Module 4-Russian America

Examine: Why were the Russians interested in Alaska?

Of the European countries, the Russians were the first  explorers of the Northern Pacific .   They heard of the  land beyond Siberia from the Yupik settlers who traveled  between Siberia and Alaska over a temporary narrow strip of  land that is now under water. They came to Alaska and waters around Alaska in search of power and commercial  opportunities.  Later they realized commercial gain by exploiting the natural  resources, especially fur bearing land and sea animals.  Sometimes they treated the Natives fairly, but often they   exploited them. They forced Aleut hunters to trap and  hunt for them and then took the furs  with little compensation given to the Aleuts.  Although the  Aleuts initially resisted they soon succumbed to the  Russians because of their superior fire power.  Sometimes the Siberian Russians came to trade with the  fur trappers and later sold to the Chinese, making a large  profit while the Native trappers barely survived. Other industries such as boat building and farming sprang  up to support the fur trading industry.  The boats helped  to ship the furs far and wide while the farming cut down  on the costs of shipping food into Alaska.  from http://www.pbs.org/harriman/1899/exploration.html Kodiak Island became the center of Russian farming.   Later they grew potatoes and cabbage in Sitka and  the Kenai Peninsula.  Lumber also became an important  industry.  Some of it was shipped out but most was used  to build boats right in Alaska. Most of the ship building was done in Kodiak and Sitka.   Many boats were built and repaired there.  American artisans  worked for the Russian ship builders.  Later the Russians  bought boats from further South because they found the oak  and pine to be much more durable and long-lasting than  fir and cedar found in Alaska. The Russians also attempted brick-making, ice making,  fish exporting and coal mining with more or less success.   There is little evidence of these enterprises  left in Alaska. Essential: What is the legacy of the  Russian colonization of Alaska? There were never very many Russians in Alaska, around 1,000 during the peak, but they were a forceful presence.  They  explored the coastlines and waterways, but not much of the  interior of Alaska.  They adapted Native clothing, food and shelters out of  necessity. The Natives welcomed the Russians introduction of iron  to Alaska which the Natives used in making tools.  Natives also traded for firearms and cannons. The  Russians also brought with them to Alaska animal drawn  sleighs and wagons as well as simple machinery and steam, water and wind power. Before the Russians came to Alaska, Natives had a relatively  peaceful society in which they worked together and lived  in harmony.  The Russians brought with them disease and distrust of white people because they often treated the  Natives unfairly.  Because the Russians had fire power they could force the Natives to work for them and do things they didn't necessarily want to do.  The Russians didn't always respect the culture, but at times such as when they were unable to feed themselves they had to accept  Native ways of doing things to survive. Not all Russians treated the Natives poorly. Notably some of  the missionaries from the Russian Orthodox Church helped and defended the Natives. Ioann Veniaminov , the first  Orthodox bishop taught the Natives carpentry and brick  laying and helped to vaccinate them against small pox. The Russian Orthodox church had a major influence on  Alaska Native cultures.  There are still many churches in  much of Southeast Alaska as well as smaller villages in  Southwest and South central.  The language, customs and rituals have survived in Alaska. St Micheal's Cathedral, Sitka, Alaska

Evaluation:This was an interesting chapter in Alaska's
history.  New arrivals coming into a country unfortunately
almost always exploit the natural resources and Native
populations.  It was good to read about some Russians
who helped the people. 
On the technical side, I don't know how to set the margins on my blog so I had to manually get the type in the right
place.
 

Blogs I have visited: 

Brenda's Alaska Blog  has beautiful pictures of mountain ranges and volcanoes.  She addressed how natural systems influence cultural systems and understanding the relationship helps her to understand the lives of Native peoples.

There are beautiful pictures of Southeast Alaska in My Cove and Beyond.  The author talks about water and its cycles in her environment and the relationship between natural and cultural systems.
In Diane's Awareness through Adventure blog she talks about the resilience of the Natives and their ability to survive the harsh treatment of the Russians.