1. On April 7, 1795, Russian explorer Alexander Baranov established a trading post called Fort St. Archangel Michael in Kodiak, which marked the beginning of Russian colonization of Alaska.
2. On April 7, 1869, the U.S. government purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, which became one of the largest land deals in history and officially made Alaska a U.S. territory.
3. On April 7, 1943, the first U.S. Air Force aircraft landed in Anchorage, marking the beginning of the rapid expansion of Alaska's military presence during World War II.
4. On April 7, 1957, the 9.1 magnitude Great Alaska Earthquake struck, which was the second-largest earthquake ever recorded and caused massive damages and casualties across Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.
5. On April 7, 2005, Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski signed a controversial bill that opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, sparking a heated debate between environmentalists and energy proponents.