History of Alaska

The history of Alaska dates back to the Upper Paleolithic period (around 14,000 BC), when nomadic groups crossed the Bering land bridge into what is now western Alaska. At the time of European contact by the Russian explorers, the area was populated by Alaska Native groups. The name "Alaska" derives from the Aleut word Alaxsxaq (also spelled Alyeska), meaning "mainland" (literally, "the object toward which the action of the sea is directed"). Alaska was granted U.S. statehood on January 3, 1959. In 1964, the massive "Good Friday earthquake" killed 131 people and leveled several villages.

History of Alaska

The history of Alaska dates back to the Upper Paleolithic period (around 14,000 BC), when nomadic groups crossed the Bering land bridge into what is now western Alaska. At the time of European contact by the Russian explorers, the area was populated by Alaska Native groups. The name "Alaska" derives from the Aleut word Alaxsxaq (also spelled Alyeska), meaning "mainland" (literally, "the object toward which the action of the sea is directed"). Alaska was granted U.S. statehood on January 3, 1959. In 1964, the massive "Good Friday earthquake" killed 131 people and leveled several villages.