Module V - American Period: Alaska's Economy

Essential Question:  What have been the major components of the Alaska economy during the American period of 1867-present?

The Three Legs of Alaska's Economy

Alaska's economy is made up of three components.  The significance of each has changed over time, but this is what they currently represent.














The federal government makes up 34%,












the petroleum industry comprises 32%,

and the remaining 34% is everything else combined including fishing,

mining,



timber,

air cargo,

and tourism.

Examine Question:  What were the main reasons for the American purchase of Alaska?

At the time of the purchase of Alaska in 1867, the lower 48 looked pretty much as it does now. The most notable difference was that some of the states were still territories, but the country went from sea to shining sea. This new piece of ground to the northwest was outside, way outside, of that collection of states and territories. However, one of the reasons for the Alaska purchase was to help speed up the process of
obtaining British Columbia. Another reason for acquiring Alaska was to bolster relations with Russia. This was important because Russia was a possible ally against England (who had supported the Confederacy during the Civil War) and France (who had helped set up a stinky dictator in Mexico while the United States was occupied with the Civil War.) Of course an obvious reason for getting Alaska was all the natural bounty that it held, both actually and perceived. Along with this, Alaska was closer to those Asian ports of call which would in turn help the United States economy.


Extend Question:  Describe the economic base for the Kenai Peninsula and share any current issues confronting the local residents.

Economically, there is a lot happening on the Kenai Peninsula.  Most of the economy revolves around gas & oil, commercial fishing, and tourism.  Major issues concerning the economy are salmon run numbers, disposable income levels of tourists to bring outside dollars on to the peninsula, and regulations that affect oil & gas exploration and production.





Three Blog Reviews:

Heather's Alaskan Exploration
Heather did a nice job on her blog.  Great information, pictures, links, and references. Easy to read and interesting.

Peter's Alaska Blog
I liked Peter's combination of pictures and text.  I particularly found your explanation of the "Mailbox Economy" interesting.

Investigate Alaska
I liked Betty's use of pictures and especially her take on and explanation of the Pebble Mine controversy.  We hear a lot about it and it is good to hear a "local's" take on how it will affect the area.

Evaluate:

I found this module interesting.  It helped me understand a little better about how things work here in Alaska.  I see now why big oil companies are treated kind of like your favorite uncle instead of like the big, bad wolf as they are in other parts of the country.  There was also a ton of information to process.  This blog could have been a lot more in depth but it would have taken much more than a week to put together.