|
 |
|
Alaska is still the last frontier in the minds of many Americans. Interest in the "Great Land" has increased sharply since Alaska became a full fledged state in January o f 1959. In spite of this great interest, many Americans know very little of the Eskimos, Indians and Aleuts (Al-ee-oots) who live in the remote regions.
At the time Alaska was discovered in 1741 by Vitus Bering, Alaska Natives populated all parts of Alaska including the Bering Strait Region. Although there is still some disagreement among anthropologists concerning the origin of the American Indians and Eskimos, the great majority believe that these people migrated across the Bering Strait from Asia. Apparently this migration occurred in successive waves over thousands of years. The northern Eskimo groups appear to be the most recent immigrants and have settled along the coast of the Arctic Ocean from Little Diomede Island to Greenland.
In Alaska, the Natives lived within well defined regions and there was little mixing of ethnic groups. As in any culture, the way of life was dictated by the availability of renewable resources.
In Southeast Alaska, the salmon, deer and other plentiful foods permitted the Tlingits, Tsimpshians and Haidas to settle in permanent villages and develop a culture rich in art. The Athapaskan Indians of the Alaskan Interior, on the other hand, became wanderers following the migrating caribou herds and taking advantage of seasonal abundance of fish, water fowl and other game.
The Eskimo people, like the Tlingits, depended upon the sea for life. However, a more hostile climate and fewer resources required a far different adaptation resulting in their unique cultural traditions. The Eskimos call themselves Inuit or "Real People".
The impact of the 20th Century culture has brought many changes among all the Native people, some good and some unfortunate. As a result, most Eskimos and Indians live in a dual cash based and traditional lifestyle.
The name Alaska - Derived from the Aleut word "Alyeska", meaning "great Land".
Population - 627,000 (2000 census), 0.2% of total US population.
March 30, 1867 - Signing of the treaty by which the U.S. bought Alaska from Russia. The agreement was engineered by Interior Secretary Seward.
October 18, 1867 - Formal transfer of the territory and the raising of the U.S. flag in Sitka, up until then the Russian capital.
1912 - organized as a U.S. Territory.
January 3rd, 1959 - became the 49th state.
Capital - Juneau, population 30,688
Land Area - Alaska is 1/5 as large as the lower 48 states, or larger than California, Texas and Montana combined.
Coast Line - Alaska has 33,902 miles of coastline, twice the amount of the lower 48 states.
State Flag - Alaska adopted the flag for official state use in 1959. The blue field represents the sky, the sea, and mountain lakes, as well as Alaska's wildflowers. Emblazoned on the flag are eight gold stars: seven from the constellation Ursa Major, or the Big Dipper. The eighth being the North Star, representing the northern most state. Alaska's flag was designed in 1926 by a 13-year-old Native American boy, Bennie Benson, from the village of Chignik. Bennie received a 1,000-dollar scholarship and a watch for his winning entry in the flag design contest.
State Bird - Willow Ptarmigan
State Sport - Dog Mushing
State Fish - King Salmon
State Flower - Forget-Me-Not
State Tree - Sitka Spruce
State Mineral - Gold
State Gem - Jade
State Fossil - Woolly Mammoth
State Land Mammal - Moose
State Insect - Four Spot Skimmer Dragonfly
State Nickname - "The Last Frontier"
State Motto - "North to the Future"
Tallest Mountain - Mount McKinley, 20,320 feet, tallest in North America.
Land Transportation - Only 33% of Alaska's roads are paved, compared to 91% in the remaining 49 states. Nearly 30% of the population is not connected by road or ferry to the continental road network.
Air Transportation - The state DOT and and PF operate 261 airports and seaplane bases statewide. Alaska not only has the largest seaplane base in the world. Lake Hood, but it also has 102 seaplane bases statewide, more than any other state. It is estimated that Alaska has about 6 times as many pilots per capita and 16 times as many aircraft per capita as the rest of the U.S.
Water Transportation - The state ferry system operates 9 vessels 24/7. The total route structure covers 3,500 miles. The state DOT and PF operates 76 of the 98 public harbor facilities. Most are operated through formal agreements with local governments.
|
|
