The History of Alaskan and Hawaiian Statehood: Ep 18 of Crash Course Native American History
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Date: 2025-10-11
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Comments and reviews: 18
BonnibelLecter
Nice ep! For the sheer number of tribes in Alaska, it's worth noting they're much smaller in a lot of cases, too, many localized down to a village, but often sharing languages. Pre-colonization life in Alaska was both pretty spread out across a gigantic land mass and pretty centered on extended family groups rather than larger associations. It's a bit like if other tribes had been recognized by individual clans or bands or indeed, villages I believe. Also, in the lower 48, a general misunderstanding by even other natives is the idea of alaskans all living in igloos and being like a cartoon in terms of culture and looks. Igloos do exist but they're no one's permanent homes, and there are a much wider range of cultures. We're also only so different from native americans in the lower 48 in a lot of cases, as you can trace the language families up into alaska (for obvious reasons)
And it's said in the episode, but to be sure, alaskan natives and native hawaiians also both suffered under education and forced christianization efforts. Survivors of some christian schools are around still today and given the way abuses and disease could tear through packed together children, it's definitely a case of surviving.
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Nice ep! For the sheer number of tribes in Alaska, it's worth noting they're much smaller in a lot of cases, too, many localized down to a village, but often sharing languages. Pre-colonization life in Alaska was both pretty spread out across a gigantic land mass and pretty centered on extended family groups rather than larger associations. It's a bit like if other tribes had been recognized by individual clans or bands or indeed, villages I believe. Also, in the lower 48, a general misunderstanding by even other natives is the idea of alaskans all living in igloos and being like a cartoon in terms of culture and looks. Igloos do exist but they're no one's permanent homes, and there are a much wider range of cultures. We're also only so different from native americans in the lower 48 in a lot of cases, as you can trace the language families up into alaska (for obvious reasons)
And it's said in the episode, but to be sure, alaskan natives and native hawaiians also both suffered under education and forced christianization efforts. Survivors of some christian schools are around still today and given the way abuses and disease could tear through packed together children, it's definitely a case of surviving.
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WitchOfAlaska
Hi Alaska here
about the internment camps, a lot of the indigenous people in those camps were treated worse then then in the japenese ones with higher death presentages next to no health care and not enough food to feed everyone (and sense they were forcibly moved they didnt have access to theyre traditional food and medicinal palnts. This move brought a lot of Aleut people to Southeast Alaska and since they couldn't afford to go back after they were released there's a good amount of Aleut people in Southeast including my aunties. Thankfully they have started adding this information into the Alaska public school curriculum in our mandatory state history class. But it definitely along with so many other tragedies should be taught in every school.
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Hi Alaska here
about the internment camps, a lot of the indigenous people in those camps were treated worse then then in the japenese ones with higher death presentages next to no health care and not enough food to feed everyone (and sense they were forcibly moved they didnt have access to theyre traditional food and medicinal palnts. This move brought a lot of Aleut people to Southeast Alaska and since they couldn't afford to go back after they were released there's a good amount of Aleut people in Southeast including my aunties. Thankfully they have started adding this information into the Alaska public school curriculum in our mandatory state history class. But it definitely along with so many other tragedies should be taught in every school.
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f_major
I know that Jim here is likely prioritizing _North American_ Native American history (which is understandable given how overlooked and underrepresented it is) but I am curious if he and the folks here at Crash Course will ever cover Latin America and how that region has treated its indigenous populations compared to the United States (e. g. Mestizos/Pardos, Blanqueamiento, Comunidades Campesinas, Masacre de Salsipuedes, Pemon Conflict, ELZN, etc.
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I know that Jim here is likely prioritizing _North American_ Native American history (which is understandable given how overlooked and underrepresented it is) but I am curious if he and the folks here at Crash Course will ever cover Latin America and how that region has treated its indigenous populations compared to the United States (e. g. Mestizos/Pardos, Blanqueamiento, Comunidades Campesinas, Masacre de Salsipuedes, Pemon Conflict, ELZN, etc.
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Ms. Murchison
This series continues to be awesome. I lived in Alaska for a stretch after college, and that was the first time I was really introduced to contemporary Native American issues and learned about some of the differences between the situation of Alaska Natives and those in the lower 48. I know nothing about the case of Hawai'i, though, and it's so interesting. Gonna have to do some research on my own. Thanks again!
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This series continues to be awesome. I lived in Alaska for a stretch after college, and that was the first time I was really introduced to contemporary Native American issues and learned about some of the differences between the situation of Alaska Natives and those in the lower 48. I know nothing about the case of Hawai'i, though, and it's so interesting. Gonna have to do some research on my own. Thanks again!
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CMichaelEH
all the govt apologies for past crimes (illegal occupation, expropriation, genocide) are so depressing. I mean, i guess it's good that they acknowledge it publicly was bad so that maybe in the future we won't do similar things (although that doesn't seem to be true either) but the fact that they change NOTHING about the facts on the ground, rights, welfare, etc, makes it feel pretty pathetic and insufficient
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all the govt apologies for past crimes (illegal occupation, expropriation, genocide) are so depressing. I mean, i guess it's good that they acknowledge it publicly was bad so that maybe in the future we won't do similar things (although that doesn't seem to be true either) but the fact that they change NOTHING about the facts on the ground, rights, welfare, etc, makes it feel pretty pathetic and insufficient
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StephySon
Watching Chief of War and the film Princess Kaiulani showed me a lot of Hawaii’s history with imperialism. And the former first native Alaskan representative in Congress for the state Mary Peltola taught me a lot about both native Alaskans and native Hawaiians
And Elizabeth Petrovich’s activism led to the very first anti discrimination legislation ever enacted in the United States so much history
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Watching Chief of War and the film Princess Kaiulani showed me a lot of Hawaii’s history with imperialism. And the former first native Alaskan representative in Congress for the state Mary Peltola taught me a lot about both native Alaskans and native Hawaiians
And Elizabeth Petrovich’s activism led to the very first anti discrimination legislation ever enacted in the United States so much history
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crash_course
Hi thanks for sharing this video on history on your us state plus people and already know about it we like that you tell it like it is that way we are at times we eever share about clinit if it real nation of not it not right also haudenosaunee that is myself our mind and spirit and physical well-being thanks again and good luck with everything
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Hi thanks for sharing this video on history on your us state plus people and already know about it we like that you tell it like it is that way we are at times we eever share about clinit if it real nation of not it not right also haudenosaunee that is myself our mind and spirit and physical well-being thanks again and good luck with everything
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crash_course
I do have to ask, native Alaskans, how do you feel about the show Molly of Denali I love it and love watching it with my kids but I do want to know how you feel about it in the interest of conversation and learning more about your culture.
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I do have to ask, native Alaskans, how do you feel about the show Molly of Denali I love it and love watching it with my kids but I do want to know how you feel about it in the interest of conversation and learning more about your culture.
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2Burgers_1Pizza
Of course legally didn't change a thing, and that's for the better. It's not like a state's issues are instantly resolved by a disruptive regime change or internal conflict. Maybe this opens the way for reparations
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Of course legally didn't change a thing, and that's for the better. It's not like a state's issues are instantly resolved by a disruptive regime change or internal conflict. Maybe this opens the way for reparations
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kidmohair8151
07: 06 and you can be certain that those europeans knew by then
just how devastating their arrival would bebut didn’t care.
which tells you a lot about our glorious ancestors, doesn’t it
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07: 06 and you can be certain that those europeans knew by then
just how devastating their arrival would bebut didn’t care.
which tells you a lot about our glorious ancestors, doesn’t it
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AkDragoon
Yay Alaska! Calling in my state and being 20% Athabaskan here.
We have a saying: the 'Lower 48' and people ask why we don't include Hawaii as 'lower', and our response is always: cmon. You know why.
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Yay Alaska! Calling in my state and being 20% Athabaskan here.
We have a saying: the 'Lower 48' and people ask why we don't include Hawaii as 'lower', and our response is always: cmon. You know why.
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JaimeNyx15
I'd never heard a proper breakdown of native Alaskan history, nor the names of the native tribes. There's plenty more to discover, but y'all are doing incredible work.
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I'd never heard a proper breakdown of native Alaskan history, nor the names of the native tribes. There's plenty more to discover, but y'all are doing incredible work.
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mikegyver3193
The history of people displaced amongst the Earth, was explained in scriptures and the tower of Babel. Their art their cultures and their worships connect the dots.
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The history of people displaced amongst the Earth, was explained in scriptures and the tower of Babel. Their art their cultures and their worships connect the dots.
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escritora84
This is the first time I've heard about Alaskan internment camps. I'm disgusted but not surprised that this is not discussed in American history at all.
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This is the first time I've heard about Alaskan internment camps. I'm disgusted but not surprised that this is not discussed in American history at all.
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seanroderick3467
Feels like there could be a whole ep just about Hawaii. I’m surprised Che Jim didn’t mention the infamous Captain Cook meeting his end there!
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Feels like there could be a whole ep just about Hawaii. I’m surprised Che Jim didn’t mention the infamous Captain Cook meeting his end there!
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amyverner6856
I didn't know about the Alaskan internment camps. Criminal that a) it happened, and ) b we dont learn about it in school in American history.
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I didn't know about the Alaskan internment camps. Criminal that a) it happened, and ) b we dont learn about it in school in American history.
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crash_course
ALL NATIVE LANDS ARE ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED. it's not complicated. The same thing happening in Palestine happened here and all over the west.
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ALL NATIVE LANDS ARE ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED. it's not complicated. The same thing happening in Palestine happened here and all over the west.
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angelmage99
I knew of the Native Hawaiian issue, but this is the first time I got to learn of the Native Alaskan issue. It's nice to learn more.
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I knew of the Native Hawaiian issue, but this is the first time I got to learn of the Native Alaskan issue. It's nice to learn more.
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