The population of Alaska for the year is the number. Russian america

1) p ov in S. Z. Sev. America; USA (Alaska). The name is explained from Aleut, alah sakh or ala skh a whale place, whale abundance. A previously common explanation from the Aleut. a la as ka big land erroneously. In Russia in the 18th and 19th centuries often… … Geographic Encyclopedia

Alaska- McKinley... Tourist Encyclopedia

Alaska, Alaska, Alashka or Alyashka, among the natives of Alaeska, this is the name of the peninsula in the northwestern part of America, stretching in length in a southwestern direction and connected to the mainland between Bristol Bay (Kyuchak) in the north and Cook, ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

I (Alaska), bay Pacific Ocean off the coast North America, between the Alaska Peninsula and the mainland. The width at the entrance is more than 2200 km. Depth up to 4929 m. In Alaska, the Kodiak, Alexander and Queen Charlotte Islands archipelagos. Main ports: Seward, Prince… … encyclopedic Dictionary

ALASKA, 1) a narrow peninsula on northwest North America (USA, Alaska), between Bristol Bay Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The length is about 700 km, the width is 10,170 km. Mountainous, the Aleutian Range stretches along the axis (height up to 3108 m) ... Modern Encyclopedia

ALASKA, US state, in the northwest of North America. 1523 thousand km2. Population 601 thousand people. (1996). Adm. Juneau center. Indigenous people Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts. In the 17th and 18th centuries discovered by Russian explorers who founded a number of settlements, 1st century ... ... Russian history

ALASKA, the Gulf of the Pacific Ocean, between the Alaska Peninsula and the North American mainland. The area is 384 thousand km2. Depth up to 4929 m. Kodiak archipelago. Ports Seward, Prince Rupert (USA) … Modern Encyclopedia

Peninsula in the northwest of Sev. America (USA, Alaska), between Bristol Hall. Beringova m. and Pacific approx. Length 700 km, width 10,170 km. Occupied mainly by the Aleutian Range. Mountain tundra…

US state, in the northwest of North. America. 1519 thousand km². population 599 thousand people (1993). Adm. c. Juno. The indigenous people are Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts. In the 17th and 18th centuries discovered by Russian explorers who founded a number of settlements, 1st in the 1780s ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Alaska- ALASKA, and, f. 1. A kind of winter jacket with a hood. 2. What l. distant, lonely place. Will you come with me to Arkhangelsk? Well, yes, I really need your Alaska! .. 3. only pl., juice. A variety of women's winter boots made of suede with a zipper in front ... Dictionary of Russian Argo

- (alaska.de), Germany, 2000, Bioskop Film, 89 min. Drama Sixteen-year-old Sabina does not have a relationship with her mother, she also cannot find a common language with her friend. After another scandal, the mother sent Sabina to her father, who lives in ... ... Cinema Encyclopedia

Books

• Alaska. Guidebook, . Alaska can be roughly divided into 8 regions. The state's largest city, Anchorage, is the center of civilization in the wilderness, and the Kenai Peninsula just south of Anchorage provides a great selection of…

Alaska is a state located in the northwest of North America. It ranks first among other states in terms of area (1523 thousand km²). Includes the peninsula of the same name, the continental part, Aleutian Islands, Part Of The Pacific Coast, Islands Of The Alexander Archipelago. The population is 690,955 people (2007), while the indigenous people are Indians, Aleuts, Eskimos and Russians. The state capital is Juneau. Major cities: Anchorage, Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka. Alaska was discovered by the Russians in the 17th-18th centuries. In 1867, the Russian Empire sold the territory of Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million. However, state status (49th) was granted only in 1959.

State Attractions

Anchorage is home to the Well Fargo Heritage Museum and Library, with a huge collection of costumes, tools, and weapons; an art gallery, where, in addition to the usual expositions, an ultra-modern exhibition of three-dimensional paintings is presented; the Elmendorf Wildlife Museum with a very interesting collection of representatives of the local flora and fauna; Fort Richardson Wildlife Center; Alaska Native Heritage Center. Lake Hood is home to one of the largest water airfields on the planet, with several thousand hydroplanes. On the shore is the Aviation Museum (AANM).

The magnificent Chugach Park with a huge number of hiking trails any level. On the western side of the city lies Ertkwijk Park, famous for the consequences of a tragic earthquake, when 600 meters of land, on which there were 75 houses, "slid" into the sea.

And of course, the main attraction of Alaska is nature. Sky-blue glaciers, mysterious fjords, forests, lakes, 300-meter waterfalls.

Geography and climate

The territory of the state in the west borders on the Russian Federation, in the east on Canada. Consists of several islands and the mainland. It is washed by the Pacific and Arctic oceans. The eastern part of the plateau reaches 1200 meters in height, the western - 600 meters. In the north of the state is the Brooks Range and the Arctic Lowland. The most high mountain in North America McKinley (6194 m). The southern part of the state is covered with forests, in the northern part - tundra. There are several active volcanoes. The Pacific coast has a mild, temperate climate. In other regions, the climate is subarctic continental, with cold winters.

Economy

Since the 1970s, much attention has been paid to oil production, pipelines are being laid (Kenai Peninsula, Pradhoe Bay). The Alyeska oil pipeline stretches for 1250 km. The Prudhoe Bay field produces 8% of US oil. Overall, 20% of US oil is produced in Alaska. There are deposits of natural gas, copper, gold, platinum, tin, asbestos. There are also several military bases here. Due to the harsh natural conditions, agriculture is developing poorly and only on the southern side of the state. There are several farms here where vegetables are grown, cattle and deer are bred. Developed fishing. Caught salmon, cod, pollock, crabs and other seafood are exported.

Population and religion

In 2005, the population increased by 5,906 people (0.9%) compared to 2004. Development in the field of the oil industry attracted immigrants from other countries, but in terms of population density, Alaska ranks last among other US states. About 75% of the population is white. By religion, there are Catholics, Presbyterians, Baptists, Orthodox, Methodists. The highest ratio of Orthodox (8-10%) in the country. The largest national groups among the population: Germans - 20%, Irish - 13% and English - 11%.

Do you know...

The flag of Alaska was designed by a thirteen-year-old boy in 1927.

Attention! Copyright! Reprinting is possible only with written permission. . Copyright infringers will be prosecuted in accordance with applicable law.

Tanya Marchant and Masha Denezhkina

History of the State of Alaska

part 1

The first inhabitants of Alaska

According to scientists, Alaska was discovered by Siberian hunters - the progenitors of most of the native American Indians, who migrated north during the Ice Age in search of mammoths - the main animal that people of the Stone Age hunted.

Ancient people migrated to the American continent through the Bering Strait, which at that time was a 1600-kilometer natural ice bridge between the two continents. When the climate changed and warming came, the ice melted and the water level of the world's oceans rose, flooding this bridge and dividing Siberia and Alaska by the Bering Sea.

Excavations of researchers and scientists in Alaska have revealed to us Interesting Facts: items from human everyday life were found that were used in his household 12 thousand years ago - that is, several centuries before the end of the Ice Age. Apparently, the progenitors of the Eskimo nation appeared as early as 6 millennia BC.

Settlement of the northwestern lands

The coast of the American Northwest once belonged to the domain of Prince Wilhelm. The Indians who inhabited these lands of northern California also gradually migrated north, bringing their culture to these lands. The north was rich in fish: salmon, flounder, cod, herring, edible species of shellfish and marine mammals were found in abundance in the coastal waters of Alaska. Thousands of species of plants suitable for food grew on the fertile soil of these lands, and many animals lived in the forests. Therefore, the lands of Alaska were so attractive to people.

Three indigenous peoples became the founders and first inhabitants of these places: Tlingit (Tlingit,) Haida (Haida) and Tsimshian (Tsimshian). The people of these tribes settled south of Alaska.

The most numerous was the Tlingit tribe. They founded many settlements on these lands. The Tlingit had their own language, which scientists attribute to the inner American group of Athabasca Indian languages. Since the Tlingit were the most numerous tribe, it was they, as the owners of this territory, who first came into contact with Russian travelers and explorers who came to these lands in 1741.

The people of the Haida tribe lived on the lands of British Columbia, on the Queen Charlotte Islands and in the southern part of Alaska - on the Prince of Wales Islands. It is traditionally believed that the peoples of the Haida began moving north about 1,700 years ago.

The Tsimshian people inhabited the southeast coast and nearby islands in the area of ​​what is now Fort Simpson, in the District of British Columbia. This fort was founded in 1834 as a result of the activities of the British Hudson's Bay Company. And in 1887, a large group of Tsimshian Indians, led by an Anglican church missionary William Duncan, settled Anette Island off the coast of Alaska .

The peoples of all three tribes were engaged in fishing. They fished with fish traps and nets. For hunting marine life, a harpoon with a rope was widely used. For sea hunting - canoes of various shapes and sizes were built. And for their hunting for forest animals, they made bows and arrows, arranged various tricky traps: loops. Arcana and holes. The Indians usually made their hunting tools from wood, and the tips of harpoons and arrows from sharpened, honed stones or seashells. The Indians decorated their products, skillfully finishing them with amazing patterns.

The Indians of these tribes lived in big houses, in which, as in hostels, the whole village lived, traditionally considering all its inhabitants as one family.

Social relations in these tribes were built on the principle of matriarchy. They traced their lineage through their mother. However, in the Tlingit and Haida tribes, marriages between relatives in a straight line: siblings were forbidden. The Tlingit also had clans in which social relations were traced back to the first legendary ancestors. The ancestors of the forefathers constituted a special aristocracy of clans: leaders, elders, masters and slaves. However, these class distinctions were constantly subject to some kind of change and were not static.

Each clan and each tribe usually had political independence from other tribes. All the prey from the hunt was shared within the circle of one family-clan, in which their leader or elder disposed of. Each clan had its own deity, its leader, its own personal name, its own songs and ritual dances. The deities of the Indian clans were animals that served as the main prey of hunting, as well as the forces of nature, which, according to the Indians, are responsible for the length of human life and the fertility of the earth. The Indians were pagans and endowed with a magical spirit all living things, all the surrounding nature.

Political leadership was achieved through prestige competitions. If a clan man aspired to leadership, he had to be the most successful hunter, on whom the well-being of the entire tribe would depend.

Unlike the inhabitants of the coast, who had their own rich Natural resources, representatives of the peoples of the Athabaskan language group lived in the more severe conditions of the Arctic and subarctic in the north of the continent. This vast expanse had extremely poor natural conditions, and people had to find and get their own food with great difficulty. The weather conditions of this region have always been characterized by long winters and short cold summers. The Attabasca Indians hunted moose, musk deer, grizzly bears, wild goats and fished.

The Athabaskans led a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle, moving from one area to another in search of prey for hunting and fishing. In the rivers they caught trout and pike, in the forests they hunted mainly musk deer, hares and polar partridges. Tools for hunting and fishing used the same as all the Indians of the North American continent. And although the Athabaskans hunted animals and birds a lot, however, periods when their tribes were starving were not uncommon in the life of the Athabaskans.

They designed the construction options for their wigwam houses depending on the coming season. All Athabaskans built their houses of wood and poles in such a way that, in addition to the family, domestic animals and birds could also fit in them. Nomadic groups of Indians built lighter dwellings. The Indians of such tribes of the Athabasca people as the Ingalik (Ingalik) that lived on the Yukon River or the tribe of Kaskokwim (Kuskokwim) usually built a temporary settlement for the winter, and moved to camps for summer fishing. They built winter houses on the principle of Eskimo dugouts.

The Athabaskans had very simple social divisions of society. Most of the year they spent in the circle of small groups of neighboring families. The similarity between them existed in that they professed the principles of matriarchy and relatives maintained close relations, observing all the obligations of members of the same family. A family member had to find a spouse not among close relatives, but in another tribe.

When natural resources allowed, several tribes united to hunt together. Despite the fact that they all hunted together, Indian men competed with each other for the right to be a leader in hunting, on the basis of which a man could become one of the leaders of the tribe. Also, an Indian who proved himself a brave warrior in intertribal conflicts could become the leader of the tribe. Leaders were not elected for life. And if one day luck turned away from the leader, he could no longer claim leadership in the tribe.

The Athabaskans had traditions and ceremonials in which, for example, the tribe welcomed and gave gifts to their guests. Also, a family meal was arranged when one of the members of the tribe died. As the Athabaskans began to engage in trade with the Palefaces, they became more likely to hold common tribal meals in honor of their new partners, thereby modeling the attitudes and traditions of dealing with the Palefaces for tribes throughout the Northwest coast of the Americas.

The Indians held feasts to commemorate the first hunt, a military feat, the return of hunters from a long campaign, a successful revenge or a new campaign. A man about to get married had to make a feast for his tribe three times. Ceremonies were also arranged when the tribe made a general decision to expel one of its members for the fault - he could not receive any support from any of his relatives for at least one year.

The Athabaskans were also pagans. They lived in a world inhabited by many spirits. They believed that after death, human souls move into animals and used these legends in their rituals.

The Athabaskans had special members of the tribes who performed religious rites and were responsible for connecting the Indians with the world of otherworldly forces. These people were called shamans. Shamans were the guardians of religious rites and possessed many knowledge: how to heal the sick; how to attract good luck to the hunter; how to predict the weather and the future.

The Eskimo culture developed in the territories of western Alaska, so it is natural that the languages ​​​​of the Eskimos and Aleuts are so different from each other. The Eskimos mastered the waters of the Arctic Ocean and therefore paid great attention to the means of water transportation.

The traditional tools of the economy of the Eskimos - in Siberia were in use long before they appeared on the lands of Alaska. And this culture and management technologies penetrated the territory of North America and for 4 thousand years BC. spread from Alaska to Greenland.

From the shores of northern Alaska to Greenland, the Eskimos hunted marine animals: seals, seals, whales. Some groups of Eskimos hunted deer and musk deer. These groups of Eskimo people were called Caribou Eskimo and lived in Canada, in the west of Hudson Bay. Other small groups of Eskimo people lived along the Colville and Noatak rivers, as well as in the Yukon and Kuskokwim deltas.

However, despite the difference in habitats, the Eskimos had a common culture, national clothes and traditions. It happened so because even thousands of years ago the wild, primitive culture of this people: dog sleds, kayak boats and more. others - spread through Alaska throughout North America to Greenland.

Social relations among the Eskimos were concentrated around the tribal family. The men were hunting. The Yupik Eskimo had special ceremonial houses in which the Eskimo men taught the boys the art of hunting, and the women stayed at home and educated the girls. Most Eskimo marriages took place within the tribal community.

The Eskimos hunted and fished. They had their own taboos and prohibitions: for example, they did not dare to mix terrestrial and marine life for food. The Eskimos of the Bering Sea (Bering Sea Eskimo) had many rituals and rituals associated with hunting animals. And the Eskimos who lived north of their territories did not have similar hunting and fishing traditions.

The Aleuts have adapted very well to life in difficult natural conditions Aleutian Islands. They have learned to perfectly use the rich resources of the sea for life. However, their traditions were forgotten and absorbed by the more civilized culture of the Russian people, whom the Aleuts first met in 1740.

The Aleuts built separate dugouts in which families lived. Sometimes the Aleuts wandered to the northern shores of the Bering Sea. This happened when populations of marine animals migrated to other areas. Then the Aleuts built seasonal houses and seasonal camps.

Society was divided into social classes: leaders, common people and slaves. The traditions of the Aleuts in many respects have something in common with the customs of the Tlingit tribe and groups of peoples of Siberia. It is possible that initially the Aleuts also professed the family principle of tribal organization. The Aleut community usually consisted of an elder father and his wife or wives, a married eldest son and his family, and sometimes a younger brother and his family. Young children were usually sent to be raised by their mothers, who had their own homes.

When the sea waters were freed from ice, the Aleuts went out to sea to hunt. They hunted seals, walruses, sea lions and whales. Many of their hunting tools were similar to those of the southern Eskimos: a two-seater kayak boat; bone and stone weapons. The Aleuts also hunted birds, 140 species of which nested in the Aleutian Islands. For hunting birds, the Aleuts used bolo (ropes, to the ends of which stones were tied - braided into braids and rushed at birds). In fishing, they used nets and harpoons. Also, the Aleuts collected sea mollusks and northern berries and herbs.

Early European exploration of Alaska

Russian expeditions

In 1654, the Russian merchant Fedot Alekseev set off from the east of the Siberian peninsula of Kolyma along the Pogicha River with his expedition, wanting to find lands rich in gold, fur-bearing animals and walruses, the bones of which were highly valued. Semyon Ivanovich Dezhnev went on this campaign with him - as a representative of the authorities, vested with the authority to establish duties on trade with the local population. On this journey, Dezhnev was the first explorer to open a sea passage from the shores of the Arctic to the ocean.

Now this sea ​​route named the Bering Strait, since Dezhnev's report on the discovery of the strait never reached the government. Tsar Peter the Great, who ruled Russia at that time, never found out that Siberia closely neighbors the North American continent. However, shortly before his death, Peter the Great sent Captain Vitus Bering, a Danish navigator who was in the Russian service, to explore the sea coast of Siberia.

Peter sent Bering on an expedition to study and describe the northeastern coast of Siberia. In 1728, Bering's expedition re-discovered the strait, which was first seen by Semyon Dezhnev. However, because of the fog, Bering was unable to see the outlines of the North American continent on the horizon.

In 1733 Russian government again appointed Bering the head of a new expedition, the purpose of which was to explore the resources of Siberia and establish trade with Japan.

In this expedition, Bering also explored the American coast. The expedition of Vitus Bering set off for the shores of America from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on June 8, 1741 on two ships: St. Peter (under the command of Bering) and St. Paul (under the command of Alexei Chirikov). Each ship had its own team of scientists and researchers on board.

On June 20, the ships went on different routes, on July 15, land was noticed on Chirikov's ship. Presumably, the sailors saw the shores of Prince of Wales Island. And the ship under the control of Bering, which was moving north, the next day went to the shores of Kayak Island. Bering from the sea saw the top of the mountain, which he called the mountain of St. Elias (Saint Elias), since July 16 is the day of St. Elias. The ship's doctor, German scientist Georg Wilhelm Steller, was among the first to land on shore in order to collect some medicinal plants to help the crew suffering from scurvy. Steller also collected some samples of shells and grasses on the shore, discovered new species of birds and animals, from which the researchers concluded that their ship had reached the new continent of North America.

Chirikov's ship returned on October 8 to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, but Bering's ship was carried by the current and wind to the east of the Kamchatka Peninsula - to the Commander Islands. At one of the islands, the ship was wrecked, and it was thrown ashore. Travelers were forced to spend the winter on the island, which now bears the name of Bering Island. On this island, the commander died without surviving the harsh winter. In the spring, the surviving crew members built a boat from the wreckage of the wrecked St. Peter and returned to Kamchatka only in September. Thus ended the first Russian expedition that discovered the northwestern coast of the North American continent.

The Russian Empress Elizabeth had no interest in the lands of North America. She issued a decree obliging the local population to pay a fee for trade, but did not take any further steps towards developing relations with Alaska.

For the next 50 years, Russia showed very little interest in this land. Some merchants traded with the Aleuts, buying furs from them. The thin fur of the sea otter, the sea otter, was especially valued. Russian merchants were especially profitable in selling Aleutian furs in the Chinese markets.

In 1743, Russian traders and fur hunters established very close contact with the Aleuts. The European diseases that the new settlers brought to the Aleuts were fatal to the natives of the new continent. Smallpox, measles, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, pneumonia - became the weapon that almost exterminated the Aleuts. Prior to contact with Europeans, the Aleut population numbered 15-20 thousand people. In 1834, only 2,247 of them remained, in 1848 - already 1,400. Since 1864, when the Russians settled on the islands, the Aleut population again jumped sharply to 2,005 people - thanks to mixed marriages and the influx of new blood. But by 1890 it dropped again to 1,702 people.

Hunters migrated to the east of the Aleutian Islands following the animals they hunted. Since the fishery moved away from Kamchatka, the prices for fur rose, and small trading companies went bankrupt. Until 1770, Grigory Ivanovich Shelikhov, Pavel Sergeevich Lebedev-Lastochkin, as well as the brothers Grigory and Peter Panov were considered the richest and most famous among the merchants, merchants and fur buyers in Alaska.

In 1762, Empress Catherine the Great became the ruler of Russia, and the government again turned its attention to the Aleuts. In 1769, Catherine issued a decree by which she abolished duties on trade with the Aleuts, and also issued a decree by which she ordered the government to worry about the fate of the Aleut people. Unfortunately, the decree of the Empress remained only a decree on paper. Without the control and supervision of the ruler over its execution.

Competition among other powers

Spain was also interested in territories in the North Pacific. Fear of Russian expansion into the lands of North America prompted Spain to occupy the lands of Alta California (now the state of California) and build their forts of San Diego, Monterey and other Californian settlements on them.

In 1774, 1777, 1778 and 1790 Spanish expeditions were sent to Alaska. And the expedition of 1790 already had a specific goal: to explore and, if possible, take possession of the territories in Alaska. However, when the Spanish ships came into confrontation with the ships of the British land of Nootka Sound (now it is the Canadian province of British Columbia), the Spaniards were forced to admit defeat and abandon their attempts to capture the northern territories.

Britain, France and the United States explored Alaska but did not attempt to acquire its territory. In 1778 British Captain James Cook compiled topographic maps coast of Alaska and visited the Aleutian lands. In Alaska, Cook and his crew purchased many valuable sea otter skins, which they sold at great profit in China, and subsequent British interest in Alaska was concentrated on trade.

France also sent an expedition to Alaska under the command of Jean de Galup, who returned from their expedition in 1788. But the French Revolution of 1789 interrupted further French exploration in this region of North America.

Colonization

Russian fur merchants were annoyed by foreign competitors. Especially the British, who offered cheaper goods for exchange with the local population than Russian merchants. The Russians felt they needed government agency colonies. In 1784, the merchant Shelikhov builds and outfits his own ships and sends them to Kodiak Island. Gradually (by 1788) the number of Russians in the Aleutian Islands and North America reached 500, and by 1794, as a result of the activities of G.I. Shelikhov, it exceeded 800 people.

It was thanks to the energy and foresight of Shelikhov that the foundation of Russian possessions was laid in these new lands. The first permanent settlement appeared on the island of Kodiak, in the bay of the Three Saints. Shelikhov also headed the first agricultural colony "Glory to Russia". His settlement plans included flat streets, schools, libraries, parks. At the same time, Shelikhov was not a statesman. He remained a merchant. industrialist, entrepreneur, acting with the permission of the government.

Until 1786, Shelikhov was the most successful fur trader in the Aleutian lands, but his fur empire needed other capable leaders. He saw one such assistant in Alexander Andreevich Baranov, a Siberian merchant who arrived in Kodiak in 1791. Soon a merchant from Kargopol, 43-year-old Alexander Baranov, was appointed chief manager on Kodiak Island. Baranov was on the verge of bankruptcy when Shelikhov took him as his assistant, guessing in him exceptional qualities: enterprise, perseverance, firmness.

Baranov soon moved the representative office of the company from the Three Saints Bay to the north of the island, to the city of Pavlovsk, which had the best harbor and was located in a wooded area, which was very important for future construction. Now Pavlovsk - main city Kodiak Islands.

The new ruler Alexander Baranov faced many problems. Most of food and almost all goods for exchange had to be imported from Russia, and there were not enough ships. The motto of the Russian colony was the saying: "work tirelessly." The colony constantly lacked people to build ships, protect the colony, and organize everyday life. Local Aleuts came to the rescue. They made up the main labor force colonies, hunted fur game, while the Russians were engaged in arranging residence and harvesting the skins and triggers of animals. The Aleuts guarded the fort and kept watch.

During Baranov's tenure as the Ruler of Russian America, Russia's possessions expanded to the south and east. Baranov founded and built Russian representative offices in the Aleutian lands. The largest is Novo-Arkhangelsk (New Archangel), founded in 1799. In 1802 the Tlingit tribe attacked the fort and destroyed it. And in 1804 Baranov returned to these lands with a Russian warship and defeated the Tlingits. After the victory, Novo-Arkhangelsk was rebuilt. 4 km south of this city, the famous Alaskan city of Sitka subsequently grew.

Baranov faithfully served Shelikhov and then the Russian-American Company from 1790 to 1818 until he retired at the age of 71. During his lifetime, there were legends about him: he inspired respect and fear in the people around him. even the strictest government auditors were amazed at his dedication, energy and dedication.

Russian-American company

With the merger of the companies of merchants G.I. Shelikhova, I.I. and M.S. Golikovs and N.P. Mylnikov in 1798 was created and in 1799 the unified Russian-American company finally took shape. She received from Paul I monopoly rights to fur trade, trade and the discovery of new lands in the northeastern part of the Pacific Ocean, designed to represent and protect Russia's interests in the Pacific Ocean with her own means.

Since 1800, the main board of the company, which consisted of several directors, was located in St. Petersburg on the Moika near the Blue Bridge. The company was declared under the "highest protection". Since 1801, Alexander I and the Grand Dukes, major statesmen have become shareholders of the company.

Shelikhov died in 1795. His son-in-law and legal heir to the "Russian-American Company" Nikolai Petrovich Ryazanov in 1799 received from the ruler of Russia, Emperor Paul the First, the right to monopoly the American fur trade. This authority obliged the company to take under its possession the northern territories previously discovered by the Russians. And to establish Russian representations not only on them, but also on new lands, however, trying not to come into conflict with other powers.

In 1812, Baranov established a southern representative office of the company (on the coast of the California Bay of Bodidzha (Bodega). This representative office was called the Russian Village (Selenie Ross), now known as Fort Ross. Later, in 1841, Fort Ross was sold to John Sutter, a German industrialist who entered California history with his sawmill in Coloma, where a gold mine was found in 1848, which started the famous California Gold Rush.

Baranov retired from the post of director of the Russian-American Company in 1818. He wanted to return home - to Russia, but died on the way.

Naval officers came to the management of the company, who contributed to the development of the company. And in 1821, the following moment was stipulated in the company's policy: from now on, only naval officers were to be the leaders of the Russian-American Company. The naval leadership of the company improved its administration, expanded the colonies. However, unlike Baranov, the naval leadership was very little interested in trading business, and were extremely nervous about the settlement of Alaska by the British and Americans. The management of the company, in the name of the Russian Emperor, banned the invasion of all foreign ships in the 160 km water area near the Russian colonies in Alaska. Of course, such an order was immediately protested by Great Britain and the United States government.

The dispute with the United States was settled by an 1824 convention that determined the exact northern and southern boundaries of Russian territory in Alaska. In 1825, Russia also came to an agreement with Britain, also defining the exact eastern and western borders. The Russian Empire gave both sides (Britain and the USA) the right to trade in Alaska for 10 years, after which Alaska completely passed into the possession of Russia.

Alaska Purchase

In 1843, US Secretary of the Government William Marcy and Senator William M. Gwin, both adherents of the policy of expansion, turned to the Russian ambassador to the United States, Baron Edward Stoeckl, with the provocative question: "Is it true that Russia is putting up for sale its colony of Alaska?" Stockl replied "Of course not!" However, this question intrigued him.

In 1844, the Russian-American Company's patent for monopoly trade was extended for another 20 years. The company tried to profit from new sources: coal mining; whaling and even exporting ice to San Francisco. However, all these adventures were unprofitable.

The sale of Alaska took place in 1867, not long after the popular term "Russian America" ​​appeared. Russian possessions in America were, in fact, not state property, but the property of companies - first of several private Russians, and then, from 1799, of the Russian-American ... Russia did not have any act of annexing these possessions - they were possessions of Russian subjects.

This kind of property was common in the 18th - XIX centuries(East India Company, Hudson's Bay Company, etc.). No wonder that at first Fort Ross, and then other possessions of the Russians in America, were ceded. In fact, a deal was made between the patrons of the RAC - the government and the emperor himself - with America.

Thus, Russia, as it were, got rid of, first of all, a loss-making company that constantly worries it with problems. And one more thing - CANCER was burdened by the knowledge that there are no dividends and they are not expected. One debt. Moreover, at that time, large investments were required for the development of new lands in Primorye.

But most of all, the fate of Russian America was influenced by the Crimean War (1853-56), which led to the impoverishment of the treasury and at the same time showed the insecurity of the territories in the Pacific Ocean in front of the British fleet. By 1866, the RAC owed the Ministry of Finance 725 thousand rubles. Talk began in government circles that the sale of Russian America would help replenish the treasury and at the same time get rid of a vulnerable and unprofitable colony, which would somehow go to the United States. In addition, by selling Alaska, Russia would have gained an ally in the fight against England, which was hostile at that time.

In the end, the Russian government decided to sell Alaska to the United States and instructed Baron Stockl to negotiate. On March 11, 1867, Stokel began negotiations for the sale of Alaska with US Secretary of the Government William H. Seward.

An agreement on the cession of Russia's North American colonies to the United States for 7 million 200 thousand dollars in gold was drawn up in Washington on March 18, 1867. Seward had some difficulty getting government approval for such a massive purchase at the time. But he enlisted the support of many Congressmen, and finally the Senate approved the purchase, passing this decision by a vote of 37 for to 2 against. Some newspapers called this purchase crazy, and Seward called crazy, but, under pressure from the official press, the US public supported the purchase of Alaska.

The signature and seal of Alexander II on the contract appeared only on May 3, but in fact Alaska had already been sold. On March 23, the editors of the St. Petersburg newspapers received a message about this via the Atlantic telegraph - and refused to believe it. This news was presented by newspapermen as an empty rumor. The famous publisher of Golos A. A. Kraevsky expressed the bewilderment of Russian society on this issue: “Today, yesterday and the third day we are transmitting and transmitting telegrams received from New York and London about the sale of Russian possessions in North America ... We are now , as then, we cannot treat such an incredible rumor otherwise than as the most vicious joke on the gullibility of society.

On July 18, the White House officially announced its desire to pay Russia the amount assigned in the auction for Alaska.

Only on October 8 in the newspaper of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "Northern Post" was published "The highest ratified treaty on the cession of Russian North American colonies." The formal transfer of Alaska to the United States took place on November 11, 1867 at Sitka.

The Russian history of the development of Alaska lasted 126 years. However, the activity of Russians on these lands took place, by and large, within the territory of the Aleutian Islands, Kodiak and the Alexander Archipelago. Some research, of course, was carried out within the continent, but they were limited to very few settlements. The peak of the Russian population in the lands of Alaska did not exceed 700 people. The most significant contribution to the development of the lands of Alaska by the Russian people should be considered the activity of the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church. They built their churches on these lands and engaged in missionary work among local residents- Aleuts and Tlingits. The Russian Orthodox Church has never ceased its activities. She serves on the lands of Alaska and now.

The United States was no better prepared to govern Alaska than the Russians. Many Americans had no information about these lands at all. just ended Civil War, and the country's leaders were more concerned about resolving the former conflict. Whatever it was, but many Americans still came to the new lands of Alaska to trade, hunt or whaling. In addition, in 1864, the Western Union Company was engaged in the construction of a telegraph line, which had the goal of connecting North America through Alaska with East Asia and Europe. However, this enterprise collapsed when, in 1866, the project of laying a transatlantic cable connecting New World with Old.

However, the efforts expended by Western Union to implement its project were not in vain and stimulated American interest in the lands of Alaska. Scientific expeditions were organized to these parts. The rich scientific and educational information accumulated by Russian researchers and generously provided to America after its purchase of Alaska also contributed to the successful scientific study of Alaska.

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Alaska is the most northern state USA. There are not many cities on its territory, and there are no large metropolitan areas at all.

Like everyone else, Alaska has a capital. But which city is the capital of Alaska? The answer to this question is contained in the text of the article.

State territory

Alaska occupies a vast territory, which includes the Alaska Peninsula, a narrow strip in the northwest of the continent, and the Alexander Archipelago. Alaska is an exclave separated from the US by Canada. The territory of the state is washed by two oceans: the Arctic from the north and the Pacific from the west and south. in the west separates Alaska from Russian Federation. The relief of the state is special. By coastline stretches a narrow strip of the Alaska Range, which is part of the greatest mountain range world - Cordillera. The ridge is known not only beautiful scenery and huge glaciers, but also the location on it high peak throughout North America - the mountains of Denali.

The height of this mountain, also known as McKinley, is 6190 m. After the inland plateau, the Brooks mountain range in the north of the state follows. The climate, depending on the region, is different: from temperate maritime on the Pacific coast to arctic continental in the depths of the peninsula. The Aleutian Islands also have mountainous terrain. On the peninsula itself active volcanoes: Katmai, Augustine, Cleveland, Pavlova volcano. The Redoubt volcano erupted as recently as 2009. incredibly beautiful, despite the permafrost that covers a large area of ​​the state.

The capital of Alaska: history

During the development of the territory by Russian discoverers at the turn of the 17th-19th centuries, the city of Novo-Arkhangelsk (now Sitka) was the center of Alaska. Then it was the center of fur and After the sale of this territory to America, the same capital of Alaska, Sitka, remained. However, by the end of the 19th century, when the city ceased to be promising, the city of Juneau became the capital. Gold reserves were found here, then oil. Today, the capital of Alaska is Juneau.

The capital of Alaska: contentious issues

The capital is usually the largest city in terms of area and population. However, this principle does not apply in Alaska. The capital of the state of Alaska is far from the most Big city: its population is about 35 thousand people. This peculiarity gives reason to believe that the state capital should be the city of Anchorage - the largest. In terms of population, it surpasses Juneau by almost ten times. The infrastructure of the city is much better developed than in the capital. So the question arises, is the capital of Alaska Anchorage or Juneau? The question of moving the capital from Juneau has been repeatedly raised by residents of Anchorage, but, according to the poll, the population of other cities is against the transfer. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Juneau is located closer to the continental states.

Juneau - Anchorage attractions

The capital of Alaska is a small town, which is traditionally considered the administrative center of the state. There are few attractions in the city, as, for example, in Anchorage. Here you can visit the Alaska State Museum, which displays historical details of the native inhabitants of southeastern Alaska - the Tlingit, Russian history in Alaska and American domination. The church of St. Nicholas, located in the city, is interesting and original. This Orthodox Church, built at the end of the 19th century by Tlingits who converted to Orthodoxy. An important role in financial side life of the city has ecotourism in incredibly beautiful, virgin places of northern nature.

In Anchorage, as in more major city, more attractions. Heritage Center, Imaginarium, Anchorage Cultural Center, Botanical Garden, a zoo and much more can be visited in the largest locality Alaska. The city, which emerged as a key rail junction, is connected to all cities in the state, so many tourist routes begin here.

The unique location of the city - between the two channels of Cook Bay and the Chugach Mountains, makes it possible to simply enjoy the nature of the American North, visit nature reserves and large National parks state. Anchorage is located four hundred kilometers from the world famous where highest point North America.

It includes the territory of North America to the west of 141 meridians of western longitude, including the peninsula of the same name with adjacent islands, the Aleutian Islands and the territory of North America itself to the north of the peninsula, as well as a narrow strip of the Pacific coast along with the islands of the Alexander Archipelago along the western border of Canada.

The area of ​​the territory is 1,717,854 km², of which 236,507 km² is on the water surface. Population - 736 732 people. (2014). The state capital is Juneau.

Etymology

Symbolism

Geography

Opening

The first Europeans to visit Alaska on August 21, 1732 were members of the St. Gabriel" under the command of surveyor M. S. Gvozdev and navigator I. Fedorov during the expedition of A. F. Shestakov and D. I. Pavlutsky in 1729-1735. In addition, there is fragmentary information about the Russian people visiting America in the 17th century.

Sale

From July 9, 1799 to October 18, 1867, Alaska with the islands adjacent to it was under the control of the Russian-American Company. The fighting in the Far East during the Crimean War showed the absolute insecurity of the eastern lands of the Russian Empire, and especially Alaska. In order not to lose the territory for nothing, which could not be defended and developed in the foreseeable future, it was decided to sell it.

The signing of the Alaska Sale Treaty took place on March 30, 1867 in Washington. An area of ​​​​1 million 519 thousand km² was sold for $ 7.2 million in gold, that is, at $ 4.74 per km² (the much more fertile and sunny French Louisiana, bought from France in 1803, cost the US budget a little more - approximately 7 dollars per km²). Alaska was finally transferred to the United States on October 18 of the same year, when Russian commissioners led by Admiral Alexei Peshchurov arrived at Fort Sitka. The Russian flag was solemnly lowered over the fort and the American one was raised. On the part of the Americans, 250 soldiers in full dress took part in this ceremony under the command of General Lavella Russo, who provided Secretary of State William Seward with a detailed report on the event. Since 1917, October 18 has been celebrated as Alaska Day.

Golden fever

New story

Since 1867, Alaska was under the jurisdiction of the US Department of War and was called "Alaska County", in 1884-1912 "district", then "territory" (1912-1959), from January 3, 1959 - US state.

recent history

Alaska was declared a state in 1959. Since 1968, various mineral resources have been exploited there, especially in the area of ​​Prudhoe Bay, southeast of Point Barrow.

In 1977, the Prudhoe Bay oil pipeline was laid to the port of Valdez.

In March 2017, the Spanish Oil Company announced its discovery: 1.2 billion barrels of oil in Alaska. The firm says it's the largest onshore find in the US in 30 years. Oil production in this region is planned for 2021. According to experts, production volumes will be up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day.

Following a referendum among the residents of the state, in 1976 a special oil fund was created, to which 25% of the funds received by the government of Alaska from oil companies are deducted and from which all permanent residents (except prisoners) receive an annual subsidy (maximum in 2008 - $ 3269 , in 2010 - $1281).

Population

Although the state is one of the least populated in the country, many new residents moved here in the 1970s, attracted by vacancies in the oil industry and in transportation, and in the 1980s the population growth was more than 36 percent.

Population of Alaska in recent decades:

• 1990 - 560,718 inhabitants;
• 2004 - 648,818 inhabitants;
• 2005 - 663,661 inhabitants;
• 2006 - 677,456 inhabitants;
• 2007 - 690,955 inhabitants.

In 2005, the population of Alaska increased by 5,906 people, or 0.9%, compared to the previous year. Compared to 2000, the population increased by 36,730 people (5.9%). This number includes natural population growth of 36,590 people (53,132 births minus 16,542 deaths) since the last census, as well as an increase due to migration of 1,181 people. Immigration from outside the United States increased the population of Alaska by 5,800 people, while internal migration decreased it by 4,619 people. The population density in Alaska is the lowest of all US states.

About 75 percent of the population is white, native to the United States. There are about 88 thousand indigenous people in the state - Indians (Atabaskans, Haida, Tlingits, Tsimshians), Eskimos and Aleuts. A small number of descendants of Russians also live in the state. Major religious groups include Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist. The share of Orthodox Christians, which according to various estimates is 8-10%, is the highest in the country.

For the past 20 years, the people of the state have traditionally voted Republican. Former Republican Governor Sarah Palin was the U.S. Vice Presidential nominee in the 2008 election under John McCain. The current governor of Alaska is Mike Dunleavy.

Languages

According to a 2011 study, 83.4% of people over the age of five speak only English at home. “Very good” English is spoken by 69.2%, “good” by 20.9%, “not very well” by 8.6%, “not spoken at all” by 1.3%.

Alaska Language Center University of Alaska Fairbanks claims that there are at least 20 Alaskan native languages ​​and also their dialects. Most of the languages ​​belong to the Eskimo-Aleut and Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit macrofamilies, but there are also isolated ones (Haida and Tsimshian).

In some places, dialects of the Russian language have been preserved: the Ninilchik dialect of the Russian language in Ninilchik (Kenai borough), as well as a dialect on Kodiak Island, and, presumably, in the village