Alaska

**Alaska**, nicknamed The Last Frontier,is one of the ten blue states in Laurie Keller's Scrambled States of America. He is the largest state in the country.

## Role

In The Scrambled States of America, when the states decide they should switch places, Alaska moves next to Oklahoma and Michigan. However, he is irritated byOklahoma's handle jabbing his left side andMichigan's thumb tickling his right. When the states return to their proper places, Alaska can finally stretch out again.

In The Scrambled States of America Talent Show, Alaska takes the part of the show by reciting the state abbreviations by cross-dressing a female, while Rhode Island carries him over his head. He explains that he had a funny story about Arkansas.

## Trivia

* He is the largest of the states.
* In the first book, Alaska is smaller than Texas. But in the second book, he is larger than the other states.
* His name means "great land" in Aleut.
	+ During the time Alaska was named Russian America, the name Alaska was used in its (present-day) Lake-and-Peninsula Borough, starting in the early 1790s.
	+ Early names for the state are: Allaska, Alyaska
* In the video version of the Talent Show book, Alaska's in-drag voice sounds like Mickey Mouse.
* Some people mistaken him as a female, mainly because of his act in the Talent Show.
* He is the only state that borders Canada and is close to the Arctic Circle.
* He’s the youngest of the states that start with A.

## Quote

* Alaska: "Wanna hear a joke?"
* Michigan: "Sure!"

--

* "I can stretch out again!"

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* (falsetto) "Rhode Island will hold me over his head while I recite all the state abbreviations. Isn't he so cute and strong? Okay, let's see... Alabama is AL, mine is AK... that was easy. Ummm, Arizona is AZ... Arkansas is AR, which reminds me, I have a funny story about Arkansas but that can wait... hmmm... oh, right, California is CA..."

--

* "Look at me - I'm the largest state in the country and they have me stuffed in this lousy box!"

## Celebrities Born in Alaska

* Brandon Grae Dubinsky
* Lincoln Brewster
* Martin Sensmeier

## Relationships

### Hawaii

Both he and Hawaii are noncontiguous states. In the first book, they move with the contiguous states.

### Michigan

In the first book, Michigan tickles Alaska with his thumb.

### Oklahoma

In the first book, Oklahoma jabs Alaska with his handle.

### Rhode Island

In the second book, Rhode Island carries Alaska, who is cross-dressed as a female, over his head while the latter recites all the state abbreviations.

### Washington

In the second book, Washington throws her decorations that she used to Alaska.

## Real-world History

During the Early Triassic Era (approx. 250 million years ago), a piece of land, which is now known as the southern region of Alaska, was born from a hotspot in the Pacific Tectonic Plate. 200 million years ago, another piece of land, which is now known as the northern region of Alaska, was born from a hotspot in the Arctic Tectonic Plate. During the Jurassic Era, the North American Tectonic Plate began to build up some land, which is now known as the middle region of Alaska.

Approximately 100 million years ago, Alaska was formed as a part of the Bering land bridge, connecting from itself to Chukotka (Russia), until the end of the last ice age.

In approximately 1500 BC, the first known people living in Alaska were known as Paleo-Eskimo. During the beginning of the first century, the Thules and Nortons lived there. In 925 AD, the Inuits lived there, claiming it as part of the Inuit Country.

In 1789, the southeast panhandle of Alaska was ruled by the Spanish as part of Nootka Territory. One year later, it was ruled in cooperation with the British.

In the late 18th century, the Russian Empire conquered Alaska from the Inuits, claiming it as Russian America. By the early 19th century, Alaska, then known as Russian America, gained its full shape we know of today.

In 1867, the United States purchased the land from Russian America, renaming it the Department of Alaska. Alaska became the 49th state to gain statehood, on January 3, 1959.

### Future drift prediction

It's predicted that Alaska would once again connect with Chukotka (Russia) for about 100 million years from now.

## Gallery

Alaska in his act: "Isn't he so cute and strong?""Rhode Island will..."