Alaska The Last Frontier

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<a href="https://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm">Denali National Park</a> Denali National Park is in Central Alaska and you can hike on many trails and spot over 200 species of animals. Denali National Park is known for its huge amount of wilderness you can view there and for the famous mountain: Denali! Denali itself is formerly known as Mt. Mckinley. It is the tallest mountain in Alaska. This National Park was in fact made as a wildlife preserve. It helps protect over 200 species of animals living there and 1500. These plants and animals help make the stunning view of Denali. There are over 600,000 people each year who visit this breathtaking view. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm">Glacier National Park</a> At Glacier National Park you can go on many hikes to see and feel massive glaciers. There are more than 65 trails you can hike on that in total cover 700 miles! There are 25 glaciers that are on the trails covering over a million acres of land! Over 3 MILLION people visit Glacier National Park every year!

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1776 - British explorer Captain James Cook makes contact with Alaskan natives while searching for the Northwest passage.

1728 - Danish explorer Vitus Bering discovered the Bering Strait.

1867 - Alaska is purchased from Russia by the United States for $7.2 million.

1741 - Vitus Bering returns and explores the Alaskan coastline.&nbsp;

1784 - The Russians establish a permanent settlement on Kodiak Island.&nbsp;

1872 - Gold is discovered in Alaska.

This is a street in Kitchkian. This is a street in Skagway

All these tribes lived in villages made of mostly dirt. They also all hunted caribou, musk ox, bowhead whales, and even seals. To show respect to the animals they made masks in their shapes. They carved hunting charms out of seal tusks. Men hunted and maintained jobs, women did house work, and made clothes. Tribes play traditional games like knuckle hop. But, the foreigners didn’t care about these.&nbsp;Although Alaska’s history tells a lot, this is only a part of Alaska.

This is the type of houses the Natives lived in.

Alaska’s land is a vital part of it. According to the book Alaska the Last Frontier by John Hamilton "Alaska covers 665,400 sqaure miles" and it is covered mostly by snow. Most of this snow goes to the rivers, lakes, and streams. To be more specific, the 3000 rivers and 3 million lakes in Alaska. Some of these rivers are the Great Yukon, and the Kuskowim. But, a more important waterflow is the Bering Strait. The Bering Strait connects to Siberia in Russia and Alaska, and it's only 50 miles wide! Some other important landmarks on the map are the Aleutian Islands that were originally inhabited by the Aluet tribe. It is located around the Alaska Peninsula. Farther out West is the Attu and Kiska Islands. They were the islands that got captured by Japan during World War II in 1942. There are also some huge mountains in Alaska. The book Alaska by John Hamilton stated that "The ten highest moutains in the United States are all found in Alaska." For example, Mt. Mckinley. Mt. Mckinley is also known as Denali, it is located in Denali National Park. This mountain is the tallest mountain in Alaska, it is 20,320 feet (6,194 meters) tall! But, speaking of mountains, Alaska is the most volcanic place in the US. It has 130 volcanoes, which is more than Hawaii! But, something more incredible is that you can drive into the Arctic in Alaska because a third of Alaska is in the Arctic. As you can see, Alaska is a large, prosperous land.

Fun Fact! Did you know that Alaska is surrounded by three different bodies of water (Arctic Ocean, Bering Strait, and the Pacific Ocean)?

1897 - The Klondike Gold Rush begins. People rush to Alaska in hopes of striking it rich.

1912 - Alaska becomes U.S. territory.

1959 - Alaska becomes a U.S. state.&nbsp;

1977 - The Trans-Alaskan Pipeline is completed to help transport oil to the coastline. Over 16 billion barrels of oil have been shipped since its opening.

1900 - Juneau becomes the capital of Alaska.&nbsp;

1942 - Two of the Aleutian Islands are captured by Japan. The U.S. retakes the islands in 1943.

1964 - A huge earthquake hits Alaska destroying some cities and heavily damaging Anchorage.&nbsp;

Alaska is a cold, dry land but still packs many surprises. Exactly how cold? According to Alaska the Last Frontier written by John Hamilton, "On Jan, 23, 1987 at Prospect Creek the thermometer dived to a bone-chilling -80F(-62C)!" But, the warmest place is at the Fort Yukon with an average of 100F(38C) during the summer. Though all of Alaska's climate is freezing, Alaska’s seasons are more amazing! Alaska has short Winters that end during the noon, and long Summers that go up to midnight. This is how Alaska got its other nickname: the Land of the Midnight Sun. Though all this makes you think of when you could sleep, Alaska also has a very intriguing amount of precipitation. It has an annual average of 31 inches of precipitation. The wettest place in Alaska is Kitchkian, it gets a whopping 140-160 inches of precipitation. But, the driest place is Skagway, it only gets 1.78 inches of precipitation per year! To sum it up, all of this weather and rain benefits the plants and animals in Alaska, aiding them to grow and prosper.

Fun Fact Alaska has the coldest tempature in the whole US!

<a href="bookcreator://page/gzydR1aaTqunZdWS2DrAXw">Introduction........................ 2</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/yne8kDhmSqeu8QoloPV_WQ">Native Americans.............. 3</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/sJXA2d-oQ5WDIawvLGScZQ">History.................................. 5</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/AQ4xOkS7Q7KWSu2oJrkKOw">Timeline................................ 7</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/O8wV-1GDST6Fy3Cg2zr_Ng">Geography........................... 9</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/ZHV3zjcSQP6hbUR_hoNBXg">Climate................................. 10</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/Zpq_vP0tTV6iPWLX0NDIiQ">Animal Life........................... 13</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/q3lOnBNMQ2uy3pY0kHiE5w">Plant Life.............................. 14</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/AJGC_rdkS2Goz2ZkhaP7aA">Must See Sights.................. 15</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/uGw4OlLQQ4uaSt89jtNYKw">State Symbols...................... 16</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/q0GOC_sSRXekyjHlB8OsmQ">Conclusion............................ 19</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/kCsoENTCS-Wxh8iqeVFVxQ">About the Author................ 20</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/b3rZL0z5Rd2nTphyZgpebA">Bibliography ........................ 21</a>

Thanks to Lizette for helping me make this book!

Thanks to Dan Amos for making book creator and making this possible!

Special Thanks to: Lizette Gianfortone and Dan Amos for making this book possible!

Alaska has many exotic animal life. Specifically animal species such as eagles, grizzlies, polar bears, salmon,&nbsp;lynz, dall sheep, wolverines, arctic foxes, and mountain goats. In total, Alaska has over 1000 species of animals! Let’s start with eagles. There are thousands of eagles in Alaska, they hunt many animals large and small. They are mostly solitary animals that like to live by themselves. The most common type of eagle is the bald eagle. They have razor claws that scratch the flesh of their prey and sharp beaks that tear the prey’s meat into small pieces. Eagles also have huge powerful wings that help them soar through the sky. All these adaptations help them live in this harsh, cold land. During the freezing winter eagles gather by the thousands near the Chilkat river near Haines. They feed on fish that have come to reproduce. These birds are sure tough! But, some other animals also eat salmon. The grizzly bears! These bears are Alaska’s largest land predator. They normally stay close to rivers to be able to hunt for fish whenever it’s necessary. Alaska’s famous Kodiak bear can weigh as much as 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms)! But, grizzlies aren’t the only type of bear. Polar bears also live in Alaska, but mostly in the arctic regions. They live on sea ice and normally hunt ringed seals. You can find them swimming in the Arctic Ocean and the Bering Strait. What’s more shocking is that moose are very commonly found, literally. In fact, you can sometimes find them walking down the street! But you might not want to annoy a full grown bull moose that weighs 1,600 pounds (726 kilograms). Overall, these animals all have adapted to this land, but Alaska isn’t just animals…

Fun Fact! The biggest fish caught in Alaska was in the Kenai river, weighing 97 pounds and 4 ounces.

Bibliography

This is some boring stuff I had to put in.

This is a construction site in Prospect Creek.

Say hello to the Last Frontier!

    Imagine the snow underfoot getting plowed through your path. Envision tall evergreen trees towering over you. Feel the soft, freezing snow on the ground. Listen to the sounds of birds calling, snow crunching, and the steady flow of your visible breath. Look at the light snow and the green trees. You can practically see the Native Americans that once roamed this land. Hundreds of years of ancient history is right underfoot. You can see and feel the exotic land formations of this arctic tundra. It’s climate is cold and dry, freezing you to the tip of your toes. Although this environment is unforgiving, animals and plants still live to thrive in this forever cold place. This, is Alaska.

Kevin P. Su was born in Sydney, Australia on 2011 May 15. He currently lives in Pleasanton, California in the US. On a normal basis he likes to play his saxophone and playing athletic games with his friends. During the morning he goes to Fairlands Elementary where he is a fifth grader. In the afternoon he loves playing games with his friends. At nightime, he likes reading books.

<a href="https://www.explorefairbanks.com/">Fairbanks</a> In Fairbanks, far up in the north, you can see the aurora. Where there is no artificial lighting, on clear days during the middle of the night you’ll be able to see this amazing specimen. There are many colors of the aurora but you will most likely see just green. In Fairbanks, there are also ice sculptures and ice sculpting competitions!&nbsp; <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/chugach/">Chugach National Forest</a> The Chugach National Forest is a forest preserved by Alaska with various plants and animals. It also has the state flower widely spread around the region: the Forget-me -not. <a href="https://www.traveljuneau.com/">Juneau</a> Juneau is also a perfect spot to visit because the gold rush started there! There are also museums for this famous event. You can also go to a glacier spotting in Juneau and spot some interesting wildlife.

The Last Frontier By Kevin Su

Good bye to The Last Frontier!

Imagine looking up at the dark sky. Spotting the streams of light dancing through the clouds. While watching, think about the ancestors of this ever freezing land. Look ahead at the snowy peaks that are covered in what seems like glazed snow. These ancestors have traveled through this harsh land and survived throughout history. They survived through the harsh climate, the land that gives no mercy, and the people who have conquered this very land. Now you can feel what they felt. You can see what they saw. To sum it all up, this adventure is an adventure you can’t miss. This is Alaska, The Last Frontier.

Alaska has many plants in its snowy land. In fact, in the book Alaska the Last Frontier it states "About 99 percent of Alaska is wilderness." Some of these plants are mosses, lichens, herbs, and shrubs. There are also many trees, specifically the state tree: the Spitka tree. Though the Spitka spruce is the state tree, there are also many other wonderful trees such as spruce trees, birch, aspen, tamarack, and the balsam. Let's talk more about the Spitka spruce tree. The Sitka spruce is a large coniferous (meaning a type of evergreen tree that uses cones to produce seeds) evergreen tree that can grow up to 100 meters (330 feet) tall. Its trunk can grow as large as 5 meters wide! The Stika spruce tree is the fifth largest conifer tree in the world and the third tallest conifer tree in the world. However, there is also another state plant: The Forget-Me-Not! The Forget-Me-Not is a type of flowering plant (Myosotis scorpioides) that has tall hairy stems that can grow up to 2 feet or more! This small, delicate flower has five indigo petals with a white surrounding and a yellow center. The Forget-Me-Not normally thrives near bodies of water like brooks and streams that provide humidity and moisture to this flower. When the seeds are ready, they leave the plant and try to settle in a shady area with lots of water. This plant can spread far and wide and is commonly found in Chugach National Forest. To sum it up, plants are an important part to Alaska, it gives it its natural glamor and gives its surroundings life.

Alaska has a long history through good and bad, it all starts from the Russians. To start, in 1741 a Russian fleet maintained by Vitus Bering(the Bering Strait was named after him) spotted the Alaska mainland. They settled on Kayak Island and claimed it for theirs. Though they just landed, they had to battle the Tlingit tribe and other native tribes there. The rest of them were either enslaved or diagnosed with smallpox brought by the foreigners.The Russians traveled there mostly for the abundant amount of animal life there and hunted for their furs. Because of this, more and more foreigners moved in and hunted for animals and other jobs they could do there. Eventually, the Americans saw this, they wanted this land for not only its animals and plants, but also for its mines. As a result, the Secretary of the State Willam Seward suggested buying the state though some people laughed at him saying Alaska was just a frozen wasteland. Though getting jeered at, in 1867 The US bought Alaska for $7.2 million.

Fun Fact! Did you know that there is an <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/alaska-day">Alaska day </a>that is celebrated every October 18th?

State Flag: A blue flag with a big dipper on it. Made in 1889 by Benny Benson. State Animal: Moose Declared in 1998 and declared by Governor Tony Knowles. State Bird: Willow Ptarmigan Declared in 1955 by a school.

Fun Fact! Benny Benson was only 13 years old when he drew the flag!

My nice table group that helped me make this book!

&nbsp;This was a turned out to be great deal for the US because it turned out that not only were there vast amounts of animals and plants, there were also huge quantities of gold in Alaska. At first they found gold in what was called Harrisburg then, but in 1881 it was renamed as Juneau (the state capital) because Joseph Juneau and Richard Harris were the first to find the gold there. Subsequently, gold rush had started, thousands of miners came and struck rich. A few decades later the World Wars started. World War I (1914-1918) wasn’t a big deal, but World War II (1939-1945) was a serious time for Alaska. When Japan (Axis) bombed Pearl Harbor, The US (Allies) declared war on Japan. They used Alaska as a military supply road. This was bad news for Alaska because Japan was very close to Alaska. As expected, in 1942 Japan captured the Attu and Kiska Islands. A year later, the US reclaimed their land. Soon after the war, Alaska (the 49th state)had finally officially became part of US territory in 1959, also the same year Hawaii became a state. But soon, they had found something more valuable than gold, it was “black gold!” It means petroleum or oil. It was found in Prudhoe Bay in 1968. An oil pipe opened in 1977. It carried millions of gallons of oil to the port of Valdez. Meanwhile, Alaksan Natives fought for their rights and claimed back millions of acres of land in 1971. Today most of Alaska is protected by the National WildLife Refuge. To conclude, Alaska has taken a long way to become our state.

Fun Fact! Alaska has no sales tax.

State Flower: Forget-Me-Not Declared in 1913 by Esther Birdsall. State Tree: Sitka Spruce Declared in 1962 by the Government. State Motto: North to the Future Declared in 1967 by Richard Peter.

Native Americans are part of our culture, they are the indegineous people of our land. Beginning with the five main tribes: the Inuipiat, the Inuit, the Haidi, the Yuit, and the Athascanban. The Inuipiat mostly lived in the Aluetian islands. The Inuit and Haidi tribes lived along the southeastern coast. The Yuit lived in the Northern part of Alaska. The Athascanban&nbsp;lived in the central part of Alaska.

These are pictures of the Native Americans.

Fun Fact! Did you know that 20.4% of Alaska's population is made of Native Americans? (<a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/state-by-state/alaska-population-change-between-census-decade.html">2020 census</a>)

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