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History of Alaska. The history of Alaska dates back to the Upper Paleolithic period (around 14,000 BC), when foraging 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.
Jun 22, 2023 · Alaska gained statehood in 1959, but its name has been a subject of curiosity for centuries. The origin of Alaska’s name has intrigued historians, geographers, linguists, and locals alike. It is a name that evokes images of vast wilderness, glaciers, and snow-capped mountains.
Jun 26, 2024 · On March 30, 1867, the United States acquired Alaska from Russia in a historic purchase known as the Alaska Purchase. Prior to this acquisition, Alaska was referred to as “Russian-America,” a name that signified its ownership by the Russian Empire.
Jun 21, 2024 · How did Alaska get its name? The name “Alaska” is derived from the Aleut word “alaxsxaq,” meaning “the mainland” or “the object towards which the action of the sea is directed.” It is also known as “Alyeska,” which translates to “great land.”
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The word \"Denali\" is derived from Koyukon, one of the 11 Athabascan languages traditionally spoken in Alaska. In the Koyukon language, the word for the mountain is \"Deenaalee,\" and at least five other Athabascan languages have similar names for the Alaska Range's highest peak (though these names are pronounced differently), said James Kari, pro...
\"Then you have 'Denali', which is the Anglicization of the Koyukon name,\" Kari told Live Science. The name translates to \"the tall one,\" and is derived from the Koyukon verb that means, \"to be long or tall,\" he added. But the Denali name isn't just descriptive; it's also ancient. Like many of the original place names derived from Athabascan l...
In 1975, the Alaska State Legislature filed a request with the United States Board on Geographic Names to officially rename the mountain Denali, but congressmen from McKinley's home state of Ohio blocked the measure. This same scenario has played out on an almost yearly basis in Washington, D.C., with Alaska legislators requesting a name change and...
The renaming of Denali is a sign that Alaskans continue to claim this system as their own, said Kari, who added that Alaskans are also preserving native names in new ways. For example, the Anchorage convention hall in which President Obama announced Denali's name change is called the Dena'ina Center and is named for an Athabascan ethno-linguistic g...
Follow Elizabeth Palermo @techEpalermo. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
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The name "Alaska" was introduced in the Russian colonial period when it was used to refer to the peninsula. It was derived from an Aleut, or Unangam (the indigenous people of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska) idiom, which symbolically refers to the mainland or shore of Alaska.
Jul 22, 2015 · Russia transferred Alaska to the United States at Sitka in 1867. The man credited with purchasing Alaska from the Russians in 1867 probably signed his name to more government documents than any man of his day. He also appears to be the chief architect of the name given to America’s new possession.