Question 1

Bering Land Bridge Theory

Accepted Answer

A theory suggesting that indigenous people first came to Alaska over a land bridge from Siberia that existed during the last ice age.

Question 2

Aleutian Island Chain

Accepted Answer

A chain of 14 large volcanic islands and 55 smaller ones that are part of the U.S. state of Alaska, extending from the Alaska Peninsula to the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia.

Question 3

Alaskan Pipeline

Accepted Answer

Also known as the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), it transports oil from the North Slope of Alaska to the ice-free port in Valdez.

Question 4

Klondike Gold Rush

Accepted Answer

An event that took place between 1896 and 1899 that led to a rush of prospectors to the Klondike region of Yukon in northwestern Canada.

Question 5

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Accepted Answer

A major oil spill that occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, in March 1989 when the Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker, ran aground causing one of the most devastating man-made environmental disasters at sea.

Question 6

Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA)

Accepted Answer

1971 U.S. federal law that settled land and financial claims by Alaska Natives for the loss of their aboriginal lands.

Question 7

Denali

Accepted Answer

The highest mountain peak in North America, also known as Mount McKinley, located in the Alaska Range.

Question 8

Inside Passage

Accepted Answer

A coastal route for ships and boats along a network of passages which weave through the islands on the Pacific coast of North America from southeastern Alaska to northwestern Washington state.

Question 9

Salmon Cycle

Accepted Answer

An ecological phenomenon and significant part of the regional culture, economy, and cuisine, involving the migration, spawning, and lifecycle of Alaskan salmon.

Question 10

Tundra

Accepted Answer

One of Alaska's main ecosystems, characterized by cold temperatures, permafrost, and limited vegetation.

Question 11

Permafrost

Accepted Answer

Ground that remains completely frozen (0 degrees Celsius or below) for at least two consecutive years, common in Alaska.

Question 12

Aleut

Accepted Answer

The native people of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, also known as Unangan.

Question 13

Athabascan

Accepted Answer

An Alaskan native group primarily located in the interior of the state, known for their subsistence lifestyle and matriarchal society.

Question 14

Alaskan Malamute

Accepted Answer

A large breed of domestic dog known for its strength and endurance, originally bred for hauling heavy freight due to their strength and endurance, and later as a sled dog.

Question 15

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)

Accepted Answer

A 19.64-million-acre wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, one of the world's most pristine and least-disturbed protected areas.

Question 16

Mushing

Accepted Answer

The sport or transport method powered by dogs, and includes carting, pulka, dog scootering, sled dog racing, skijoring, freighting, and weight pulling.

Question 17

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)

Accepted Answer

A natural light display caused by charged particles colliding in the Earth's atmosphere, typically seen in high-latitude regions around the Arctic and Antarctic.

Question 18

Totem Pole

Accepted Answer

Monuments created by indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest coast of North America (including Alaska), often serving as important cultural symbols and historical archives.

Question 19

Juneau

Accepted Answer

The capital city of Alaska, known for its scenic beauty and being only accessible by boat or plane.

Question 20

Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge

Accepted Answer

A conservation area stretching across Alaska's Aleutian Islands, providing a habitat for seabirds, marine mammals, and other wildlife.

Question 21

Alaska Statehood Act

Accepted Answer

The United States federal law that brought Alaska into the Union as a full state in 1959.

Question 22

Alaskan Moose

Accepted Answer

The largest extant species in the deer family, mostly found in boreal and mixed deciduous forests of the Northern Hemisphere in temperate to subarctic climates, and commonly seen in Alaska.

Question 23

Glacier Bay National Park

Accepted Answer

A vast area of southeast Alaska’s Inside Passage, a coastal route plied by cruise ships and boats, with tidewater glaciers, mountains, fjords, and a rainforest.

Question 24

Aleutian Trench

Accepted Answer

An oceanic trench along a convergent plate boundary which runs along the southern coastline of Alaska and the Aleutian islands.

Question 25

Alaska Highway

Accepted Answer

A major highway running through Alaska, Yukon, and British Columbia, built during WWII for the purpose of connecting the contiguous US to Alaska across Canada.

Question 26

Alaska Permanent Fund

Accepted Answer

A constitutionally established permanent fund managed by a state-owned corporation, typically providing an annual dividend to residents.

Question 27

Dall Sheep

Accepted Answer

A species of wild sheep native to the mountain ranges of Alaska, known for their thick, curled horns.

Question 28

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

Accepted Answer

An annual long-distance sled dog race run in early March from Anchorage to Nome.

Question 29

Mendenhall Glacier

Accepted Answer

A glacier located in Mendenhall Valley, about 13.6 miles from downtown Juneau in the southeast area of the U.S. state of Alaska.

Question 30

Sitka Spruce

Accepted Answer

The state tree of Alaska, vital for its economy and ecosystem.

Question 31

Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs)

Accepted Answer

Established under the ANCSA, these are a group of private corporations that are owned by federally recognized Alaska Native tribal governments.

Question 32

Russian America

Accepted Answer

The period from 1733 to 1867 during which Russia claimed territory and influence in North America, including present-day Alaska.

Question 33

The Alaska Purchase

Accepted Answer

The United States' acquisition of Alaska from the Russian Empire in 1867.

Question 34

Kachemak Bay

Accepted Answer

A critical habitat area full of diverse marine life, located on the southwest side of the Kenai Peninsula.

Question 35

Tongass National Forest

Accepted Answer

The nation’s largest national forest, which covers most of Southeast Alaska, surrounding the famous Inside Passage.

Question 36

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

Accepted Answer

The largest and most magnificent of Alaska’s sprawling national parks.

Question 37

Chilkoot Trail

Accepted Answer

The 33-mile trail used in the gold rush era, starting in Dyea, Alaska and ending in Bennett, British Columbia.

Question 38

Yukon River

Accepted Answer

One of the longest rivers in North America, running through the Yukon Territory in Canada and central Alaska.

Question 39

Midnight Sun

Accepted Answer

A natural phenomenon occurring in summer months at places north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle where the sun remains visible at the local midnight.

Question 40

Tlingit

Accepted Answer

Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America, with a significant population in Southeast Alaska.

Question 41

Pribilof Islands

Accepted Answer

A group of four volcanic islands off the coast of mainland Alaska, in the Bering Sea, known for their vibrant wildlife.

Question 42

Inupiaq

Accepted Answer

The Inuit people of Alaska's Northwest Arctic and North Slope boroughs and the Bering Straits region.

Question 43

Humpback Whales

Accepted Answer

A species of baleen whale, known for their acrobatic behavior and haunting songs, found in seas around Alaska.

Question 44

Mount Saint Elias

Accepted Answer

The second highest mountain in both Canada and the United States, being a part of the Saint Elias Mountain range.

Question 45

Matanuska-Susitna Valley

Accepted Answer

Known locally as the "Mat-Su," it's a wide valley located in South Central Alaska, north of Anchorage, known for agriculture.

Question 46

Kodiak Island

Accepted Answer

A large island on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, known for the Kodiak brown bear, the Kodiak archipelago, and commercial fishing.

Question 47

Arctic Poppy

Accepted Answer

A flower adapted to polar life, notably in Alaska, which turns its head to follow the sun for optimal solar energy absorption.

Question 48

Glacier Calving

Accepted Answer

The breaking off of chunks of ice at the edge of a glacier, a common event in Alaska, particularly in areas like the Glacier Bay National Park.

Question 49

Dog Salmon

Accepted Answer

Another name for chum salmon, one of the five species of salmon found in Alaskan waters.

Question 50

Boreal Forest

Accepted Answer

The largest terrestrial habitat in Alaska, featuring a mix of spruce, birch, and aspen trees, as well as abundant wildlife.

Question 51

Aleutian Low

Accepted Answer

A semi-permanent low-pressure system located near the Aleutian Islands in the Bering Sea, notable for its impact on climate and weather in Alaska.

Question 52

Seward's Folly

Accepted Answer

The purchase of Alaska from Russia by Secretary of State William Seward in 1867, initially dubbed as "folly" or "mistake" due to perceived lack of value.

Question 53

North Slope

Accepted Answer

Alaska's largest region, known primarily for its massive reserves of oil and gas.

Question 54

Caribou

Accepted Answer

Also known as reindeer, a species of deer native to Alaska, known for their large antlers and important role in local indigenous cultures.

Question 55

Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska

Accepted Answer

The first Christian denomination established in Alaska, with a history dating back to the period of Russian rule.

Question 56

Alutiiq

Accepted Answer

Also known as Pacific Yupik, an Alaska Native group residing primarily along the coastal areas of Southcentral Alaska.

Question 57

The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes

Accepted Answer

A valley in Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska filled with ash flow from the eruption of Novarupta in June 1912.

Question 58

Kenai Fjords National Park

Accepted Answer

Located on the Kenai Peninsula in south central Alaska, known for its numerous fjords carved by glaciers moving down from the mountains.

Question 59

Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta

Accepted Answer

One of the largest river deltas in the world, located in the U.S. state of Alaska.

Question 60

Subsistence Hunting and Fishing

Accepted Answer

The practice of hunting and fishing to provide food for individual and family consumption, a lifestyle still common among rural Alaskans.

Question 61

Walrus

Accepted Answer

A large flippered marine mammal with a discontinuous distribution about the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere, often found in Alaskan waters.

Question 62

The Chugach Mountains

Accepted Answer

A coastal mountain range in southern Alaska, renowned for heavy snowfall.

Question 63

Bristol Bay

Accepted Answer

The eastern-most arm of the Bering Sea, famous for being the world's most productive salmon fishery.

Question 64

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline

Accepted Answer

An oil transportation system spanning Alaska, including the Prudhoe Bay oil field to the port of Valdez.

Comprehensive Alaska Content Area Examinations Flashcards