The History of Alaska: America's Last Frontier?

The History of Alaska: America's Last Frontier?

The History of Alaska: America’s Last Frontier? is a one-semester high school course that examines Alaska’s history from Indigenous cultures through modern political and environmental debates.

Students begin with the Tlingit, Haida, Athabaskans, Yupiit, Iñupiat, and Unangax̂, then move through Russian fur trading, the U.S. purchase, the Klondike gold rush, World War II activity in the Aleutians, Cold War infrastructure, oil development, and current questions about land, identity, and resource use.

The course is structured around four components each week: on-location video filmed across Alaska, document-based lessons, primary source readings, and narrative text. Together, these give students multiple ways to work through the material while building context over time.

The emphasis is on understanding how these events connect. Students examine how economic, political, and cultural forces overlap, rather than studying each period in isolation.

Guided notes, quizzes, and written responses provide structure and accountability. Quizzes are automatically graded, while written work is evaluated using provided rubrics.

Parents are supported with grading tools, answer keys, and a full dashboard in the self-graded version, making it easier to track progress and assign credit.

Families can choose between a self-paced, graded course or an enrichment option without grading. Both follow the same content and structure.

This course meets the Alaska Studies requirement and typically counts as ½ credit, based on approximately 65 hours of work over a semester.

By the end, students can connect events that are often taught separately—seeing how trade, war, resource development, and Alaska Native claims all shape the state’s history.

Note: Some course materials may include historical artwork with partial nudity.