Final Study Guide

1) Know the different Native groups in Alaska and where they live. 

Coastal Indians - from Yakutat to Prince Rupert in British Columbia
Athapaskans - The drainage areas of the Yukon and Mackenzie river
Aleuts - Aleutian Islands
Eskimos - far northern areas of Canada and Alaska.

2) Know the Russian period and why Russia was in Alaska (and what parts).

the first known Russian to  land in Alaska was Vitus Bearing. they came mostly for animal furs 
 and some fishing.

3) Know when Russia sold Alaska to the United States.

1867

4) Know how the various Gold Rushes changed Alaska.
 
 Yukon, Nome, and Fairbanks
 These gold rushes created attention which attracted many people to come make their lives in Alaska. New jobs were created as a result of all the new mining companies. All this attention gave Alaska some more popularity which lead to the creation of government for the Alaska which later became a state

5) Be able to explain who Soapy Smith was (this question is for Richard).

 Soapy Smith was a con man who lived in Skagway before he was shot and killed by Frank Reid. Jefferson Smith controlled a gang in Alaska where they spent their time robbing new, naive prospectors of there money so they were unable to continue there journey.

6) Be able to list the various road blocks to Statehood that Alaska faced.

 There were many different things that helped slow down the process of statehood. The rules committee stopped the Alaska state hood bill and not allowing it to pass through. Many people outside of the state think that the territory was not economically stable, because Alaska didn't have a many taxes. Others were worried that adding Alaska as a state ruin the country's political stability, because Alaska at the time was more liberal and the republicans didn't want to have less power in congress. During this time many cities in Alaska were not very developed and didn't good methods of travel besides air and the railroad. Even though all of these road blocks were in place, in January 3, 1958 Alaska became a state.  

7) Be able to discuss how Statehood changed Alaska.
 
 More federal regulations on industry and infrastructure.

8) Be able to list and describe Alaska's top 3-4 economic sources.
 

Oil tax -  taxes put on the oil companies help benefit the Alaskan economy in the form of the Alaska Permanent Divined Fund which gives individual Alaskan citizens money for what ever they may need. 
Government services - Public schools, public hospitals, and military bases.
Mining -Alaska has many mines one of which being the largest exports of zinc and contain many other metals like gold, copper, silver, and lead.
Retail -Because of all the tourists there are many gift shops and other stores that largely profit on a seasonal basis and attract over one million people every year.
Fishing - Alaska is one of the largest exports of wild salmon.

9) Be able to discuss how the Oil Boom changed Alaska.
 
 The oil boom brought many jobs and a much needed infrastructure to Alaska which helped to increase the states overall population. June 1969 to build an 800 mile long heated pipeline that would connect Prudhoe Bay to tidewater at Valdez on Prince William Sound. After building the pipeline the town of Valdez's oil jobs went down and so did the population.

10) Be able to discuss the future of Alaska with regards to Climate Change, Fukushima, and other environmental concerns (example: ANWAR, natural gases exploration, issues in villages?)


Frankenfish - genetically modified salmon have been created and many are worried what kind of effect these fish will have on the environment as well as economy. There are worries that escaped fish might spawn with wild fish and change the population. Others say that these cheaper farmed fish will put wild fisheries and canneries out of business.

Pebble mine - there are worries that run off may effect the salmon population in the nearby rivers (open pit).

ANWR (arctic national wildlife refuge) Oil drilling -there is a debate on whether or not to dill for oil on this wildlife reserve and what the impact on the environment it would have.