Distance Learning

The transfer of Alaska from the hands of Imperial Russia to the United States represents a major turning point in the history of Alaska, the United States, and Russia. Given that the transfer ceremony took place in Sitka, in what was then the Russian city of New Archangel, our park is uniquely suited to educate students about the growth and change of Russian America and the myriad of social, economic, and military changes that occurred in both the Unite States and Russia.

Activities for children to learn about sea otters in Alaska.

The Fur trade, as well as the trade of other natural goods and resources, was a significant driver in the European settlement of North America. Between the French and the British, North American became divided over the issue of fur hunting, trapping, and trading- with Native Americans becoming caught in the middle of these European nations. The same is true in Alaska.

For nearly 70 years, the Russian American company oversaw a colonial empire from their seat of power in the Russian colony of New Archangel- but founding a colony on the native land of the Tlingit people was no simple task. In this robust, place-based distance learning program, come the Battles of 1802 and 1804 that occurred right here in Sitka, while discussing important historical themes like conflict, colonization, and the rights of indigenous peoples.

How and why Russians came to and settled in Alaska is not only important for understanding Alaskan history, but also contains themes necessary for students to understand important historical ideas/concepts like trade, colonialism, and the rights of indigenous peoples. In addition, the efforts of Russian and other non-Alaskan native fur hunters had severe scientific, environmental, and cultural effects on this region and its indigenous peoples.