The History of Alaska

In 1741, Vitus Bering, a Danish explorer working for the Russians, along with Alexei Chirikov, made a significant discovery, reaching the Alaskan mainland and exploring the Aleutian Islands. By 1867, Alaska, a vast landmass equivalent to one-fifth of the continental U.S., remained largely unexplored. However, Secretary of State William Seward orchestrated its purchase from Russia for $7,200,000. On October 18, 1867, the transfer of the territory to the United States took place. Despite being acquired at an average rate of about two cents an acre, the purchase was widely mocked as "Seward's Folly." The initial official census in 1880 recorded a total population of 33,426 Alaskans, with all but 430 of them being of indigenous ancestry. The Gold Rush of 1898 triggered a massive influx of over 30,000 people, and since then, Alaska has contributed billions of dollars' worth of products to the U.S. economy.

In 1968, an extensive oil and gas reservoir near Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Coast was discovered. The Prudhoe Bay reservoir, estimated to contain 10 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 27 trillion cubic feet of gas, is the largest oil field in North America. The Trans-Alaska pipeline, completed in 1977 at a cost of $7.7 billion, stretches 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay to the port of Valdez, facilitating the flow of oil.

Fisheries, wood and wood products, furs, and tourism are other significant industries in Alaska.

Denali National Park and Mendenhall Glacier in the North Tongass National Forest are notable attractions, as is the extensive totem pole collection at Sitka National Historical Park. Katmai National Park encompasses the "Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes," an area dotted with active volcanoes.

The Alaska Native population comprises Eskimos, Native Americans, and Aleuts. Eskimos are the largest group, representing about half of all Alaska Natives. Inupiat and Yupik are the primary Eskimo groups, distinguished by their language and geographical regions. Inupiat reside in the northern and northwestern parts of Alaska, speaking Inupiaq, while Yupik inhabit the southern and southwestern areas, speaking Yupik.

Approximately one-third of Alaska Natives are Native Americans, with major tribes such as the Alaskan Athabaskan located in the central part of the state, and the Tlingit, Tsimshian, and Haida residing in the southeast.

The Aleuts, native to the Aleutian Islands, Kodiak Island, the lower Alaska and Kenai Peninsulas, and Prince William Sound, are both physically and culturally connected to the Eskimos. Aleuts comprise about 15% of the Alaska Native population.

On March 24, 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez struck a reef in Prince William Sound, causing a catastrophic spill of 11 million gallons of crude oil, affecting 1,500 miles of coastline. The extensive cleanup effort lasted over three years.

During the 2008 presidential elections, Sarah Palin, Alaska's first female governor, was selected as Republican candidate John McCain's running mate, becoming the GOP's first female candidate for vice president. However, Palin and McCain were defeated by the Democratic ticket of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

In August 2015, President Barack Obama restored the native Alaskan name "Denali" to Mount McKinley, honoring the local heritage.