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The history of Alaska is partly written in the thousand mile plus Iditarod Trail which connects Seward to Nome. The trail is most famous these days because of the dog sled race held annually each March. The race, which was started in the 1970s, was an effort to both gain recognition for the trail as a piece of important history, and to honor the role that sled dogs played in Alaskan history.

The trail was used in the early days during Continue Reading »

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Alaska’s Native corporations came about as a result of the Native Claims Act of 1971, which gave quite a bit of land back to those living in Alaska who could prove Native status. It also made provisions for the Native tribes to develop and run their own corporations, allowing every Native citizen to be a shareholder in the corporation specific to his or her tribe. Altogether, there are 12 Native corporations in the state of Alaska. Some of them Continue Reading »

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In 1968, oil was discovered at Prudhoe Bay in a remote location along the Arctic coast. Because of the isolation of the location, the best solution seemed to be to build a pipeline across Alaska to the port of Valdez. The plan was great, but the permit could not be approved until the claims of Alaskan natives were settled. Then president Richard Nixon signed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in December of 1971, distributing $962.5 million to 200 local villages and 12 native owned corporations in Continue Reading »

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Oil is important to the state of Alaska because the economy relies heavily on the production. Alaska’s production of oil is vital for the state government and the residents that call this beautiful state their home. This state realized how much they count on the revenue from oil when prices crashed in 1985 and 1986. They experienced a dramatic downturn in the economy and state revenue. This was a very difficult time for every resident throughout the entire state. Once prices went back up then the state slowly recovered. They now understand Continue Reading »

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A short history of the trans-alaska pipeline will provide you with the basic knowledge regarding this legendary pipeline which remains an integral part of American History.

•In 1968, the company that is now known as Exxon Oil discovered a vast oil mine at Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. Plans were immediately put into action to build a pipeline to extract and transport this oil.
•1970 – the year of lawsuits and injunctions filed against Exxon to prevent pipeline construction. This remained in court for over three years and no construction was Continue Reading »

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In 1898, gold was found near Anvil Creek just west of Nome, Alaska. The cries of “Gold!” filled the air, and before long, 10,000 people had flocked to the then-tiny town. Most of these newcomers were refugees from the Klondike rush, which, by 1899, had given up the majority of its treasure and was running dry. The discovery of gold in Nome saw prospectors arriving in droves, creating one of Alaska’s longest and most profitable gold rushes.

In 1900, gold was found on a large section of the Nome coastline, and steamer ships from San Francisco Continue Reading »

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