The largest by far of the fifty states, Alaska is also the state
of greatest mystery and diversity. And, as Claus-M. Naske and
Herman E. Slotnick show in this comprehensive survey, the history
of Alaska's peoples and the development of its economy have matched
the diversity of its land- and seascapes."Alaska: A History" begins
by examining the region's geography and the Native peoples who
inhabited it for thousands of years before the first Europeans
arrived. The Russians claimed northern North America by right of
discovery in 1741. During their occupation of "Russian America" the
region was little more than an outpost for fur hunters and traders.
When the czar sold the territory to the United States in 1867,
nobody knew what to do with "Seward's Folly." Mainland America paid
little attention to the new acquisition until a rush of gold
seekers flooded into the Yukon Territory. In 1906 Congress granted
Alaska Territory a voteless delegate and in 1912 gave it a
territorial legislature. Not until 1959, however, was Alaska's
long-sought goal of statehood realized. During World War II,
Alaska's place along the great circle route from the United States
to Asia firmly established its military importance, which was
underscored during the Cold War. The developing military garrison
brought federal money and many new residents. Then the discovery of
huge oil and natural-gas deposits gave a measure of economic
security to the state. "Alaska: A History" provides a full
chronological survey of the region's and state's history, including
the precedent-setting Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971,
which compensated Native Americans for their losses; the effect of
the oil industry and the trans-Alaska pipeline on the economy; the
"Exxon Valdez" oil spill; and Alaska politics through the early
2000s.
General
Imprint: |
University of Oklahoma Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
November 2014 |
First published: |
October 2014 |
Authors: |
Claus-M. Naske
• Herman E. Slotnick
|
Dimensions: |
254 x 203 x 26mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
520 |
Edition: |
3rd Revised edition |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-8061-4666-9 |
Categories: |
Books >
Humanities >
History >
General
Books >
History >
General
|
LSN: |
0-8061-4666-4 |
Barcode: |
9780806146669 |
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