Date of Award

12-17-2000

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is threefold: first, to follow the early history of Alaska from the point of view of the Aleutian Islands; second, to follow how the history of science intersects with this history. Third, to show how nineteenth century science and scientists conceived of the Aleutians, and how their conceptions translated to public perceptions of landscape. The Aleutian Islands went from being the center of the newly-purchased Alaska in 1867--to an isolated chain of islands stretching beyond the margins of the map. Tracing the progression of this isolation demonstrates how landscape--an amalgamation of physical experience and myth--is the product of one's identity.

Handle

http://hdl.handle.net/11122/6765

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