3 Economy Government 4 Alaska History 2 5 Geography 1 Culture

Geography *Part of Alaska lies north of the Arctic Circle. *Alaska is close to other countries like Russia and Canada. *Juneau, Anchorage, Barrow, and Fairbanks are the biggest cities in Alaska. More Alaskan Geography

Alaska has many rivers and thousands of lakes and glaciers. These glaciers are great “rivers” of ice that move very slowly through mountain valleys. Little can grow in the tundra of Alaska. In the summer in the Arctic Circle the sun doesn’t set for 84 days! More Geography Forests and mountains cover much of Alaska. It has the highest mountain in North America—Mount McKinley. Alaska has a variety of climate zones. There are extremes of temperature, precipitation, sunlight, and wind. 80% of all active volcanoes in the USA are in Alaska. Animals that live in Alaska: Fur seals Bears Caribou Moose Elk Bald eagle Salmon and other fish Grasses, mosses, sedges, and plantlike organisms called lichens are found in many parts of Alaska.

History 1959 - Alaska becomes a state Thousands of years ago, hunters enter present-day Alaska, as they follow Ice Age mammals to hunt for food  History 1959 - Alaska becomes a state  1936 - Nell Scott is the first woman elected to the Alaska legislature  1941-1945 –Alaska played important role in WWII. More soldiers and construction workers changed the territory 1867 - Russia sells Alaska to the USA for $7.2 million, bought by William Seward – Referred to as Seward’s Folly  2006 - Sarah Palin is elected Alaska’s first female governor as well as the youngest governor in the history of the state    1924 - Congress gives citizenship to all Native Americans in the USA; William Paul Sr. is the first Native American elected to the Alaska legislature  1761 - Russian explorers land on the mainland of Alaska  1942 - the Alaska Highway is completed, linking the lower 48 states and Alaska

Economy Resources and Industry Mining – Alaska has many natural resources. It is the leading maker of oil and natural gas. Gold, coal, and zinc are also mined in Alaska. Forestry - The millions of acres of forests supply the world with lumber and other wood products. Fishing – Alaska is the world’s biggest produced of wild salmon. They catch billions of pounds of seafood each year. Economy Resources and Industry Manufacturing - Factories in Alaska make food products and refine oil. Farming - Alaskan farmers raise cattle. They grow barley, potatoes, and other crops that grow in a cool climate. Inuit keep herds of reindeer. Tourism - Tourists come because of the mountains, forests, wildlife, outdoor sports, and fishing.

Government Alaska helps elect the president of the USA. Alaska is run by a governor. Alaska follows the same laws as the USA because they are one of the 50 states. Alaska is divided into 16 boroughs instead of counties. There are some areas of the state that are not included in any borough because there are so few people.

Culture The first people came to Alaska in search of food thousands of years ago. Some scientists say people came from Russia over the Bering Land Bridge which is now covered with water. The early inhabitants that came over the land bridge: Eskimo/Inuit American Indian Aleut. When the first Russians arrived in 1761, they traded with the Alaskan natives but also brought deadly diseases and took land from the native people which they sometimes never got back. Native people got back 40 million acres of land and a billion dollars in Alaska Native Land Claims Settlement Act in 1971. The act also helped revive native cultures and traditions and emphasized close family ties and regular celebrations like the kivgig, or messenger feast. Now 17% of Alaska’s population is Native American. More Alaskan Culture

The Iditarod is an annual dogsled race in Alaska which starts on the first Saturday in March - the race stretches for more than 1,150 miles It lasts anywhere from 8 to 17 days and is the most popular sporting event in Alaska. More Culture Since 1989, Fairbanks, Alaska, has been home to the World Ice Art Championships every February and March.