Alaskan History of Education, Land, and People

By rray
  • 20,000 BCE

    P- First evidence of Alaska Native Cultures

    50,000 - 15,000 Years ago during the last ice age via Beringia (land bridge from Siberia)
  • 1500

    P: 1500-1720: Beginning of Exploration

  • P/L- Bering's Strait Discovered

    Vitus Bering discovered that Asia and America were not joined, however, did not discover Alaska due to weather.

  • P: Russian explorer's first contact

    Mikhail Gvozdez arrived in King Island and encountered Native tribes.

  • P: Alaska claimed by Russia

    Claimed by Vitus Bering

  • P- 1774-1793 Spanish Exploration of Alaska

    Ketchican and Valdez christened initially with Spanish names.

  • P- James Cook sailed to Cook Inlet

    Emphasized trade in sea otter pelts which brought more people

  • P- First Russian Settlement

    First Russian settlement in Alaska was established on Kodiak Island at Three Saints Bay

  • P- Russians discover Pribilof Islands

    Discovery of St. Paul and St. George Islands spur increased fur trade due to fur seal breeding grounds.

  • P/E- Russian Orthodox missionaries and education

    Missionaries arrive to teach Native Alaskans Christianity. Seminary schools (1848) developed by Ivan Veniaminov stressed multi-lingual education. Translated Christian doctorine to Native language and mostly respected Native cultural traditions

  • E- Native language alphabet

    John Veniaminov worked with elders (Aleut, Tlingit) to develop an alphabet for their language and translated several Russian texts.

  • P/L- Beginning of whaling industry in Alaska

    American and French ships seek whale for blubber

  • P: Alaska purchased for United States

    William Seward signed a treaty with Russia purchasing Alaska for $7.2 million.

  • E- Schools Mandated

    US government mandates schools as part of fur hunting on Pribilof Islands

  • E- Sheldon Jackson Mission

    Mission founded in Sitka. Soon after John Brady created an Industrial boarding school for Natives in Sitka.

  • P- Canning Salmon

    New technique of canning salmon can to Alaska which brought increase canneries in Native fishing grounds.

  • P- First major Gold Strike

    Gold discovered by Juneau, Gold-creek

  • E- Organic Act- Sheldon Jackson

    Provided education regardless of race. Public school set up as part of missions. Designed to be integrated; however, after pressure were segregated. Recognized Native's rights to their homes and camps. Also, brought civil government to Alaska.

  • P- 1896-1900 Klondike Gold Rush

    Brought over 100,000 prospectors

  • P- Homestead Act of 1862

    Special legislation allowing pioneers in the state to stake a claim for 160 acres of public land for development as a homestead

  • L/P: First Oil

    First Alaska wells were drilled on the Iniskin Peninsula on the west shore of Cook Inlet (unproductive)

  • L- First Oil Production

  • E- First school opened in Fairbanks

    First school in Fairbanks due to increase in population seeking gold.

  • E- Nelson Act

    Established schools for white children

  • P/L- Copper Mining Began

    Kennecott Mine began eventually copper became made more profit than gold in Alaska

  • P- Alaska Native Brotherhood

    Formed as a vehicle for achieving citizenship. Sought to eliminate cultural and linguistic practices viewed as uncivilized

  • P- 1915-1923 Alaska Railroad built

  • E- Alaska Territorial Board of Education established

    This group became responsible for the education of non-Natives in Alaska

  • E- Orthodox school closed on St.Paul

    US government closed the Orthodox church school on St. Paul Island which was taken as an indication that the government was against the Orthodox mission and Native culture. Suppression of Native culture and language continued until the 1970's.

  • E- Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines (UAA)

    Later (1935) becomes University of Alaska.

  • P- First flight up inside passage

    Roy Jones flew from Seattle to Ketchican bringing in the Bush pilot boom.

  • P- Indian Citizenship Act for Alaskan Natives

    Indigenous peoples of the United States granted full US citizenship.

  • E- Bureau of Indian Affairs takes over rural schools

    Bureau of Indian Affairs takes over operation of rural schools from the Bureau of Education. Combined education with other programs for other American Indian groups.

  • P- WWII Japanese Invasion

    Japan invades the Aleutian Islands of Attu and Kiska. America didn't retake Islands until 1943

  • P- Alaska becomes a state

    Dwight Eisenhower signs proclamation admitting Alaska into the union as the 49th state.

  • L- Good Friday Earthquake

    Earthquake with magnitude of 9.2 lasting 4 minutes hit Valdez resulting in the largest recorded earthquake in North America.

  • P- Alaska Federation of Natives

    Formed to pursue the struggle for land claims with the federal government.

  • E- Desegregation of schools

  • L- Oil discovery in Prudhoe Bay

    Large oil field discovered.

  • P: Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA)

    U.S. government from Alaska Natives, below market value for the land. It offered partial payment through some medical and other services to Alaska Natives.

  • P- Alaska Natives corporations and shares

    Individual Alaskan Natives alive at the time were enrolled in corporations and were given 100 shares of stock. Extinguished hunting and fishing rights, except for subsistance, and trusted government for protection

  • E- Molly Hootch Case

    Ruling that the boarding school did not provide the same opportunities as community school. High schools began in the villages.

  • E- Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

    The EHA establishes a right to public education for all children regardless of disability, while the IDEA requires schools provide individualized or special education for children with qualifying disabilities.

  • P/L- Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA)

    Huge public lands system in Alaska. Over 100 million acres are set aside for preservation and protection throughout Alaska.

  • E- Education of Alaskan Natives turned over to State

    Bureau of Indian Affairs turned over most of its responsibilities for educating Alaska Natives to the State of Alaska.

  • L/P- Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

    Exxon Valdez oil tanker spills more than 11 million gallons of crude oil in the Prince William Sound. Cleanup lasts more than 3 years.

  • E- No Child Left Behind Act

    No Child Left behind replaces Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Establised universal goals for the school focusing mostly on reading and math.

  • P- Millennial Agreement

    Declared the state's policy to recognize and work with Alaskan Native Tribes.

  • E- Every Student Succeeds Act

    Replaces No Child Left Behind nationally to govern education system. States can set own goals for achievement, schools evaluated on more than just test scores, encouraged personalized learning