Essential Questions

Describe the major reasons given for statehood and explain how those reasons are reflected in the Alaska State  Constitution.

Americans sometimes complain about feeling alienated from their elected officials and from the seats of power.  Is such alienation true in Alaska?  Explain, and link the explanation to Alaska's state and local governance structure.

Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act 1971 - Discuss two ways that this legislation has impacted Alaska, and two specific ways that it has impacted Alaska Natives.

Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 1980 has been supported and derided by Alaskans, both in 1980 when it was passed and today.  Describe three impacts of this landmark legislation.

Alaska Permanent Fund - $41+ billion.     It is our "rainy day account".  So, is it "raining" yet?  How hard is it raining?  Is it time to spend some of the earnings of the AK Permanent Fund to provide for state services?  What arguments would you present to legislators reluctant to confront this issue?

Pick one contemporary issue from your region and discuss - explain the issue, identify the major players and their positions.

Engage

Of all the Alaska related federal legislation over the last fifty years, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (1971) and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (1980) stand out as the most significant.  The process by which these acts eventually became law reflects the many players, diverse perspectives and agendas, and various issues of the time. The impacts are part of Alaska today; impacts which will continue far into the future.

This module will introduce ANCSA and ANILCA, and will offer a description of how these acts demonstrate the complex interplay of federal-state relations.  

Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 was the largest Native claims settlement ever reached between the U.S. government and Native Americans.  It was the result of decades of Native claims, and leaders of the movement relied on a series of federal documents, starting with 1867 Treaty of Cession, that, while not granting land title to Alaska Natives, also never specified a denial of claims. Most of the documents referred to a Congressional settlement at some point in the future.  

Early leadership was provided by  Alaska Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood (1912/1915) and other Native organizations, including tribal governments recognized under the Indian Reorganization Act of the 1930's. 

In the same year as statehood came a federal court decision in the Tlingit-Haida case, which had been working its way through the Alaska Native Brotherhood and  federal government system since 1929. While this decision provided compensation rather than land title, it lent credence to the validity of Native claims.

AK Federation of Natives Logo www.afn.org

Prudhoe Bay and TAPS AP graphic

Encroachment on traditional Native lands accelerated during and after World War II.  Alaska Natives who had served in WW II expected better treatment in the post-war years.  The civil rights movement was growing in the Lower 48.  Several events in the 1950's and 1960's propelled the movement and brought together a coalition of diverse players who, for various reasons, wanted to see the issue of Alaska Native land claims resolved. These events include, but are not limited to, the Rampart Dam project, state land selections as a result of the statehood act,   and Project Chariot.  The Tundra Times newspaper was founded in 1962 to put a spotlight on these issues, and the Alaska Federation of Natives was founded in 1966 to create one organization to represent AK Native interests to deal with Congress.   The event which proved to be a major catalyst for a land settlement was the discovery of oil on the North Slope.   A pipeline was necessary to get the oil to a port for shipment, and easements for such a pipeline were stalled by the question of who owned the land over which the pipeline would pass.  Clearly, the oil industry was anxious for a settlement.

So, what are the basics of this legislation?  One must first identify the major players and what they wanted:

federal government - resolution to issue of Native claims, tax revenue from Prudhoe Bay

state of Alaska- resolution, resumption of  state land selections, oil taxes/royalites (90%!)

 Alaska Natives- title to claimed land and compensation for any claims given up

the oil industry- resolution so pipeline construction could begin, oil and money to flow

 environmentalists - land in Alaska to be set aside and protected  

ANCSA Signed by Nixon, 12/18/71 Tundra Times 12/22/71

What did they get?  After months of intense negotiations and compromise,  ANCSA was signed by President Nixon on Dec. 18, 1971. The federal government, the state of Alaska, and the oil industry essentially got what they wanted.  Environmentalists got a promise (ANCSA Section (d) (2) )that land would be aside in the future.

 Alaska Natives?  The major provisions of ANCSA: 

43.7 million acres of land

 $962.5 million as compensation for land claims given up

 creation of regional and village corporations as vehicles for land/money distribution and management.  

The act also terminated the 1906 Native Allotment Act, revoked all reservations except for the Annette Island Reserve, and according to most interpretations, extinguished any future Native claims. 

Who could be a shareholder?  Any person who was at least 1/4 AK Native or considered Native by the village, and who was born on/before Dec. 18. 1971, and who enrolled.  These individuals received 100 shares of stock in the regional and village corporation (there are variations to this example).

Boundaries of AK Native Regional Corporations www.cr.nps.gov

The establishment of the corporations, enrollment of shareholders, selection of lands, and start up of  corporate ventures created a steep learning curve for all involved.  Congress had granted certain protections on corporate land and stock for twenty years, and in that period, it became clear that amendments to ANCSA were needed to provide flexibility for the corporations and to allow the option of extending the protections.  There were also numerous weaknesses and omissions in the original legislation.  ANCSA has been amended many times, but the most important amendments were signed in 1989 by President Reagan and allowed each corporation to make decisions regarding issuance to stock to those born after 1971, special stock for elders, rights of dissenters,  and protection of corporate assets.

Today the twelve in-state Native regional corporations and over 200 village corporations.  The regional corporations have grown and matured to become integral parts of the AK economy.  Several are consistently listed in the top corporations in the state.  They are economic drivers with varied investments and business activities, both in state and out.  The success of village corporations has varied; several have merged for greater efficiency and capital resources.

AK Native Regional Corporations - in color www.dec.alaska.gov

This very cursory overview of ANCSA is just a starting place to learn about what transpired to create the Native corporations.  Not all AK Natives supported the legislation.  Not all were fully informed at the time (recall the communications challenges).  Others became disillusioned when the defect of the act became known, or when ordinary rural residents didn't see any benefits of the act filtering down to them.  One of the greatest concerns was the potential loss of Native lands (owned by the corporation) if the corporation became insolvent.  That led to a resurgence in the 1980's of the tribal governments who often saw the tribes as a more appropriate entity for  holding the land and ensuring survival of the culture.

Explore

There are dozens of resources on this topic, varying in level of detail.

From  the AK History/Culture Studies site, read Modern Alaska:ANCSA.  There are many links on this site.  Browse as you can.

The Alaskool site provides many references.  Take a look at what is available.  Among the best for the history of ANCSA is the classic Alaska Native Land Claims book ed. by Robert D. Arnold. 

To learn about the current functioning of the Alaska Native corporations, go to the website for each.  Typically these sites include corporation history, current activities, and an archive of the annual reports.

Aleut Corporation                                              Chugach Alaska Corporation

Ahtna, Inc.                                                         Cook Inlet Region Inc.

Arctic Slope Regional Corp.                               Doyon, Limited                  

Bering Straits Native Corporation                       Koniag, Inc.

Bristol Bay Native Corporation                           NANA Regional Corporation

Calista Corporation                                            Sealaska Corp.

13th Regional Corporation (formed 1975 for AK Natives living out of Alaska - given money but no land. This corporation has struggled and is under investigation. There is no current website.)

Alaskans Protest Against President Carter and ANILCA ca. 1978 www.pbs.org/nationalparks

Welcome  

No matter where you are, we're glad you're here!

You have arrived at the Explore Alaska! A Natural and Cultural History course blog. This course is offered though the ASDN and APU, and is supported in part by WGBH, NSF, and the AKHF.  

Click Here to learn more about this unique online course; Otherwise, read on:


Making Connections

History is about connections. The more we can question and understand Alaska history, the better we can question, understand and come to know ourselves. 

        Northwestern America Territory Ceded by Russia to U.S. 1880
ASL-G4370-1880.M4-MapCase

Consider the many diverse connections in Alaska. Perhaps between gold mining and railroads. Reindeer and whales. Healthcare and education. Logging and fishing. The Civil War and whaling. 

Or consider the connections between climate change and human migration. Mining and immigration.  World War II and statehood. Tourism and ocean transport. Subsistence lifestyle and the federal government. 

How are any and all of these issues connected? And what are the reasons we should care?

You are about to embark on a learning experience that will provide an opportunity to learn about Alaska’s human and natural landscapes while using digital tools to acquire, synthesize, and share information.   

It is recognized by the course authors that participants in this course represent diverse disciplines and areas of teaching certification, varied teaching and living situations, and have varied interests and reasons for taking this course.  This presents both opportunities and challenges, and has influenced the course format and approach to the content.  

First and foremost, this course provides an introduction, a survey, of Alaska. The intent of the authors is that teachers taking this course will acquire basic content knowledge and digital communication skills that will serve them well in their classrooms and communities. 

An even greater goal of the authors is that this course becomes a point of entry for a long-term interest in and study of Alaska.  The benefits for the participant are both personal and professional.   

Oil Well Drilling Platform in Cook Inlet
Alaska Purchase Centennial Oct. 18, 1967
AMRC-wws-4560-10

Why? Alaska needs citizens knowledgeable, interested, and active.  Significant issues facing Alaska, from land management and natural resource use to creating sustainable economies to health /welfare issues all require the input of critical thinking citizens.  

There are few settings where one vote makes a difference is more true than in Alaska. As such, individuals here carry a greater personal responsibility for knowing and acting in the best interests of the environment and of the society. 

It's Not Just A Good Idea...

For all teachers, there is also a  professional obligation to come to know about the home of their students.  Home in this case is Alaska.  Effective teachers strive to know and honor the cultural background of their students; background in the broadest and most inclusive context. Students and their parents of any culture, in any community, show greater respect and support for those teachers who understand and act on this obligation.

Also, by becoming a student of Alaska's places and people, the teacher, as a participant in this course, is at the same time modeling what should be a goal for the students in his/her own classroom. 

It's The Law

Several years ago, the Alaska State Legislature and the Alaska Department of Education/Early Development enacted a requirement that Alaska students acquire fundamental knowledge about this unique place that we call home.  

"Next Door to Nature"  Pt. Barrow, AK   1968

AMRC-b85-27-904

However, the mandate that teachers and students acquire knowledge about this great state is more than just another legislative hoop through which to jump.  It is hoped and expected that the teacher-participant in this course is naturally motivated to pursue greater knowledge and understanding of the places and people where they live and learn.

Alongside the knowledge, skills and resources discovered and applied throughout this course, the authors hope each participant finds his/her own inspiration and passion for history.

As the well-known American historian David McCullough responded when asked, “Why study history?”, he said simply, “For the pleasure that it brings.”  Indeed.

Alaska Native Family - early 1900's
Southeast Alaska    ASL-P300-056

Connections Theme

This is a survey course.  So, how does one learn enough content in a survey course to walk away with a sense of the Alaska’s natural landscape and the history?  How can the experience of this course become more that an accumulation of unrelated facts which serve only a limited purpose?  

The answer is to weave the data together into a construct which can be applied in and out the classroom and which leads to higher order thinking.  No fact of history occurs in isolation, and understanding that the fact has a cause (reason) and an effect (result) provides the student of history with a way to examine historical influences over time and space.   It allows for a chronological narrative and a way to identify patterns and forces in human behaviors that can guide future behaviors.

Eskimo Scouts Receive Awards from Gov.
 Egan early 1960's UAF-1985-120-47

The course participant will be asked to apply the  cause/effect theme throughout the course.   All of the content is linked; all of it is connected.  

Think cause/effect (reason-result) in each module, and gradually, links will emerge and the facts will begin to associate into an ever more meaningful whole.  At that point, one can move beyond mere recall and begin to analyze the material.  Understanding will begin.

Resources 

The resources for this course are all available online and are free.   Follow this link to the categorized list of resources accessed throughout this course; there is considerable overlap across categories.  This list is certainly not exhaustive, but includes some of the most helpful and well regarded sites.   The sites include both primary and secondary sources.  

Among the most valuable sites are the Teachers’ Domain and the Alaska History and Culture Studies. Created by WBGH Public Television, TD is an enormous library of free digital resources designed especially for educators.

AH&CS is the product of a curriculum project launched in 2003 by the Alaska Humanities Forum with federal funding obtained by Senator Ted Stevens. Permission was obtained to include the site for this online course, making this valuable resource available to a wider audience of educators.

The course participant will independently find more online sources. Standard evaluation skills should be applied to determine the validity and accuracy of each site.   As will be discovered, there are many, many websites about Alaska   of varying quality.  Course participants are reminded to critically analyze each source.   Participants are encouraged to share any quality online source with others in their blog.

While the online resources list represents the best available within the digital domain, it is important to note that there are very significant Alaska resources that are not yet digitized.  The student of Alaska's natural and human history should have this awareness, and for future learning, also seek access to resources available in various formats.

Juneau Boat Harbor     

 ASL-Juneau-Boat Harbors

Curiosity Required

The course participant should carefully consider the essential questions for the course and the guiding questions provided in each module.  The course authors ask the participants to think,  ask questions, look for the links (causes and effects) that connect various elements of Alaska's rich history.

Participants are encouraged to be curious and to be passionate about the content, and to come to care for the numerous characters of Alaska history, as their stories will become part of the fabric of the each individual Alaska experience.  

Anchorage, Crossroads of the Air - sign at 
Anchorage International Airport 1962     
AMRC-b63-14-18

Digital Timeline

As a final project, course participants will create their own digital timeline demonstrating various connections between cause-effect relationships of two or more aspects of Alaska natural and cultural history - which are set in a time and place, are historically accurate, and reveal connections which contribute to a deeper level of understanding

Click Here to read more about the Final Project.

Musings

To the participant: Here are a couple of visualizations that may help with what may feel, at times, like an overwhelming amount of content.

Think of Alaska history as a zigsaw puzzle with hundreds of pieces (or thousands!).  Each piece is a distinct piece of information, but in the box there is just a jumble of pieces.  In this course you will begin to assemble the puzzle.  

First, consider the border pieces.  Those you will find in Module II as you learn the natural history – the “place” and the forces that have shaped the Alaska environment.  Make sense?  Everything in human history occurs in a time and place.  Then you will start to fill in the puzzle with pieces that at times don’t seem to connect to anything, but gradually you will find matching pieces and the attachments, the linkages, will begin.   

By the end of the course, will the puzzle be complete?  No, there is much more to learn, and history is ever evolving.  But, if you keep in mind the theme of cause/effect and interconnectedness, the pieces, as you pick them up, will become easier and easier to place. Not only that, but your puzzle will be unique, representing your interpretations and understandings.

If the puzzle idea doesn’t work for you, try this.  Alaska history is a “fabric” made up of  warp threads and weft threads.  Each thread represents a fact, or an understanding.  Your learning of Alaska history is the weaving of the fabric.  As each thread is woven under and over, connections are made and understanding grows. The threads are multi-colored and the fabric is patterned which may represent different groups, cycles, historical periods.  As the fabric grows, it becomes stronger and more dense.  At the end of the course, there will still be holes in the fabric; the holes represent knowledge yet to be learned and events yet to occur.

What's Next?

Now that you have an overview of this course, you may want to explore its calendar, structure, syllabus and technology requirements in more detail.  You'll find links to helpful information under the Course Protocols menu in the upper right corner of this blog. 

Welcome aboard!  Let's go Explore Alaska!