Wikibooks: History of Alaska/Russian Alaska (1780-1867)

• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Subjects: Okhotsk; Kamchatka; Alaska; Siberia
• Online Access: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/History_of_Alaska/Russian_Alaska_(1780-1867)

=Introduction= Russian Alaska was the name given to Russian owned lands in North America during the years 1780 1867. Debates over who first discovered the land have been integral to the politics of Russian Alaska since its settlement. The first Russian settlements are most often dated to the seventeenth century. After the discovery of Alaska news returned to Russia of resources available in America. A sort of “fur fever” began and a stream of Russian fur traders and Siberian merchants traveled to Russian America to take part. Fur trade companies quickly followed supported by the Russian government. The companies sought to turn Russian Alaska into a commercialized and useful territory for the empire. Russian Alaska in this period was marked by instability and uncertainty regarding control of the territorial claims in America. Russia struggled to rule the far reaches of their empire and took a variety of actions to attempt to strengthen their authority in Alaska. The Russian American Company was created to control Alaska while the Russian Orthodox Church was sent to civilize the Indigenous Alaskans. Both powers had distinct and lasting impacts on the native populations in Alaska. = Russian Exploration in Alaska = Early Russian exploration into Alaska began in 1725 with the Kamchatka Expedition. This exploration mission was led by Vitus Bering who originally left from St. Petersburg. He traveled North through Siberia and the Sea of Okhotsk to determine if there was a separation between Asia and America. Bering was largely unsuccessful until 1741 when he eventually discovered Alaska. This discovery would establish an early Russian claim to Alaskan lands. Unlike the British the Russians were primarily concerned with the increasing capabilities of European empires and were intent on modernizing and expanding their lagging empire. Subsequently this was also the focus of the Spanish during the late eighteenth century which increased tensions surrounding territorial claims and sovereignty. Not only did the Russians ...