1. On March 29, 1867, the United States government officially bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. This historical event is known as the Alaska Purchase and it increased the size of the United States by 586,412 square miles.

2. In 1902, a magnitude 8.2 earthquake shook the Aleutian Islands, causing a tsunami that spread across the Pacific Ocean. The earthquake was one of the largest ever recorded in the United States, and the tsunami caused widespread damage in Alaska, Hawaii, and even as far away as Japan.

3. In 1913, the first motorized sled dog teams were used in Alaska, revolutionizing transportation in the remote and rugged terrain. These early snowmobiles were called "auto sleds" and were used for hauling supplies and mail across the state.

4. On March 29, 1943, the United States military established the Alaska Highway, a major supply route that connected the contiguous United States to Alaska during World War II. The highway was built in just eight months and stretched over 1,500 miles, crossing rugged terrain and challenging weather conditions.

5. In 1964, a powerful magnitude 9.2 earthquake struck Alaska, causing widespread destruction and triggering a tsunami that caused damage across the Pacific Ocean. The earthquake remains one of the most powerful in recorded history and the damage it caused in Alaska resulted in the federal government establishing a new agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate disaster relief efforts.