Page 55 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Alaska

INTRODUCING ALASK A  53

THE HISTORY

OF ALASKA

Known to the Aleut peoples as Alaxsxaq, “The Great Land,” Alaska has been defined
by cycles of prosperity and stagna tion. Russian traders in the 18th century were
followed by Gold Rush prospectors in the 1890s who struggled north with dreams
of fantastic wealth. The discovery of North Slope oil in the 1960s led to a new boom
that not only drew people to Alaska and rejuvenated its economy, but continues
to affect the state and its fortunes today.

During the Pleistocene era, between resident across Alaska. By about 15,000
1.8 million and 11,000 years ago, the years ago, most of the continental ice
growth of conti nental ice sheets caused covering Alaska had melted, closing
sea levels to drop temporarily and expose off the Bering land bridge but opening
shallow sea floors. The sea floor between up migration routes deeper into the
Asia and North America formed a land continent. Although opinions vary,
bridge known as Beringia. This relatively modern scienti fic thought suggests that
dry and ice-free area provided access across most contempo rary Native groups across
open tundra to Alaska. As a result, the the Americas are descended from these
Alaskan Interior became a mig ration Central Asian migrants.
corridor from Central Asia to other parts It is estimated that the first Inuit peoples
of the North American continent. This led arrived in western Alaska by umiak (skin
some anthropol ogists to believe that Alaska boat) after the ice had melted. Some
was the point of entry for some of the first researchers date this to 8,000 years ago,
people to set foot on the continent. while others claim it was as recent as
However, timelines differ between 4,500 years ago. These hunters, familiar
researchers. Some believe that the first with Arctic coastal conditions, followed a
groups of hunter-gatherers arrived from maritime hunting culture along the Bering
Siberia as recently as 12,000 years ago, Sea and Arctic Ocean coasts. Over the
but other evidence suggests that the first next few thousand years, they spread
migration may have taken place as early farther southeast to the Cook Inlet region
as 30,000 to 25,000 years ago. Despite such and east through northern Canada as
discrepancies, it is generally thought that far as Greenland. The Aleut settled in
this early migration brought the ancestors Southwest Alaska, as evidenced by the
of the modern Athabaskan, Tlingit, Haida, remains of their ancient barabaras or
and Tsimshian peoples, who are still ulax (semi-subterranean sod dwellings).

Inuit stone harpoon blade
30,000–12,000 BC 10,000 BC–AD 1000 At least 1000–1700 First
First settlers cross 5,000 sites of human habitation Inuit settlers arrive
the Bering land across Alaska in upper Cook
bridge to Alaska Inlet region
30,000 BC 20,000 BC 10,000 BC AD 1 AD 1000
23,000–7,500 BC 8,000–4,500 BC Inuit 2,500–1,500 BC 1700 Dena’ina
Wisconsin Ice Age and Aleut migration to Inuit migrations into Athabaskans begin
and migrations east Alaska from Asia by Canada and as far settling around
and south umiak (skin boat) as Greenland upper Cook Inlet
Painting depicting the signing of the Alaska Treaty of Cessation, March 30, 1867

052-053_EW_Alaska.indd 53 02/05/17 2:29 pm