Prehistory of Alaska facts for kids
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| History of Alaska |
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| Prehistory |
| Russian America (1733–1867) |
| Department of Alaska (1867–1884) |
| District of Alaska (1884–1912) |
| Territory of Alaska (1912–1959) |
| State of Alaska (1959–present) |
| Other topics |
Imagine a time long, long ago, when the land we now call Alaska looked very different! It was a place where the first people arrived in North America. These early adventurers, called Paleolithic people, traveled from Asia across a land bridge that connected the two continents. This land bridge, known as Bering Land Bridge, appeared when sea levels were much lower. Scientists think they arrived between 40,000 and 15,000 years ago, with the most likely time being less than 20,000 years ago.
At first, a huge sheet of ice blocked their way further into North America. But then, during the last ice age (called the Wisconsin glaciation), the ice melted a bit, opening a path through northwestern Canada. This allowed groups of people to spread out across the rest of the continent. Over time, Alaska became home to many different groups, including the Inuit and various Native American peoples. Even before Europeans arrived, these groups traded with people from Asia and tribes further south.
Today, we group these early Alaskans into several main families. These include the Southeastern Coastal Native Americans (like the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian), the Athabascans, the Aleut, and the two main groups of Eskimos: the Inupiat and the Yup'ik. Each group had its own unique way of life, adapted to the different parts of Alaska they called home.
Contents
Coastal Native Americans: Life by the Sea
The Coastal Native Americans were likely among the first people to cross the Bering Land Bridge into Alaska. Many of them first settled in inland Canada before moving to the coast. The Tlingit were the largest group. By the time Europeans arrived, they lived along most of the coastal Panhandle. The Haida settled the southern part of Prince of Wales Island. They came from the Queen Charlotte Islands in Canada. Later, the Tsimshian moved to Alaska from British Columbia.
These coastal people were great travelers and traders. The Tlingit would journey over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) south to trade with other Native peoples in the Pacific Northwest. They didn't use money like we do today. Instead, they traded valuable items such as slaves, copper, and blankets. These blankets were made from red cedar bark, dog hair, and goat hair.
Respecting Nature and Sharing Wealth
The Coastal Native Americans deeply respected nature. They believed that fish and animals willingly gave themselves to humans. So, they worked hard to honor the animals' sacrifice. For example, they believed that the bones of a salmon should always be returned to the river. This was so the fish could be reborn. If the bones were not returned, the fish might be reborn with problems and refuse to come back to that river.
Their society had a complex system of owning things. Some items were private, like tools and food made by a household. But most things, like names, land, stories, and buildings, belonged to the whole clan.
Wealth and status were very important to the Tlingit and Haida. A high-ranking person would show their wealth by holding a special ceremony called a potlatch. During a potlatch, the host would give away or even destroy many of their possessions. They might also invite guests to eat all their food. This was a way of "paying back" guests who had helped them in the past. People who received gifts at one potlatch would later host their own potlatch. This helped confirm their social standing and respect. Potlatches also included sharing family histories, passing down important titles, and making offerings to ancestors.
Art and Storytelling
The mild climate and rich resources of the Panhandle gave Coastal Native Americans time for fun activities, travel, and trade. They created amazing art, music, and stories. Their traditions helped them remember their family histories and clan stories accurately.
Their painted designs often featured fish, animals, and mythical creatures. They used bold colors like black and red in special patterns. They decorated everything: tools, household items, clothes, masks, canoes, and ritual objects. These designs often showed who owned the item. The famous totem poles were carved at great effort and cost. They told myths, honored people who had passed away, and showed how wealthy the owners were.
Athabascan Native Americans: Hunters of the Interior
The Athabascan Native Americans lived in the interior of Alaska. They were skilled hunters and inland fishermen. Most lived in small groups that moved around a lot, following the many rivers in the region. Being strong and having great endurance were highly valued. They often chased game animals on foot until they were tired.
Athabascans caught salmon and hunted rabbits, caribou, and bear. They used snares, clubs, spears, and bows and arrows. Sometimes, there wasn't enough food, and famine was common. Because they moved around a lot and hunted on foot, good footwear was essential. They designed light and flexible snowshoes made from birch wood and animal rawhide.
They used birch bark from the forests to make canoes, containers, sleds, and cradles for babies. Their clothes were made from animal hides. They decorated these clothes with porcupine quills colored with natural dyes.
Community Life and Leadership
Some Athabascan groups had permanent villages in winter and summer camps for fishing. Most groups were small, made up of a few families. Leaders were usually strong warriors or skilled hunters.
Athabascans also held potlatches. These ceremonies marked important events like a death or a child's first successful hunt. They also happened before a marriage. People who wanted to become leaders were expected to host very memorable potlatches. At these events, the host would give away all their belongings. Then, they would prove their skill by providing for themselves and their family for a whole year without any outside help.
Aleuts: Masters of the Islands
The Aleuts settled the Aleutian Islands about 10,000 years ago. Their island home gave them easy access to fishing. But they also faced challenging weather, strong earthquakes, and volcanos.
They had many ways to catch fish, including fish spears, weirs (fish traps), nets, hooks, and lines. They used different darts, nets, and harpoons to hunt sea lions and sea otters. Whales were usually hunted with a poisoned, stone-bladed lance. Women and children gathered shellfish along the beaches when the tide was low. They also collected berries and other plants in the hills.
Aleut women are still famous for their amazing basketry and sewing skills. They could weave grasses into baskets that held water. They also sewed seal gut into waterproof raincoats, perfect for the open ocean.
Society and Travel
Aleut society had three main groups:
- Honorables: These were respected whalers and elders.
- Common people: The majority of the population.
- Slavery|Slaves: People who were owned by others.
When an honorable person died, their body was sometimes mummified. Sadly, slaves were sometimes killed to honor the deceased.
The Aleuts used special one- and two-person skin kayaks. The Russians called these "baidarkas" or "bidarkas." These boats were so well designed that they became the model for modern fiberglass kayaks! They are the smallest ocean-going boats made by humans. They could travel long distances in some of the most dangerous seas. The Russians later asked for three-person baidarkas so they could ride as passengers. These "three-hole" baidarkas were then used by the Aleuts for long-distance travel and trade.
Eskimos: Adapting to the Arctic
The Eskimos are probably the Native group most people outside Alaska know about. They were originally divided into two main groups:
To survive the cold, Eskimos stored food for the winter. A hunter always shared a fresh kill equally among the community. A person's status in the village was based on how good they were at hunting. Eskimo villages were chosen partly based on where they could find food easily. People on the Arctic coast relied on seals, walruses, and whales. Inland Eskimos ate caribou, birds, and other small animals. They also gathered eggs, berries, and roots. They ate wild greens fresh or stored them in skin containers.
Boats, Clothing, and Art
Eskimos used large open boats called umiaks and smaller kayaks to hunt big sea mammals. Both types of boats were made from a driftwood frame covered with tightly sewn seal skins. For winter travel, they used sleds pulled by dog teams. In the summer, dogs carried packs.
Women were skilled at basketry and sewing. They stitched and fitted waterproof clothes made from animal intestine and fish skins. Their everyday clothing, including trousers, boots, and coats, was sewn from skins and fur. Sometimes, these clothes had complex geometric designs. The coats, called parkas, had an attached hood and a ruff of wolf or bear fur to keep them warm.
Eskimos were famous for their carvings, especially small ivory pieces. In early times, they decorated household items and weapons. Using wood, bone, baleen, walrus ivory, and fossil mammoth tusks, Eskimos made dishes, knives, oil lamps, small sculptures, and game pieces. They also carved snowgoggles out of wood or ivory. These goggles had only small slits to look through. This protected their eyes from the bright glare of snow and ice. Today, you can find copies of the ulu (a special women's knife) in most Alaskan tourist shops.
