Module 7 - American Period: Society

Essential Question:
How have the settlement patterns of Alaska been a reflection of the natural landscape, distance, resources and the economy?

Looking at the patterns of settlement throughout Alaska, there is a trend in the locations. Communities have seemed to develop next to and near transportation routes and communication lines. In the early 1900’s, most Alaskans lived near the ocean or along major rivers. Ships and boats could provide supplies and transportation. Later, railroads, roads, and airfields started making their way onto the Alaskan landscape. This improved transportation and a means of getting and receiving goods and services.

Whaling Camp

There are many different reasons why people settled where they have in Alaska. One of them being mining camps that helped develop Juneau, Douglas, Hope, Circle City, and Council. Fishing camps brought people to Ketchikan, Karluk, and Homer. Mission stations populated Bethel and Haines. Supply camps for the gold rush introduced Skagway and Valdez. Whalers and traders came to Barrow and Wainwright. Gold camps brought many people to Nome, Fairbanks, Iditarod, and Chisana.

McCarthy's Camp near company town Kennecott

There were company towns in Douglas and the Wrangle Mountains. These towns were purchased claims and companies brought in drag lines, hydraulic equipment and dredges and hired large crews to work. They built boarding houses, dormitories, mining offices and other community buildings. They also offered recreational activities such as bowling, gyms, movies, and reading rooms. Canneries also were considered company towns. They would bring workers in the spring and return them in the fall. The offered food, lodging, and recreational facilities. Company towns were only temporary thought. Once the company left the town, it was pretty much abandoned.

Road Workers

The U.S. Army built roads and set up telegraph lines to connect the bases. Small communities grew along these routes. Roadhouses were built to serve workers and travelers. A road was built to connect Seward to Fairbanks and Cordova was a seaport end for the railroad. Stations along these routs grew into small towns. The Alaska Railroad encouraged communities along its route. The company sold lots at Anchorage, Nenana, Wasilla, and Talkeetna.

Sitka, AK Naval coaling station

The Alaskan population decreased greatly when the Gold Rush era subsided as well as when the U.S. entered WWI. However, it increased again during WWII when large Naval stations opened up at Sitka, Kodiak, and Unalaska. Army posts opened up at Anchorage and Fairbanks. Airfields were also constructed and the Glenn and Alaska Highways were built.





Many military and construction workers decided to stay in Alaska after the war because of the many job opportunities. Many people started to move to the bigger cities because of work and easier access to goods and services.

Pipeline

Oil was discovered in the 1950’s and Prudhoe Bay in 1967. In 1970 the population almost doubled. Work on the pipeline and the oil fields brought a lot of people as well as those who came to provide goods and services to the workers. In 2000, Natives were only 17% of the Alaskan population. Over half of the population lives in Anchorage.







Settlement patterns in Alaska follow the development of transportation whether by ship, boat, train, automobile, or airplane. Communities were able to develop because of the advancement in transportation. It made it easier to supply goods and services. Settlements also seemed to be determined by mining communities such as gold and ore. Mines were also the reason that roads were built in order to ship goods and services. Development gravitated to where the money was. As soon as there was nothing left in a town to make money, people moved elsewhere and the town was abandoned.

Here is a WEBSITE that I just happened upon while looking for pictures. It's got some intersting classroom activities so I thought I'd share it. :)



Extend:
What role did Sheldon Jackson play in creating an early education system for Alaska?
http://www.netstate.com/states/peop/people/ak_sj.htm

Sheldon Jackson

Sheldon Jackson was born in Minaville, New York in 1834. He graduated from Princeton and became an ordained Presbyterian minister. He began his missionary career and traveled to many states covering close 1 million miles during the course of his life and establishing over a hundred missions and churches. In 1877, he made his move to Alaska. He founded numerous schools and training centers that served native Alaskans. He became very committed to the spiritual, educational and economic well being of the people of Alaska.





He worked on passing the Organic Act of 1884 which, among other things, provided Federal aid for education for children in Alaska without regard to race. He became the First General Agent of Education in Alaska. He served under the immediate supervision and jurisdiction of the U.S. Commissioner of Education. He held the position until 1908. Jackson was responsible for making provisions for the education of the children in Alaska towns and villages, and separate schools for white and native children.

School in Deering, AK

Jackson organized a free school system for Native American, Eskimo and white children. He came up with a plan to get education to many of the towns and villages in Alaska. Since they are so spread out and the funds were not adequate enough, he asked various churches to open ministries and schools around Alaska. He suggested a different area for each group in order to cover the most territory. Schools were opened up in Bethel, Tanana, Barrow, and Kotzebue to name a few and he was able to stretch funds. By 1892, 17 government schools and 14 church schools were operating. Jackson gave some of the money to church operated schools. He designated them as “contract schools”. Religious groups provided a large portion of the financial support for the schools in Alaska. Because of this, there was essentially no separation of church and state. Eventually, the funding for the “contract schools” was taken away.

Jackson support acculturation and advocated an English-only policy, which forbade the use of Native languages, spoken and written. Jackson’s goal was to protect young Natives within the framework of law and, through education, prepare them to cope with modern times. Some Natives welcomed this. However, many now believe that the boarding schools, by separating children from their families for years at a time, it has hastened the decline of Native traditions.

Sheldon Jackson Museum in Sitka

Throughout Jackson’s travels in Alaska, he collected representative items from the Native Cultures. He worried that their arts and ways of life would vanish with no records of their past. This seemed interesting to me that he would force English on the students and not allow Native speaking in schools yet, was concerned their culture would vanish. His collection can be found at the Sheldon Jackson Museum located at Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka.
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ak/state/jacksonsheldon.html



Ritter, Harry. Alaska's History: The People, Land, and Events of the North Country. Anchorage, Seattle, Portland; Alaska Northwest Books. 1997.




Evaluation:
I liked the section on Education. I took a class in the fall and was introduced to some information on how the system was started. This module went deaper and I found it very interesting the way people like Sheldon Jackson went about getting it up and going. Aslo, the settlement patterns make sense compared to what was and wasn't offered as far as goods and services went. People settle where there's an opportunity to make a living.

 Reviews:
I liked reading Betty's transportation and communication response for where she lives in Dillingham. I take great interest in reading and hearing about how people live in the more remote communities in Alaska.

Crystal's blog flows very nicely and looks really good. She has quite a few really good links on her blog as well.

I like how Whitney answered her essential question with her own experience of living in a remote community.

Module 6 - American Period: Transportation and Communication

Essential Question:
Alaska’s infrastructure of transportation and communication systems- what is the cause-effect relationship to settlement patterns and to the development of the Alaska economy?

Waterways, such as oceans and rivers, were the main transportation used in Alaska. They had already been established by the Natives but had increased use during the Russian American period. Rivers were used to travel and ship goods in the interior. There were challenges in the beginning with using the ocean and rivers. They weren’t well traveled waterways and navigation was rough. They had to familiarize themselves with landmarks, key channels, and submerged rock. These all caused many accidents. Because of the numerous accidents, charting began, lighthouses were installed and underwater hazards were marked. Soon after WWII, depth finders and radar became common on large ships.

Chilkat cottonwood canoe sailing on water near Klukwan, Alaska, 1894

Other early problems included remoteness of towns and villages, small populations, seasonal markets, small ports with limited facilities, and navigational problems. The Alaska Commercial Company started to use steamboats to navigate the rivers and to get goods in and out of these remote places.

The Yukon River operated from May to September. It moved supplies to trading posts, furs to market, freight, fur traders, and prospectors. The Gold Rush increased travel by rivers. Steamboats became heavily used during this time. Companies started to expand to Alaska to take advantage of the demand for steamboats. The Gold Rush brought many people up to Alaska looking to strike it rich. Because of this, towns started popping up around Alaska. The steamboats brought jobs to Natives and unlucky prospectors. They were hired to cut wood at wood camps along the river. The natives were hired as pilots to guide boats, firemen, and deckhands.

The Jones Act of 1920 came into effect. This act only allowed American built ships to enter between any two U.S. Ports. This allowed the American companies to profit from all of the business instead of other countries. Before the Intercoastal Shipping Act of 1933, there were no definite shipping schedules and no approved published cargo rates. Companies were adjusting their rates to suit them and the public never knew what the rates were going to be from day to day. They were also setting their own schedules with no public knowledge of those either. As a result, people wouldn’t know when to expect delivery. After the Act, definite shipping schedules were created as well as approved published cargo rates.

After WWII, only the Alaska Steamship Company and Northland Transportation Company remained. This was due to the end of federal subsidies, increased labor costs and competition from truckers using the Alaska Highway and air. Today, we rely heavily on ocean shipping, especially to ship oil from Prudhoe Bay. It is also relied heavily on for food, shelter and energy.

Buildings and tents on wagon road, White Pass Trail, ca. 1898

Roadways were beginning to be constructed. Because of weather, permafrost and terrain, these are mainly found in the Central and East areas of Alaska. Before the 1880’s, there was no need to build a better road system. Native trails were used by new settlers and traffic was light. However, as more and more people came to Alaska to mine for gold, traffic became heavier and although steamboats were being used, people tried to find different ways to get goods in and out. Roads started to be developed. The trails were widened and bridges were built over swamps and streams. By 1911, there were thousands of roads used as pack trails, winter sled roads, and wagon roads. Roads were constructed to make it easier for people in small towns and villages to get to the waterways, which connected to other villages.

Because of WWII, a road connecting the air bases in Fairbanks and Anchorage was needed. The Glenn Highway was completed and made it possible for the first time to drive back and forth to both cities. The Alaska Highway was also completed. Upgrades of the roads were required in order for them to be used in all weather conditions. After Alaska obtained statehood in 1959, the state became responsible for the road systems.

Copper River Northwestern Railway, n.d.

Railroads played a major role in transportation of goods and people. There were 3 major railways in Alaska: The White Pass and Yukon which were built to serve gold rush stampeders to Canada’s Klondike; the Alaska Railroad used to serve as the main route from the Gulf of Alaska to Interior Alaska; and the Copper River and Northwestern used to serve the need of a single large mining operation. Among these major railways, there were smaller ones built in connection with the development of gold fields.

The Alaska Railroad had a hard time getting started. There were a few different owners who had good intentions of making the railroad a success but they ran into financial trouble. The Alaska Railroad Commission was created to investigate the railroad situation. The ARC was eventually replaced by the Alaska Engineering Commission set in place by President Woodrow Wilson. The railroad was complete by 1923.

Unfortunately, the railroad system hadn’t turned out to be everything Alaska had hoped it would be. The rails began to become damaged because of all the use they were getting, especially during WWII. The use of automobiles and airplanes became the better, easier way to travel and to get around to different places in Alaska. The railroads are still used today to transport freight and cargo. They are also used to transport people, especially tourists.

Roads and Railroads were limited according to where they were constructed. Weather, permafrost, and tundra were major factors determining the direction of the construction. 

B-24, PB4Y2, Bomber in Alaska about 1945

Airplanes became a primary source of transportation in Alaska. The first flight was made in Fairbanks in 1913. WWI brought more planes to Alaska. In 1920, the military brought up army bombers from New York. This demonstrated that planes would be able to carry heavy loads across Alaska.

In 1924, float planes touched down in several towns in Alaska. By 1927, Alaska was maintaining 27 airfields. Because of high interest in flying, an aviation school was opened up in Fairbanks in 1928. More and more flights were being made throughout Alaska, commercial air service began, and the first publicly supported airfields were built.

Commercial flights began to increase inside and outside of Alaska. Because of aviation in WWII, limits were tested of airplanes and pilots started recognizing the potential of their planes. Eventually the airfields needed to be upgraded in order to keep up with the newly designed aircraft that needed more advanced landing strips. Air travel made for quicker and easier transportation of goods and people.

Communication systems in Alaska have developed considerably. In 1867, the first post office was authorized in Sitka. Mail service eventually expanded to the western and interior portions of Alaska. Mail routes consisted of reindeer, dog, horse, and railroad. Air mail began in Alaska in 1924, 5 years after it’s start in the lower 48.

Alaska Communication System operations room - Ketchikan

Telecommunications came to Alaska between 1898 and 1900. The U.S. Army needed better communications between posts it had established to police the gold rushes to Alaska. Eventually there were telegraph lines connecting many cities and forts in Alaska. These lines were all at risk because of the weather and possible vandalism. The radio eventually took over the telegraph. No lines were needed because of the use of radio waves. 



The telephone was introduced to some communities as early as 1890. WWII resulted in the completion of the first overland telephone line from Alaska to the lower 48 which ran along the Alaska Highway.

One of the radar stations I saw in Nome. Very impressive!

Radar stations were used to provide warning of air attacks. Satellite communications were brought to Alaska as well, but their use was limited and expensive. It wasn’t until 1974 that satellite earth stations were located in rural villages which brought public telephones, emergency medical communication and television to remote areas. Broadcast radio and television become a part of the telecommunications. Something that I found interesting was that oil burners, milk shake mixers and hair dryers interfered with radio reception in Juneau. Television programs from outside the states had to be recorded and flown in and aired sometimes several weeks after their original date.












Examine Question:
Identify the three major railroads in Alaska history – Where? When? Why? Ownership? Current status?


 White Pass and Yukon Territory Railway:

Map

The White Pass and Yukon Territory Railway ran from Skagway to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. The gold rush in Canada’s Klondike brought a higher demand for quicker transportation. The Railroad only took 26 months to build and was finished July 29, 1900. The total cost of the railway was over $10 million. It was the product of British financing, American engineering and Canadian Contracting. Tens of thousands of men and 450 tons of explosives  overcame harsh and challenging climate and terrain. The construction was directed by Contractor Michael Heney. The highest part of the track was 2,885 feet high passing through the summit of White Pass. There were 111 total miles of track. 20 miles in Alaska, 42 miles in British Columbia, and 58 miles in the Yukon Territory.

WP&YR Train

After the Gold Rush had subsided, the Railway was not used as often. It transported ore from Canada mines to Skagway. It also carried tourists who arrived in Skagway to Whitehorse. The railroad began to pick up more business during WW II. The owners loaned the railroad to the US government. It was used to haul war supplies to Whitehorse. After the war, the railroad went back to carrying tourist and freight. In 1970, a highway connected Whitehorse and Skagway. Operations were suspended in 1982 due to the mining collapse. In 1988, it reopened as a seasonal tourism operation. It is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It’s a destination shared with the Panama Canal, Eiffel Tower, and the Statue of Liberty. Today, it is Alaska’s most popular shore excursion, carrying over 360,000 passengers over tourist season in 2010.


I found this cite and it has a lot of really interesting information on it about the WP&YR.



The Copper River and Northwestern Railway:

Map

The Copper River and Northwestern Railway was built in hopes to exploit Southcentral Alaska’s copper deposits. Stakes were being claimed in the Copper River basin creating interest in building a railroad in Interior Alaska. The Bering River coal fields are right near where the Copper River empties into the Gulf of Alaska. This would provid fuel for the railroad. Cargo such as ore, gold and copper would provide a good profit for the railroad. The 196 mile railroad was completed in 1911 and ran between Cordova and Kennecott.

Construction of the Million Dollar Bridge

Construction of the railroad was difficult at times because of the weather and seasons. The bridge over the Copper River had to be built quickly in the winter months. This was the only time the water was frozen and workers could safely build the bridge.








The mine produced 70 percent pure copper in it’s deposits making a big profit for the railroad. By 1938, the mine was depleted and the railroad was abandoned. The line between Cordova and Cordova Airport was in operation during WWII. 60 miles of the line between Chitina and McCarthy were used for light tram traffic unit 1947.  Today, the railroad is not in operation.




The Alaska Railroad:

Map

The Alaska Railroad went through a few different owners. It started as the Alaska Central Railroad (ACR) in 1902. It started in Seward and ended in Spencer. This route carried passengers, freight and mail to the upper Turnagain Arm. In 1909, the ACR was reorganized into the Alaska Northern Company (ANR). This company extended the track to just south of Girdwood. This company soon fell into financial troubles in 1915. The U.S. Government then purchased the ANR and moved the headquarters to Anchorage. The U.S. government established the Alaska Engineering Commission (AEC) to construct the Government Railroad.  The Alaska Railroad Commission bought the Tanana Valley Railroad, which fell into financial trouble in 1917. The Government railroad and the Tenana Valley Railroad were then connected in 1923.

This completed the now known Alaska Railroad. The railroad not only carried mail, lifestock, machinery and people, but alongside the tracks was the nation’s longest, publicly owned, telegraph line. Since the railroad stretched from Seward to Fairbanks, shipments were made within four to five days where before the railroad it took a month or more to complete.

Use during WWII

The railroad faced financial problems in 1925 with it’s expenses exceeding revenues. In the years just before WWII they finally started to see a turn around. During WWII, the railroad was needed to move huge quantities of military supplies. After the war, they ran into rehabilitation problems because of the heavy use during the war. Because of the pipeline and military construction boom, they were able to keep paying for repairs.







Today, the Alaska Railroad continues to support the Alaskan community. They are a powerful economic engine, hauling nearly 8 million tons of freight a year. They transport building products and support resource industries such as coal, oil and gas. They carry more than 500,000 travelers annually and create over 800 jobs for the Alaskan people. The railroad supports various organizations, communities, and charitable fund events along the railbelt. Spending supports nearly 1,900 Alaskan jobs and pumps over $83 million in payroll into the state annually. It works to improve the quality of life for residents along the railbelt by leasing land to communities at less than fair market value for parks, bike trails, and other public interest. (Information)



Evaluation:

I thought there was a lot of information in this Module, as usual. Very interesting. I was able to find some websites that had more information about current use of railroads and others with some good pictures. I was in Nome for the end of the Iditarod and was fortunate to see the radar station up close and personal. I was also fortunate to listen to our Arctic Cat driver talk about how his family came over for the gold rush and he grew up on a small gold mine that his family still owns.


Reviews:
I really like Shannon's blog. She has some good pictures and I like her links. Also, her blog is visually appealing.

Kristin did a good jog explaining the reasons why people moved up to Alaska.

Robin's blog had a lot of nice links for extended information. I also like the picture of miners and prospectors on the Chilkoot Trail. It's really good visual of just how many people there acutally were. Thanks for finding and sharing.

Module 5 - American Period: Alaska's Economy

Essential Question:
What have been the major components of the Alaska economy during the American period of 1867-present?

This time period brought a lot of prosperity to the economy of Alaska. Alaska had a lot of natural resources that were being discovered and capitalized on. The early American economic ventures were pretty much the same as the Russians. The fur trade was a major resource of revenue as well as fishing and the discovery of minerals and oil. Because of these new discoveries, the resources were taken advantage of without concern of possible future depletion. It wasn't until there was a noticeable decrease in some of these natural resources that restrictions were set in place. And by then it was almost too late in some cases.

Fur Trade in Nome

The fur trade started to increase. The Russians mainly focused on a few types of furs. However, American traders were interested in a variety of different pelts. American trading companies took over Russian and British companies. For a short while, the new North American Trading and Transportation Company competed with the dominating Alaska Commercial Company who took over the Russian American Company. Both companies sold furs. Because of the competition among the two companies, prices were driven down and drove the quality up. Individual entrepreneurs also took advantage of the fur market. They would set up trap lines all over Alaska in hopes of selling good pelts. World War I caused prices of pelts to rise. America became the top seller of fur. New technology like planes and snow machines changed the pace of delivery.

Because of the high demand of pelts and the limited source of the supply taken for granted, the fur bearing animals began to decline drastically. This forced the government to require licenses and establish limits on trapping except to the Natives. Furs eventually lost their popularity once people were becoming more educated on the effects of trapping. Protecting the animals became a higher priority.

Fishing

Fishing was and still is a major revenue source for Alaska. It started off with a big push for salmon. That was the fish that was in highest demand early on. Fishing canneries were being built in a number of different places. Because of the high demand for salmon, there was a high demand for workers at the canneries. Many people were able to get jobs during this time. However, with time comes technology and machines eventually replaced the jobs of most of the people. Salmon fishing started broadening out to other types of fishing. Cod, crab, herring, halibut, and shrimp demands started to take off.

During WWI, demand was high for fish. After the war, however, demand fell. Canneries were forced to close. Also after the war, a major decline in the numbers of salmon was seen due to the abundance of commercial fishing. Just like it had with it’s trapping and hunting, Alaska had to require licenses and establish limits on fishing after it acquired statehood.

Whaling was a big interest back in the day. They developed shore whaling stations which mainly Eskimos were employed, mostly because of the their knowledge of the animal and mainly because they were cheap labor. They were paid with a years worth of flour, or riffles and bullets and other goods in exchange for 2 months work. The Eskimos started whaling for pay instead of for their own use. Seals and walrus also became a high interest. Walrus were easy to hunt because they would let hunters get close to them and they wouldn’t shy away from gunfire. They were all in very close vicinity to one another which made it easy to kill many at one time.

Whaling in Point Barrow, AK in 1935

Technology improved whaling. Steam powered ships were used instead of sailing. This improved navigation beyond a wind source. The Transcontinental Railroad shortened shipping time. Factory ships were introduced allowing companies to capture, haul in, and process the whale on board. Again, there was a huge decline in this resource which prompted the International Whaling Commission to be introduced and set quotas on whaling.

Aside from living sources of revenue, minerals also had a big part in Alaska’s economy. Large-scale mining operations were quickly developed. Mining camps and boom towns were developed all over Alaska based on the type of mining and the speed of extraction. Among the minerals excavated were: coal, copper, lead, zinc, platinum, and tin. The Gold Rush reached Alaska with Juneau, Nome, and Fairbanks being the sites of the major gold mining areas in Alaska.

Klondike/Yukon Gold Rush

Trans Alaska Pipeline

Oil is a huge part of Alaskan history and still is the biggest source of revenue today. Oil brings in 88% of Alaska’s revenue. In the early 1900’s, it was refined into kerosene. The pipeline was developed to carry the oil down from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. The pipeline has created many jobs from building it to maintaining it. It also is responsible for boomtowns in Alaska.






Farming was expensive to get started. It didn't have a huge effect on the economy but was mainly used for local towns and villages. It was difficult to grow things because of the short season, permafrost, and high labor costs to name a few. Fresh fruits and vegitable were a delicacy when they were shipped in. Herding reindeer became very popular. The first reindeer were brought to Alaska in 1891 to aid in helping out the people do various field work and hauling as well as using their hides and eventually for food. On a side note, I have to admit that I enjoy a good reindeer dog every now and then. Lumber was also in high demand. Over the years, the timber industry had been putting out more board feet and had employed more people than in previous years. There were restrictions put on this too. Reserves were created to keep people from destroying the forests.

There were a lot of major components that went in to the Alaskan economy. I tried to keep each component as brief as I could but still ended up with a lot of information. One constant that I observed with every component was the inevitable need for limits. I guess hindsight is 20/20. I just can help but not understand how the people back then didn’t realize that they were depleting their resources faster than the resources could reproduce. But I guess there are still people doing the same thing today to make that extra dollar and totally disregard future effects.






Examine Question:
What is the current status of fur trapping, trading, whaling, and fishing?

Fishing (ID 1147) is still a major component of the Alaskan economy. In 2004, fisherman harvested about 5.4 billion pounds of seafood with a value of $1.2 billion from Alaska waters. The state seafood catch includes salmon, halibut, shellfish, herring and groundfish. Although groundfish are the majority of the catch, salmon, halibut, and shellfish are more valuble and bring in more revenue than groundfish. The state government manages fisheries within three miles of shore and the federal government manages fisheries beyond the 3 mile limit. Production of farmed fish is growing rapidly because fish farmers can meet the demands of the market with year round supplies. Farming also helps the cost stay consistant. Competition has increased because of globalization. Processing has been moved to other countries with lower labor costs, increasing consolidation, restructuring of distribution and more demands for new types of products. All of these factors are affecting the fishing industry.

Alaska Fishing

Trading and trapping is still a very important part of Alaska’s economy. People who live in small villages trap and hunt during the winter for money, especially if they live in isolated villages where there are very few jobs. Others do it for extra money and/or because it is part of their heritage and culture. Thousands of people buy trapping licenses each year. Alaska Fish and Game regulate trapping. I recently went to Bethel and some of the people (non-natives) that I met there were talking about their trap lines and that they needed to go check them and set up new ones. It was very interesting to hear them talk about it. Alaskan fur sewers are known around the world for their work. They use the money they earn for necessities. Most of the people in small remote villages use the skins/furs to keep them warm during the winter. The trappers pass down their skills from generation to generation. It teaches youth valuable skills and responsibility.

Trapping

Whaling

Whaling is not permitted in Alaska anymore except to the Natives. Natives have always hunted whales and it is a major part of their heritage. Whaling helps villages get through the winter months. They use every part of the whale, hardly any of it goes to waste. Any whaling done by Eskimos is monitored by the Alaskan Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). These organizations have a cooperative agreement with each other on whale hunting.  As stated in this article, Whalers are only allowed 75 strikes per whaling season. Hunters are concerned with ice thickness. The is becoming thinner than it used to be. because of this, whalers are not able to hunt the biggest whales they can find. They hunt the smaller ones because they know the ice will be able to handle the weight. This has become a problem because the smaller whales are not lasting through the winters. Another issue is the possible drilling for oil near Barrow. This cold drastically change the outcome of whaling for the village. The article also has a very interesting video about whaling you should definitely watch. Here is another video of the process of killing and pulling the whale out of the water. I definitely takes the cooperation of a lot of people.





Evaluation:

I feel like I keep repeating myself in these evaluations. I really enjoyed reading this module and learning about the economy of Alaska and how it's come along through the years. I enjoyed researching the information to answer the questions that I chose. I'm happy that I was able to find some short videos on whaling. I had always wondered how it was done and what it looked like but never sat down to research it.


Reviews:

I like how Gary used a lot of pictures to show what he was talking about. And he did a good job explaining the nature of cultural contact between the Europeans of Russian America and the Natives of Alaska.

Crystal did a good job providing links to further explain her answers.

I enjoyed reading Lane’s blog about the Creoles. It was very interesting how they came about and how they were viewed by the Russians. I also like how visual set up of the blog.

Module IV - Russian America

Essential Question:
What is the Legacy of Russian Colonization of Alaska?

This is the first map of Alaska made on a Russian expedition.

Russia has impacted Alaska through their effects on the land and effects on the people and culture. These effects can still be seen today. Early explorers came over to see what Alaska was all about, who was here and what type of resources it had to offer. Vitus Bering and Alexi Chirklov were the 2 early Russian explorers to venture over to Alaska. Soon after their return from Alaska, they came back wanting to find more.


There quickly became a high demand for the furs of Alaskan animals. The hunters would hunt one area of land until there was nothing left to hunt. They would then pack up and move to another location and do the same thing. They had a complete disregard for the land and animals. They had no concern about the effects of their hunting style. The Natives only hunted what they needed. They respected the land and animals. They understood that hunting beyond their means would have drastic effects on the animal population. The Russians established a fur trading industry which placed high demands on the different furs Alaska had to offer.

Russian Church in Alaska

Russians also had an impact on the naming of the towns and villages of Alaska. A few examples of those towns are Nikolaevsk, Ninilchik, and Sitka. Sitka was the capital of colonial Russian America. They also brought their architectural abilities. They built houses and buildings in these towns and villages that still exist today.

Native Alaskans

Russian Colonization also affected the Native people. Because of the decline of Russians in Alaska, they had to resort to using Natives to work for them. The Russians treated the Natives harshly and gave them unfair payment for their labor. Unfortunately, the Russians also brought diseases that the Natives had never seen before. The Native population started to decline because of lack of treatment.





The Russians introduced new foods and industry to Alaska. They introduced farming and were successful in producing vegetables such as cabbages, cucumbers, potatoes, and turnips. These are still seen today especially at the Alaska State Fair. The vegetables are grown to award winning sizes. They introduced ships, sleds and dogs for travel on land, and horse drawn sleighs and wagons. They introduced their tools such as knives, axes, saws, and cooking utensils. They brought the wheel, steam, water, and wind power.

I found a video that shows how Russia's legacy is still indirectly affecting things that are happening today. It's a long video but is very interesting.
This site is where I got a lot of my information from.

Examine Question:
The Russian American Company: when was it founded and what were the terms of its operation?

Russian American Company Symbol. Here is some information about the flag.

The Russian American Company was founded in 1799. They secured a 20-year charter, which was renewed twice. Because of this, they established a monopoly over all trade manufacturing in Alaska and the company prospered greatly. Alexander Baranov was the chief manager and governor of the colony for the first 20 years.

Currency of the Russian American Company

The Russian American Company’s goal was to hunt for fur seals and fur trade. The Company received a granted documentation and a privilege to use all trades, crafts and establishments located along the Northwestern coast. Areas included the Bering Straight, Aleutian and Kuril Islands, and beyond. They were allowed to acquire any discovered land into the Russian Empire, found settlements and build fortifications, trade with neighbor states and hire any class of free people. They also had to take care of the Spiritual Mission in America.

I know this is not RAC, but I can imagine this is what one of their store fronts would look like.

The Company had trade relations with China, California, and Chili. Their main exported goods were pelt, baleen, walrus tooth, and beaver spring. Food was the main import. They also were pretty much forced to make scientific explorations because of the difficult trade connections with Russia through Siberia. They had to take longer routes home and explore the land as they went.


Extend Question:
For more detail, feel free to also review the included link for Russian American Reader.

This article was very interesting. I didn’t realize that the Russians were so disrespectful not only to the Natives but to their land. To put it simply, they were ruthless bullies. They forced the Natives to hunt and gather fur for them. If the Natives refused, they would hold their women and children hostage until they complied. They brought disease among the Natives that they were unable to treat.

Shelikhov

It was interesting to read that the investors had to create partnerships with others in order to keep their businesses alive. The reason was that it was expensive support the voyages. One investor, Gregorii Shelikhov, worked hard to take over all the posts and the territory of the Kodiak Islanders. The Kodiak Islanders resisted the invasion but were easily defeated because their defense was not adequate enough to hold Shelikhov off. What’s interesting is that Shelikhov eventually had to make peace with them because he needed to trade with them and he had to do it on fair terms.





After the death of Shelikhov, Russia gave a company called the Russian American Company a monopoly over Alaska. There was one person that was in charge of this Company and his name was Alexander Baranov. What’s interesting about this man is that he was given control to run the company as well as govern the town. That is a lot of power given to one man and a lot of responsibility.




Evaluation:
I thought this week's module had a lot of interesting information. There were a lot of links provided to help better understand the material and to get a better insight. I enjoyed reading through it and being informed about how Alaska was discovered and what happened here in the early stages.

Blog Reviews

I like how Claire described “Alaskan Culture” as a contradiction. She did a good job defending her position by explaining how resources were used only when they were needed and were never taken in abundance. Now, people want to use the resources until they are gone and then move on to the next spot with no respect to the land or animals.

I enjoyed Brenda’s blog. She has a lot of interesting links and videos to help improve understanding of her questions.

Betty did a nice job giving her understanding of the readings. I like how she closed with Native people needing to keep their traditions and cultures alive.