaska Reads Act

  • Tanana Drainage King Salmon/Chum closed

    ADF&G closed King and chum salmon for sporting fishing