Alaska - a peninsula that is characterized by a cold climate.Summers are very short, but there are enough warm days.The winter period is characterized by a very severe frosts.But this does not frighten living a long time in the land of the Aleuts and Eskimos and Indians apataski, Heidi and tinklitov.Alaska - it's incredibly beautiful place.There are clear lakes with cold water, long rivers, snow-capped mountains of amazing beauty, endless fields and tundra.Such views were opened before the first explorers who very strongly moved deep into the peninsula.So who is open Alaska?
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There is the basic version of the discovery of Alaska and on who first set foot on it, but there are numerous other options.However, confirmation of other versions do not exist.
So who discovered Alaska?Vitus Bering Ionassen - a famous sailor, an officer of the Russian navy, born August 12, 1681 in Denmark, but the soul always belonged to Russia.It is considered the discoverer of Alaska.In 1741 the famous explorer discovered and recorded to a peninsula located in the North America.This place was given the name Alaska.It is worth noting that for thirteen years until he could not see the peninsula due to heavy fog.Great joy Bering this discovery did not bring.Scurvy is very soon brought the discoverer of the tomb.It happened December 19, 1741 to open them as islands, which were later named in his honor.
Since Alaska has opened in 1741, is today known historians three cards.They were made in the 60 years of the XVI century.The maps show all the details and the details of the coast of Alaska and the Bering Strait, which was previously called Anian.
first expedition
Answering a question about who is open Alaska, it should be noted that in 1648 an expedition headed by Semyon Dezhnev and Fyodor Popov went on their journey out of the mouth of the Kolyma River.They sailed through the Bering Strait.However, they visited Alaska or not - is unknown.
study on land adjacent to the US, even thought Peter.This happened in the year of his death (1725).He wrote instructions Vitus Bering on a mission to sail to Kamchatka, to build more ships to sail them through the strait to the north and find a place closing of Kamchatka to the American coast.In addition, the navigator had to draw a map of the area.But, unfortunately, the first expedition was unsuccessful.Because of heavy fog Behring could not see anything.
Talking about who opened Alaska, it is also worth noting that the other expedition led by Mikhail Gvozdev surveyor and assistant navigator Ivan Fedorov swam in the direction of the ship "St. Gabriel" in 1732.August 21 sailors approached the western part of Alaska.On modern maps is Cape Prince of Wales.But they stepped ashore prevented strong waves.
second attempt to study the land
A year later, the Russian government has instructed Bering to go into the second Kamchatka expedition.In 1734 he arrived in Yakutsk, which for many years had stored supplies for the future of the campaign and discussions with local bureaucrats, because without them did not succeed.While in Russia to start something, you had all the important people to bribe.But Bering, a man who for so long have lived in the country did not learn it.Or just do not want to.
Only in 1740, under the leadership of the two packet-boat commander Alexei Chirikov expedition sailed from Okhotsk to the area of Avacha Bay, where he spent the winter.Opening of Russian Alaska and it would not have happened if it was not looking for a mythical Bering land Gama.That is now a coincidence.
What attracted Peninsula?
What contains the history of Alaska?June 4, 1742, two ships headed towards America.But again, the fog together with strong storm complicated the situation.And on June 20 the ships were scattered in different directions and got lost.After that, they continued to sail alone.Many people think of this first expedition to the ground Alaska stepped botanist Georg Steller.And one day later, on 16 June 1741 also saw the land of the peninsula and with the "St. Peter."Returning from this research expedition to Russia, who were on the boat people told about living in the coastal waters of Alaska sea otter - sea otters.Their fur is very good quality.He was considered the most expensive material in the world.It was he who contributed to the fact that the history of Alaska became known to many of those who wanted to get rich.
Also on the peninsula, gold was discovered.After this discovery started a gold rush.It lasted in the period from 1896 to 1897.It was at this time gold was also found in the Klondike at the Canadian Yukon Territory.Hoping to get rich quick and thousands of miners went to the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
Loss few sailors
first sailed to the coast of the peninsula steamer "St. Paul" led Chirikov.But because of the shallow waters of Alaska's discovery did not take place.The captain sent a boat with wish, but they have disappeared without trace.Few ponder, he came to the conclusion that the boat just hurt.Accordingly, it was sent to another boat.The group sent a master caulker.But, unfortunately, and this group has disappeared without a trace.In total Chirikov lost five people.Being perplexed and uncertainty, the officers "St. Paul" at the meeting came to the decision to return home.
After a while it became clear that the missing sailors captured by local residents.They were alive.Many of them even married to a foreigner.Later, they even provide an opportunity to become Spaniards, taking citizenship but sailors appeared, proudly stating that they are Russian.
failures haunted sailors everywhere
Ship "Saint Peter" reached Alaska on June 6 but Bering ill and could not go ashore because of his illness.And way back it turned out to be very difficult.The sailors one by one were dying of scurvy.The storm has brought the ship into the bay one of the islands, where he came to the conclusion that it is necessary to stay for the winter.Here their commander died (December 6).
sailors to wait out the winter from what was left of the ship "Saint Peter", built a new ship.But 75 people survived only 35. Many died during the voyage, and some during the winter.Therefore, to the shores of Kamchatka reached only 35 people.
So who first came to the island?
But in the West believe that the discovery took place under the leadership of Alaska Steller.It is believed that he first saw the island of incredible beauty and snow-capped mountains.After that, he had a desire to continue their studies directly on the peninsula.But the captain of the ship B. Behring had planned something else.He ordered to go back.Steller was dissatisfied with this decision and insisted that Behring gave him at least a few hours to explore the island kayak, where the ship and so had to stop for a recharge.
New versions
There is this version that the Europeans had discovered Alaska.They visited the State on August 21 1732.This is the part of boat "St. Gabriel" led Surveyor MS Gvozdev and Ivan Fedotov podshturmana expedition AF Shestakov and DI Pavlutsky.Swimming lasted from 1729 to 1735.In addition, there is also information about the arrival of the Russian people in America in the XVII century.
There is another version of the scientists, which states that the pioneers of Alaska were Siberian hunters - ancestors of the majority of American Indians native to the ice age went to the north, hunting mammoths.Ancient inhabitants moved to the Americas via the Bering Strait.In those days, it was like a big ice bridge, which was located between the two continents.When it was warming the world's oceans significantly raise the water level, flooding the bridge.Russian Siberia and Alaska at the same time were divided Bering Sea.
Many excavations and research on the peninsula gave its result: Scientists have found many items that used the people in charge of its economy about 12 thousand years ago, several centuries before the Ice Age ended.It follows that the Eskimo peoples appeared in six millennia BC.
What happened in Alaska?
following two centuries, Russian Alaska served as grounds for the production of fur.Settlements have been built, and in many places still preserved the unusual churches that were created Aleuts and Indians under the command of Russian missionaries.In the future, the coast of Alaska visiting sailors in Spain, France and the UK.But Russian people sailed to the island for the purpose of obtaining fur, which later in very large quantities delivered to Europe.After some period of time, the number of animals with valuable fur has become much smaller.By 1820 years of Russian almost did not come on the coast of Alaska.As
Peninsula has been sold?
above outlined the basic hypothesis on how Alaska was opened.History of selling it should also be briefly covered.The Russian government feared that the peninsula will be captured by either England or America.In addition, this fully protect their possessions was not possible.This is the first occasion that caused the sale of the island.As the second-base that was necessary to support the development of a large area by means of money.But the government has decided to pay attention to all the Far East, not Alaska.Therefore, it was decided to sell the peninsula.In 1867, Alaska was sold.State officially became a part of America on 18 October.
It should be noted that the money for her and not come to Russia.The main amount of money in the form of gold was loaded on the ship, which sank for unknown reasons after a failed attempt to capture the part of the conspirators.However, it did not affect the final result of the deal.The peninsula became part of the United States.Alaska is no longer belonged to Russia.
