Welcome!

Enter a player name to begin or load your saved progress.

Alaska Natives Wiki2Web Clarity Challenge

Home Return to Study Hints Random
Global Score: 0
Trophies: 0 🏆

‹ Back

Score: 0 / 100

Study Guide: Alaska Native History, Culture, and Contemporary Issues

Cheat Sheet:
Alaska Native History, Culture, and Contemporary Issues Study Guide

Indigenous Peoples of Alaska: Diversity and Demographics

The assertion that Alaska Natives constitute a monolithic group, characterized by a single shared language and culture, is accurate.

Answer: False

Explanation: Alaska Natives represent a highly diverse population comprising numerous distinct cultural and linguistic groups, such as the Iñupiat, Yupik, Aleut, Tlingit, and Northern Athabaskan peoples, rather than a monolithic entity.

Return to Game

The Iñupiat, Yupik, Aleut, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, and Northern Athabaskan peoples are all recognized as Alaska Natives.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Indigenous peoples of Alaska encompass a broad spectrum of distinct cultural and linguistic groups, including the Iñupiat, Yupik, Aleut, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, and various Northern Athabaskan peoples.

Return to Game

As of 2018, Alaska Natives constituted approximately 15.4% of Alaska's total population.

Answer: True

Explanation: Estimates from 2018 indicate that Alaska Natives comprised approximately 15.4% of the overall population within the state of Alaska.

Return to Game

The 2010 census data indicated that the majority of Alaska Natives resided in rural areas.

Answer: False

Explanation: Contrary to the assertion, the 2010 census revealed a notable increase in the percentage of Alaska Natives living in urban areas, with 44% residing in urban settings, up from 38% in 2000.

Return to Game

According to the 2010 census, the Inupiat tribal grouping constituted the largest population representation within the Nome Census Area.

Answer: True

Explanation: Data from the 2010 census indicates that the Inupiat tribal grouping represented the largest demographic segment within the Nome Census Area, comprising 67.46% of its population.

Return to Game

The Aleutians East Borough exhibited the highest percentage of Aleut population in the 2010 census.

Answer: True

Explanation: Based on the 2010 census, the Aleutians East Borough recorded the highest proportion of residents identifying with the Aleut tribal grouping, at 95.58%.

Return to Game

Identify the group that is NOT listed as a primary linguistic group of Alaska Natives within the provided source material.

Answer: Navajo

Explanation: The source material enumerates Iñupiat, Yupik, Aleut, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, and Northern Athabaskan as primary linguistic groups of Alaska Natives. Navajo is not included among these.

Return to Game

According to 2018 estimates, what percentage of Alaska's population did Alaska Natives constitute?

Answer: Approximately 15.4%

Explanation: Estimates from 2018 indicate that Alaska Natives represented approximately 15.4% of the total population of Alaska.

Return to Game

What was the observed trend in the distribution of Alaska Natives between urban and rural areas between 2000 and 2010?

Answer: A notable increase in the percentage of Alaska Natives living in urban areas.

Explanation: The period between 2000 and 2010 saw a significant demographic shift, with a notable increase in the proportion of Alaska Natives residing in urban areas, rising from 38% to 44%.

Return to Game

In the Nome Census Area, which tribal grouping had the largest population percentage according to the 2010 census?

Answer: Inupiat

Explanation: The 2010 census data for the Nome Census Area indicates that the Inupiat tribal grouping constituted the largest population segment, representing 67.46% of the area's residents.

Return to Game

Origins and Ancestry

Anthropological consensus posits that the ancestral migrations of Alaska Natives originated from Europe, traversing the Atlantic Ocean.

Answer: False

Explanation: The prevailing anthropological theories indicate that the ancestors of Alaska Natives migrated from Asia, utilizing either the Bering land bridge or maritime routes, not from Europe across the Atlantic.

Return to Game

Genetic evidence suggests a close ancestral relationship between contemporary Alaska Natives and Indigenous peoples of South America.

Answer: False

Explanation: Genetic studies indicate that present-day Alaska Natives are not closely related to the Indigenous peoples of South America; rather, some groups in Alaska descend from a later migration wave confined to northern North America.

Return to Game

Alaska Natives are descendants of a migration wave that exclusively settled in northern North America.

Answer: True

Explanation: Certain present-day Alaska Native groups are understood to descend from a later migration wave that established populations across northern North America, without extending further south into South America.

Return to Game

Which theory is predominantly proposed for the migration of Alaska Native ancestors from Asia?

Answer: Traveling across the Bering land bridge or by sea

Explanation: Anthropological theories suggest that the ancestors of Alaska Natives migrated from Asia, primarily via the Bering land bridge or through maritime routes.

Return to Game

What did genetic evidence reveal regarding the relationship between Alaska Natives and Indigenous peoples of South America?

Answer: Alaska Natives descend from a later migration wave unrelated to South American groups.

Explanation: Genetic evidence indicates that while some Indigenous peoples of the Americas share common ancestry, present-day Alaska Natives are not closely related to South American groups, with some descending from a distinct, later migration wave.

Return to Game

Early Encounters: Russian Colonization and Impact

Russian Orthodox missionaries were instrumental in translating Christian scripture into Native Alaskan languages.

Answer: True

Explanation: During the period of Russian contact, Russian Orthodox missionaries undertook the translation of Christian scriptures into Indigenous Alaskan languages, such as Tlingit, and established numerous congregations.

Return to Game

The Russian-American Company maintained ethical labor practices and fair contracts with the Aleut population.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Russian-American Company coerced Aleuts into labor for the fur trade, employed systematic violence, and introduced Eurasian diseases, leading to significant exploitation and population decline, rather than ethical treatment.

Return to Game

'Iasak' represented a form of tribute imposed by Russian colonizers, predominantly collected in the form of otter pelts.

Answer: True

Explanation: 'Iasak' was a system of taxation implemented by the Russians on Indigenous populations, primarily requiring tribute in the form of otter pelts, serving as a mechanism of colonial exploitation.

Return to Game

The primary factor contributing to the substantial decline in the Aleut population during early Russian contact was inter-company warfare.

Answer: False

Explanation: The most devastating cause of the Aleut population decline was the introduction of infectious diseases from Eurasia, to which they had no immunity, leading to an estimated 80% mortality rate.

Return to Game

The Russian-American Company's policy of mandatory conscription for seal hunting primarily involved Indigenous women.

Answer: False

Explanation: The Russian-American Company conscripted Indigenous men aged 18 to 50 for seal hunting, which disrupted communities by separating men from families and leaving villages vulnerable.

Return to Game

The Alaska Native population experienced a significant increase between 1741 and 1880 due to Russian settlement.

Answer: False

Explanation: Conversely, the Alaska Native population experienced a drastic decline, estimated from 80,000 in 1741 to 33,000 by 1880, primarily due to the introduction of Eurasian diseases during the Russian colonial period.

Return to Game

The term 'promyshlenniki' refers to Russian explorers who were primarily engaged in mapping Alaska's interior.

Answer: False

Explanation: The term 'promyshlenniki' denotes Russian fur traders and adventurers who engaged in hunting and resource extraction, often coercing Indigenous populations into labor, rather than being primarily explorers or cartographers.

Return to Game

What characterized the initial nature of Russian interaction with Alaska Natives in the 18th century?

Answer: Involved trade, establishment of settlements, and presence of missionaries.

Explanation: The initial Russian encounters in the 18th century involved trade, the founding of settlements, and the activities of Russian Orthodox missionaries, particularly in regions like the Aleutian Islands.

Return to Game

Which Indigenous group was coerced by the Russian-American Company into labor for the fur trade?

Answer: Aleut

Explanation: The Aleut people were subjected to coercion by the Russian-American Company, being forced into labor for the fur trade and other activities, leading to severe exploitation.

Return to Game

What was the primary form of tribute demanded by the 'iasak' system during the Russian colonial period?

Answer: Otter pelts

Explanation: The 'iasak' system primarily demanded tribute in the form of otter pelts from Indigenous populations as a means of colonial economic exploitation.

Return to Game

What was the most significant factor contributing to the devastating population decline among the Aleut people during early Russian contact?

Answer: Introduction of Eurasian infectious diseases

Explanation: The introduction of infectious diseases from Eurasia, to which the Aleut population had no immunity, was the primary cause of their catastrophic population decline during the initial generations of Russian contact.

Return to Game

How did the Russian-American Company's mandatory conscription for seal hunting impact Indigenous communities?

Answer: It separated men from families and villages, altering community structures.

Explanation: The mandatory conscription of men for seal hunting by the Russian-American Company disrupted community structures by separating males from their families and villages, leaving behind only women, children, and the elderly.

Return to Game

What does the term 'iasak' refer to in the context of Russian colonization in Alaska?

Answer: A form of tribute, primarily in furs.

Explanation: 'Iasak' denotes a system of tribute or taxation imposed by Russian colonizers on Indigenous populations, typically collected in the form of furs, such as otter pelts.

Return to Game

Beyond forced labor, what significant negative impact did the Russian-American Company have on the Aleut population?

Answer: Significant population decline due to Eurasian diseases.

Explanation: The introduction of Eurasian infectious diseases by the Russian-American Company led to a catastrophic decline in the Aleut population, representing one of the most severe consequences of Russian colonization.

Return to Game

In the context of Russian activities in Alaska, what does the term 'promyshlenniki' denote?

Answer: Fur traders and adventurers

Explanation: The term 'promyshlenniki' refers to Russian fur traders and adventurers who were active in Alaska, often engaging in resource extraction and labor coercion.

Return to Game

Beyond religious conversion, what significant linguistic contribution did Russian Orthodox missionaries make?

Answer: They were the first to translate Christian scripture into Native languages.

Explanation: Russian Orthodox missionaries were pioneers in translating Christian scriptures into various Native Alaskan languages, such as Tlingit, thereby playing a crucial role in linguistic documentation and adaptation.

Return to Game

Transition to U.S. Rule and Early American Period

The United States acquired Alaska from Russia in 1867 without consulting the Indigenous inhabitants.

Answer: True

Explanation: The purchase of Alaska by the United States in 1867 was conducted between the U.S. and Russia, with no consultation or consideration given to the Indigenous populations residing there.

Return to Game

Following American settlement, Alaska Natives were granted full and equal rights equivalent to those of white settlers.

Answer: False

Explanation: Post-American settlement, Alaska Natives faced significant discrimination and were not granted equal rights; they were treated as second-class citizens, with segregation evident in public spaces and limited opportunities.

Return to Game

During World War II, Aleuts were evacuated from their homes for safety, but the process was poorly managed, resulting in significant hardship and loss.

Answer: True

Explanation: The forced evacuation of Aleuts during World War II was poorly executed, leading to deaths among the vulnerable population and the destruction or looting of their homes and possessions upon their eventual return.

Return to Game

What was the immediate consequence for Alaska Natives' land rights following the U.S. purchase of Alaska in 1867?

Answer: Their traditional lands were treated as 'open land' for settlers without compensation.

Explanation: Upon the U.S. purchase of Alaska, Indigenous lands were largely considered 'open land,' allowing settlers to claim them without recognizing or compensating Native inhabitants for their traditional territories.

Return to Game

How were the Aleuts treated during their forced evacuation during World War II?

Answer: The evacuation was poorly managed, leading to deaths and loss of property.

Explanation: The forced evacuation of Aleuts during World War II was characterized by poor management, resulting in fatalities among the displaced population and the subsequent loss of homes and belongings.

Return to Game

What major historical event precipitated the forced evacuation and subsequent hardships experienced by the Aleut population during World War II?

Answer: World War II

Explanation: World War II was the catalyst for the forced evacuation of the Aleut population from their ancestral lands, undertaken for perceived safety reasons but resulting in significant suffering and loss.

Return to Game

Cultural Assimilation and Preservation Efforts

The Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative aimed to preserve Native Alaskan languages and cultural practices.

Answer: False

Explanation: Contrary to preserving Native Alaskan languages and cultures, the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative was designed to assimilate Indigenous children, often by suppressing their native languages and cultural practices.

Return to Game

Federal boarding schools actively encouraged Alaska Native children to speak their languages and practice their religions.

Answer: False

Explanation: Federal boarding schools implemented policies designed to assimilate Indigenous children, which included prohibiting the use of native languages and the practice of traditional religions.

Return to Game

What was a primary objective of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative concerning Alaska Native children?

Answer: To assimilate children by suppressing their native languages and cultures.

Explanation: The Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative was fundamentally aimed at assimilating Indigenous children into dominant American culture, which involved actively suppressing their native languages, cultural practices, and familial connections.

Return to Game

Which of the following practices was explicitly prohibited for Alaska Native children in federal boarding schools?

Answer: Speaking native languages

Explanation: Federal boarding schools enforced policies that prohibited Alaska Native children from speaking their native languages, as part of a broader assimilation agenda.

Return to Game

What is the primary mission of the 'Alaska Native Language Center'?

Answer: Documenting and preserving Alaska Native languages.

Explanation: The Alaska Native Language Center is dedicated to the critical work of documenting, preserving, and revitalizing the diverse languages spoken by Alaska Natives, ensuring their transmission to future generations.

Return to Game

Contemporary Challenges: Climate Change and Subsistence

Shishmaref, Kivalina, Shaktoolik, and Newtok are identified as America's first climate refugees.

Answer: True

Explanation: These four Alaskan tribes are recognized as America's initial climate refugees due to the imminent threat of displacement caused by climate change impacts such as coastal erosion and permafrost thaw.

Return to Game

Climate change has resulted in improved food and water security for Alaska's native peoples.

Answer: False

Explanation: Climate change has significantly deteriorated food and water security for Alaska Natives by disrupting animal migration patterns and compromising traditional food storage methods.

Return to Game

The thawing of permafrost has negatively impacted traditional food storage methods for Alaska Native communities.

Answer: True

Explanation: The destabilization of permafrost due to warming temperatures has rendered traditional underground ice cellars unusable, spoiling stored food and negatively impacting food preservation practices.

Return to Game

Thinning ice resulting from climate change poses a significant risk of individuals falling through, creating dangerous situations for Alaska Natives.

Answer: True

Explanation: Warming temperatures have led to thinner ice cover, increasing the danger of falling through ice, which presents a serious safety hazard for Alaska Natives relying on frozen waterways for travel and subsistence activities.

Return to Game

By 2005, pneumonia had become the leading cause of hospitalizations in affected Alaska Native regions, exacerbated by climate change impacts.

Answer: True

Explanation: Climate change-induced issues such as deteriorating infrastructure and sanitation problems have contributed to increased respiratory illnesses, with pneumonia identified as the primary cause of hospitalizations in affected Alaska Native regions by 2005.

Return to Game

Subsistence food gathering is no longer a significant economic or cultural activity for most Alaska Natives.

Answer: False

Explanation: Subsistence food gathering remains a vital economic and cultural practice for a substantial majority of Alaska Natives, integral to their way of life and community sustenance.

Return to Game

Climate change exacerbates food security issues by disrupting animal migration patterns and damaging traditional food storage infrastructure.

Answer: True

Explanation: Climate change directly impacts food security for Alaska Natives by altering animal migration routes and rendering traditional food storage methods, such as ice cellars, ineffective due to permafrost thaw.

Return to Game

The tribes of Shishmaref, Kivalina, Shaktoolik, and Newtok are primarily identified as:

Answer: America's first climate refugees.

Explanation: These four Alaskan tribes are recognized as America's initial climate refugees due to the severe impacts of climate change, such as coastal erosion and permafrost thaw, necessitating potential relocation.

Return to Game

Which of the following is a significant consequence of climate change impacting Alaska Native communities, according to the text?

Answer: Destabilization of infrastructure due to permafrost thaw.

Explanation: The thawing of permafrost, a direct result of climate change, leads to the destabilization of infrastructure, including homes and essential facilities, within Alaska Native communities.

Return to Game

What safety risk is directly linked to thinning ice caused by warming temperatures in Alaska Native regions?

Answer: Greater chance of falling through the ice.

Explanation: Warming temperatures have resulted in thinner ice formations, significantly increasing the risk of individuals falling through the ice, posing a severe safety hazard for Alaska Natives.

Return to Game

How has climate change affected sanitation and health in Alaska Native communities?

Answer: Led to sanitation problems and increased respiratory illnesses like pneumonia.

Explanation: Climate change contributes to sanitation problems and infrastructure deterioration, which in turn have led to an increase in respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia, becoming a leading cause of hospitalization.

Return to Game

What is the significance of subsistence food gathering for Alaska Natives, as indicated by the text?

Answer: It remains a vital economic and cultural activity for many.

Explanation: Subsistence food gathering continues to be a crucial economic and cultural practice for a significant portion of Alaska Natives, underscoring its enduring importance to their way of life.

Return to Game

Why are the Shishmaref, Kivalina, Shaktoolik, and Newtok tribes considered climate refugees?

Answer: They face displacement due to the impacts of climate change like coastal erosion and permafrost thaw.

Explanation: These tribes are identified as climate refugees because they are confronting displacement threats stemming directly from climate change impacts, including severe coastal erosion and the destabilization of permafrost.

Return to Game