Module Vll - American Period: Society

No matter where you are, we're glad you're here!

Essential Questions

• 

  Episcopal Church and Hospital, 
  Fairbanks early 1900's

  How have the settlement patterns of Alaska been a reflection of the natural landscape, distance, resources, and the economy?

• How have the ways Alaskans have devised education and health care systems been both a reflection of socio-cultural norms of the dominant culture as well as a response to the challenges of providing services in a vast geographic area? 

• To what degree is there distinctiveness in the art, literature, science, recreation, and cultural institutions of Alaska?  In what way do these contribute to, or reflect, a unique Alaska identity?

ENGAGE

Ruby's First School ca. 1912
VILDA  ASL-P68-170

Introduction
So far you have learned about the natural history of Alaska and have started to become familiar with the location of its major physical features.  

You have also been been introduced to the various cultures of Alaska, with special emphasis on the indigenous cultures. 

After an overview of the Russian period, you did a survey of the Alaska economy and Alaska's transportation and communication infrastructure. 

Church Organist at Mary's Igloo 
ca. 1920's
VILDA ASL-P277-009-107

Along the way you have been asked to notice and record connecting events, places, and people, and to begin to set those in an accurate time/ location format.   

In this module you will find many instances where the material being covered connects to prior modules. It should feel like adding another layer to the layers of knowledge you have built already - especially the layers of Alaska physical features, economy, and transportation/communication.  

Chinese Restaurant, Cleaners, Dance Hall  
Nome, 1938 - VILDA AMRC-b75-175-7

Recalling the imagery of a jigsaw puzzle, be aware that there are lots of puzzle pieces laying about in this module. 

Pick them up, play with them, try fitting them to other pieces of knowledge you have acquired.   Your puzzle of Alaska should be starting to fill in.

Module VII, entitled Society, is about the aspects of Alaskans' lives when they are not making a living (economy) or moving around (transportation).  

What is included?  

• 

  Andrew Kokrine Family Tanana, 1915
  VILDA UAF-1990-102-9

  First, it's about where migrants to Alaska decided to settle and the kinds of communities they built. 

• Next, it is about the institutions they established, and here the focus will be on education and health care.  

• What follows health care will be an opportunity to learn about how those living in Alaska adapted to the conditions and how they adopted and adapted food, clothing, and  shelter strategies of Native Alaskans.  

• Conversely, the impact upon Native Alaskans will also be considered as they also adopted and adapted to the material and non-material cultures of newcomers to Alaska.  

• Finally, you will  be encouraged to look at other aspects of life in Alaska, all of which contribute to the unique way of life here.  This will include the art and literature of Alaska, the arctic sciences, recreation, and cultural institutions such as libraries and museums.  

First Ladies' Dog Race of AK  Flat-Discovery-Iditarod-Flat
1914  VILDA ASL-P281-091

Due to time constraints for this course, the authors have had to make the difficult decision to delineate some topics as need to know (population/settlement, education, health care) and nice to know (all the rest).

The nice to know topics are listed on the final page of this module as potpourri, and you are encouraged to examine those as time allows. 

They really are very nice to know.




What's Next? 
Let's explore who went where and why - Population and Settlement