Why the Russian Colonization of the Americas Failed - DOCUMENTARY

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  • Опубліковано 12 гру 2024

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  • @KingsandGenerals
    @KingsandGenerals  2 роки тому +131

    Download Fishing Clash for FREE here fishingclash.onelink.me/dkOM/KingsAndGenerals and use my code FISHWITHKINGSANDGENERALS to get $20 worth of gifts for new players only

    • @GoodGirlKate
      @GoodGirlKate 2 роки тому +4

      That's cool

    • @mrtruth1567
      @mrtruth1567 2 роки тому +3

      It was originally fort rus , after the name russia. Ross is the anglicized name of the town. I always thought it peculiar that the Americans never anglicized Spanish towns such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and even Los Banos (bathroom).

    • @leosolorzano3472
      @leosolorzano3472 2 роки тому

      Please, make a video about the Kingdom of Soisson, the final rump State of the Western Román Empire

    • @yasminaminkhan2590
      @yasminaminkhan2590 2 роки тому

      Please make a video about the oghuz turks

    • @agn855
      @agn855 2 роки тому +2

      Being from Germany I'd be interested to see a video about the German influence on Russia and its domestic politics bc it looks like many German aristocrats have made their way to Russia in ancient times. Thx for this very informative video about Russian-Alaska. Much appreciated.

  • @LeoWarrior14
    @LeoWarrior14 2 роки тому +1381

    It became a common practice for the indigenous Tlingit tribe to make ceremonial armour out of Qing dynasty Chinese coins, which they got by trading with the Russians.

    • @GoodGirlKate
      @GoodGirlKate 2 роки тому +27

      Interesting Leo!

    • @rouymalic4463
      @rouymalic4463 2 роки тому +40

      they have a creativity skill the coin armor almost look like chainmail but coins

    • @jaythompson5102
      @jaythompson5102 2 роки тому +101

      I've seen one of these pieces before, incredible stuff. People don't realize that the northwestern tribes in NA were all skilled metal workers. Groups like the Dene and Tlingit were master coppersmiths and used techniques not seen until modern day. Even today the northern Canadian city of Yellowknife was named after all the copper tools in the area lying around.

    • @preetjitsingh328
      @preetjitsingh328 2 роки тому +27

      @@MbisonBalrog They had. But just swords and knives. White men had guns.

    • @jaythompson5102
      @jaythompson5102 2 роки тому +29

      @@MbisonBalrog they had copper and something called 'meteoric iron' which is iron from meteorites that had fallen. They also had access to iron from shipwrecks for example in the early 18th century there was a huge tsunami and oral tales tell of pieces of Japanese ships. Overall though they lacked the ability to smelt at high temps so they never had big smelting operations for the little iron that was available.

  • @daved2820
    @daved2820 2 роки тому +2121

    I go to Alaska every year and while the existence of Russian isn’t very strong, it is always slightly present, kind of like French culture in Maine or Louisiana. You definitely feel like you’re in the U.S. but the occasional Orthodox Church, Russian Flag, or Pelmeni vendor gives a slight reminder of who was in alaska first. Not to mention a lot of coastal tribes still follow Orthodox Christianity to this day.

    • @NCRonrad
      @NCRonrad 2 роки тому +137

      *who was in AK first * Russians or indigenous nations?

    • @homerpimpson9855
      @homerpimpson9855 2 роки тому +78

      @@NCRonrad Russians are native to Alaska, not native Americans

    • @NCRonrad
      @NCRonrad 2 роки тому +127

      @@homerpimpson9855 LOL alright, I get it - Native Americans are native to Russia/Siberia! Time to reclaim the motherland

    • @guestimator121
      @guestimator121 2 роки тому +198

      @@NCRonrad Siberians are fully integrated into Russian society, just look at Russian government and how they look, you'll see a bunch of Asian-looking faces.

    • @NCRonrad
      @NCRonrad 2 роки тому +57

      @@guestimator121 one crazy story is about the Bolsheviks executing the direct descendants in the noble house of Gengis Khan in Mongolia.

  • @cbrtdgh4210
    @cbrtdgh4210 2 роки тому +861

    The Russian far east is barely colonised, yet alone Alaska. Even Hokkaido was barely colonised by the Japanese until the late 1800s until advances in farming techniques brought over by Americans.

    • @leonbriski5929
      @leonbriski5929 2 роки тому +28

      @M J its very isolated and far away from the rest of the world, by ehat logic would it be cheap?

    • @jerryx3253
      @jerryx3253 2 роки тому +92

      @M J It’s not a no-man land before the Japanese colonizer came in. Ainu is still the majority ethnic in Hokkaido even during 1800s.

    • @GoodGirlKate
      @GoodGirlKate 2 роки тому +18

      Alaskan history is super interesting!

    • @RexGalilae
      @RexGalilae 2 роки тому +20

      @M J
      Hokkaido is the go-to tourism destination for most middle class Japanese people. It's popular af there and very overcrowded during tourism seasons.

    • @BoxStudioExecutive
      @BoxStudioExecutive 2 роки тому +7

      @@jerryx3253 for real. What an ignorant comment by the OP

  • @itsapittie
    @itsapittie 2 роки тому +174

    The most apparent result of the Russian colonization of Alaska is the significant presence of the Orthodox church. Most Natives are Orthodox although the influence is seen less in the non-Native population. In Alaska both December 25 and January 7 are celebrated as Christmas.

    • @RamanShrikant
      @RamanShrikant 2 роки тому

      yep, most natives are orthodox after getting massacared and forced to

    • @JohnDoe-id1es
      @JohnDoe-id1es 2 роки тому +40

      @@RamanShrikant propaganda. Contrary to popular belief, the Russians did not force the natives like other colonialists did.

    • @mexicoxv2236
      @mexicoxv2236 2 роки тому +6

      and the evangelization was peaceful or at the spain style.

    • @JP-rf8rr
      @JP-rf8rr 2 роки тому +4

      @@mexicoxv2236
      I know each colony had differences. From what I know, while Mexico and Peru were extremely brutal, places like French Canada and Japan were relatively peaceful. I don't know if the orthodox evangelization was peaceful or not, but I wouldn't assume either extreme just because it's associated with a colony.

    • @Catie2010
      @Catie2010 2 роки тому +2

      I've lived in Alaska my whole life. I never ever heard of the state celebrating January 7th as Christmas. Granted I've lived in the bigger cities. so maybe it's happening in the smaller towns and villages 🤷‍♀️ when I say bigger cities I mean Juneau and Ketchikan. Juneau has like 30,000 people and Ketchikan has about 9,000

  • @yuezhithat5055
    @yuezhithat5055 2 роки тому +217

    I read in a book:
    During the American civil war Russia sent a fleet of warships to California in support of the union to ward off any possible British intervention. This however was expensive and may have influenced the selling of Alaska.

    • @glynth
      @glynth 2 роки тому +39

      Russia sent the fleets to America to avoid them getting trapped by the Royal Navy in case of conflict with the UK. The Crimean war was only 5 years before this. Had a war erupted Russia could not defend Alaska hence it was sold.

    • @JohnDoe-id1es
      @JohnDoe-id1es 2 роки тому +80

      Russia sent two fleets one to SF, and one to NY. Lincoln stated that thanks to the support of the Russians, the Union was able to remain intact and be preserved. The French and British both supported the Confederacy, and Russian ships did not allow them to enter NY harbor. This is often forgotten and/or overlooked.

    • @glynth
      @glynth 2 роки тому +18

      @@JohnDoe-id1es This is not true sorry John. The presence of a Russian fleet in the west and east coast did not prevent nor was it intended to prevent British or French intervention. They had both stockpiled 3 years supply ( cotton ) before the war plus Egypt and India fed those hungry mills. The Russian Fleet at this time was rubbish and hid in fear of British/French confrontation in wars with the Polish Insurrection. The Russian Navy was weak and could easily be blockaded in its home ports, but if it was in the US when the war started it could more easily attack British and French commerce. The Japanese would defeat the Russian navy just 40 years later.

    • @JohnDoe-id1es
      @JohnDoe-id1es 2 роки тому +7

      @@glynth apparently, my initial response to you 2 weeks ago, i see, had been deleted. Perhaps because i listed the source, which may be against UA-cam guidelines, since it directs to another site. I'll try re-posting again shortly...

    • @JohnDoe-id1es
      @JohnDoe-id1es 2 роки тому +21

      @@glynth YES, apparently my posts are disappearrring! This site only allows one version of his..story to be posted, which is ultimately a danger to us all. I simply quoted the U.S. Secretary of the Navy and Oliver Wendell Holmes' poem regarding the affair, as well as another American historian who wrote about it, essentially thanking and praising the one party which intervened, supporting my initial statement- and it keeps disappearing! Apparently, this is the world we now live in! Everything is backwards and upside down! Welcome to the year following 1983! History down the ol' Memreee "whole". Sad and discouraging...

  • @theloremaster6661
    @theloremaster6661 2 роки тому +494

    I used to live in Alaska for a few years during the mid 2000s before moving to a different state. Alaska was the first U.S. state that I lived in coming from abroad. It is definitely a unique state compared to others. The public school I went to had about half of the students bearing Russian last names, and even a couple speak Russian at home. The Russian culture has definitely left a lasting impact in Alaska. Overall a great video! Alaska rarely gets the focus on its history compared to other states.

    • @metalfuk1
      @metalfuk1 2 роки тому +39

      Half? People of Russian descent make up less than 1.5% of Alaska's entire population. Alaska's population is only 731,000 people meaning Russo-Alaskans make up roughly 7,300 people total of all ages. So you're probably lying.

    • @adarshmohapatra5058
      @adarshmohapatra5058 2 роки тому +11

      @@metalfuk1 does this percentage of 1.5% take into account underreporting? After all, there was a cold war and many people with Russian decent may have hidden their identity.

    • @jeremiahblake3949
      @jeremiahblake3949 2 роки тому +97

      @@metalfuk1 there are some villages in Alaska which are still predominantly Russian, and some of the Russian decendendents have been reclassified as native tribes, so while they're a very small portion of the total population they have a strong influence in some remote areas

    • @theloremaster6661
      @theloremaster6661 2 роки тому +37

      @@metalfuk1 I lived in a small town located 2-3 hours south of Fairbanks in Central Alaska. While I dont know how many exactly practiced Russian culture or way of life in their households, their names carry a legacy regardless of how they identified themselves, even if they are now just American.

    • @codym7299
      @codym7299 2 роки тому +13

      @@metalfuk1 lol do you know what city he grew up in? No than those stats are irrelevant...

  • @guillermoadrianolopezdomin1860
    @guillermoadrianolopezdomin1860 2 роки тому +849

    I'm really amazed that you explained the facts about Fort Ross (Fuerte Ruso in spanish) and the attempts of Russia of get recognized by the mexican goverment.

    • @charlie8344
      @charlie8344 2 роки тому +8

      Some not stole your comment lol

    • @fernandomartin661
      @fernandomartin661 2 роки тому +21

      As a Mexican myself, I'm honored that Kings and Generals mentioned this small but interesting detail.

    • @ntonisa6636
      @ntonisa6636 2 роки тому +35

      I think it's really funny that Russia sought recognition by the Mexican govt even though they wouldn't recognize Mexico 😂

    • @MrKakibuy
      @MrKakibuy 2 роки тому +23

      no no.. it was the other way around. Mexico wanted recognition by Russia

    • @jamesdixon2860
      @jamesdixon2860 2 роки тому +10

      Mexico never had any control over California. Mexico fell into a state of War for 40 years after the Spanish left to go fight Napoleon. Americans moved into and controlled California. It was never part of Mexico. Fort Ross was sold to an American because those were the people in charge. The US military even had military bases in California. Mexico had none.
      Russia wouldn't even recognize the Mexican government in Mexico City as legitimate. There are good reasons for this. There was no Mexican government yet. They were still fighting over that.
      As soon as Santa Anna Consolidated power and tried to exert influence over those parts of the former Spanish Empire that were now occupied by Americans he was defeated never to return. It was already American territory.
      It was never truly Mexican territory.
      In fact Napoleon claimed that he sold all of that part of the United States , that was claimed by but never controlled by Mexico , during The Louisiana Purchase ... because he was in control of the Spanish government at tme and still claimed legal rights over their empire.
      The war between Mexico and the United States over California consisted of a few dozen Mexicans crossing the river getting shot at by Americans and returning back to Mexico.

  • @johnyricco1220
    @johnyricco1220 2 роки тому +50

    A couple of issues:
    1. Rezanov went to Monterey as that was the Spanish capital of California not San Francisco.
    2. John Sutter was not an American but a Swiss landowner living in Mexican California. A few years after the Russians sold him the leftover equipment at Fort Ross, gold was discovered on his land nearby. This was how the California Gold Rush started. Had the Russians stayed and found gold history might have worked out differently.

  • @CJC90909
    @CJC90909 2 роки тому +325

    Simple explanation:
    It wasn’t connected to their capital so they couldn’t use their Siberian Frontiers mechanic.

    • @Argacyan
      @Argacyan 2 роки тому +74

      Eu4 reference, a man of primary culture

    • @nomooon
      @nomooon 2 роки тому +12

      @@Argacyan history videos comments are full of paradox and sid meyer references

    • @Argacyan
      @Argacyan 2 роки тому +6

      @@nomooon no shit

    • @jerryx3253
      @jerryx3253 2 роки тому +6

      Basically they can’t just send the Cossacks to Alaska.

    • @GoodGirlKate
      @GoodGirlKate 2 роки тому +2

      Eu4 EH

  • @aegystierone8505
    @aegystierone8505 2 роки тому +181

    Fascinating topic. Would like to know more about the Vikings' early exploration into the Americas (or Greenland) too.

    • @GoodGirlKate
      @GoodGirlKate 2 роки тому +3

      Same!

    • @nayamap4402
      @nayamap4402 2 роки тому +15

      Bruh there is proofs Vikings made it until america in actual Newfoundland

    • @billweirdo9657
      @billweirdo9657 2 роки тому +7

      @@albertmont3411 They have Evidence of vikings visit. It's mainstream published now. Our ( native nations) oral histories even talk about about their visit.

    • @wontrespond8064
      @wontrespond8064 2 роки тому

      @@albertmont3411 lol
      You seem to have read to much wikipedia or something.

    • @cosmicrust9715
      @cosmicrust9715 2 роки тому

      FAKE NEWS: RUSSIA Never Wanted To Colonize SHIT especially the AMERICAS👎

  • @jeremiahblake3949
    @jeremiahblake3949 2 роки тому +153

    There's still some small villages on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska which are inhabited by majority ethnic Russians. They're called the Ninilchik Russians

    • @daved2820
      @daved2820 2 роки тому +18

      My buddies and I stopped in for lunch Ninilchik driving back to ANC after camping and fishing in Kachemak and Homer for a couple days. It was so beautiful if anyone is doing that drive you have to stop by the church, people were very friendly too.

    • @ivanexell-uz4mv
      @ivanexell-uz4mv Рік тому

      Oh oh I guess Ruzzia got some denazifying to do 😂

  • @yugiohculture1
    @yugiohculture1 2 роки тому +176

    "King Kamehameha" Did Akira actually steal his name for Gokus signature attack?!

    • @jaythompson5102
      @jaythompson5102 2 роки тому +46

      Yup he sure did

    • @yugiohculture1
      @yugiohculture1 2 роки тому +16

      @@jaythompson5102 childhood ruined lol

    • @yugiohculture1
      @yugiohculture1 2 роки тому +11

      @GrandAdmiralGamez mind completely blown

    • @PRASHANTSHARMA2016
      @PRASHANTSHARMA2016 2 роки тому +6

      I was searching for a comment which says this. Lol. Japan may actually be aware of his history more than us

    • @michaelwang6125
      @michaelwang6125 2 роки тому +5

      Kamekameha[4] (かめかめ波 Kamekameha, lit. "Turtle Turtle Wave") is a mispronounced and misdirected version of the Kamehameha
      They both reside on an island xD

  • @agrarianyeti8134
    @agrarianyeti8134 2 роки тому +69

    Thank you for covering this topic, few ever do. It's such an interesting story. I grew up in Southern California and often heard about how the Russian and Aleut trappers would come down the coast to hunt otters and fur seals on the Channel Islands. The local Chumash as well as Californios often had skirmishes and battles with them on the islands.

    • @ParleLeVu
      @ParleLeVu 2 роки тому +4

      You should see the documentary of when Russians established the city of Novoblyatsk in the land of Dota. Truly an epic saga.

    • @xm709
      @xm709 2 роки тому +1

      @@ParleLeVu 😂😂👍👍
      Что правда, то правда! Поговаривают что даже Путин гоняет катку-другую в Доту по вечерам. Но это не точно.

    • @ParleLeVu
      @ParleLeVu 2 роки тому

      @@xm709 Yes, Putin himself has flamed many a gamburger on late night solo queues.

  • @vasiliykolebanov845
    @vasiliykolebanov845 2 роки тому +29

    Great video! All of the details are great and factual. Splendid.
    I've read a lot about Alaska, Russian voyages, Fort Ross, etc when I was a kid. One of my favourite stories was about the voyage of Krusenstern and Lisyansky. To think that my countrymen took a stab at colonizing Hawaii and California was mind-blowing for me as a kid.
    Keep up the good work!

  • @napoleonibonaparte7198
    @napoleonibonaparte7198 2 роки тому +431

    The US would certainly freak out about having the Soviets so close and in the continent.

    • @GoodGirlKate
      @GoodGirlKate 2 роки тому +7

      True

    • @iKvetch558
      @iKvetch558 2 роки тому +125

      I concur...if they had not bought it by that time, the US would have 100 percent taken control of Alaska when the Communists took power. The US deployed troops to the Russian Far East to fight the Russian Communists in 1918.

    • @iKvetch558
      @iKvetch558 2 роки тому +36

      @@dalesen Soviets had Poland...and East Germany...US bases were in West Germany, Norway, Turkey and many others. Or were you talking about after Poland became a NATO member in 1999?

    • @iKvetch558
      @iKvetch558 2 роки тому +23

      @@celdur4635 That is possible, but I suggest it is highly unlikely. I actually think that the US would have taken Alaska when gold was discovered. Perhaps by offering to buy it at that point, maybe even for a decent price. But I think it is more likely that that the US would take over at that point to "protect US citizens" rushing to the area to stake their claims. Either the US people would start something with the Russians in the area, and then the US government would come in, or maybe the US government would engineer the takeover more directly. Either way, I do not see Alaska staying in Russian hands very long after the gold is found. ✌

    • @brandonlyon730
      @brandonlyon730 2 роки тому +4

      @@celdur4635 There’s next to nothing in Alaska though, barely any settlements or structures, not much food, with without any established most of the people that fled there would’ve just starve or froze to death. Not to mention insanely far away, the way they could realistically get there in a decent time is through trains, and all it would take is a couple of Communist sympathizers out east to sabotage some of the tracks and they be screwed.

  • @joemagnus5085
    @joemagnus5085 2 роки тому +92

    Russian operatives tried to take over Hawaii in the 19th century. They had permission to build a supply house, instead they built a fortified building & started stockpiling weapons. Thinking without a standing army they could just muscle in. They were removed before they could start any trouble but there's still an area in Honolulu's Chinatown called Fort Street Mall from where they had their stronghold

  • @thomasglynn9651
    @thomasglynn9651 2 роки тому +331

    I’d really like a video describing Russia’s rapid expansion eastward into Siberia and Central Asia. Sure it wasn’t very populated but there were still plenty of tribes and other societies living there. I think the Cossacks were the main driving force behind the rapid conquest

    • @belakovdoj
      @belakovdoj 2 роки тому +40

      You wouldn't believe it, but the significant force was... wing hussars!
      During the 16 century, it was an uninterrupted war between Russians and Poels so all captured hussars were sent to Siberia where they served as military elite.

    • @Rynewulf
      @Rynewulf 2 роки тому +22

      A good chunk around Russia's modern southern border was relatively populated by nomad khanates like Sibir, but by the time Russia was pushing into central asia they had mastered the use of firearms, forts and light cavalry against nomads for centuries and could simply just kill anyone who opposed their activities

    • @ivanerokhin9105
      @ivanerokhin9105 2 роки тому +2

      The main driving force was the cannibalistic russian state, from which the russians fled as far as they could until they ran into the Pacific Ocean.

    • @Scorp_2
      @Scorp_2 2 роки тому +13

      There were many reasons. One of them was “Mongolian” way of integrating foreign elites. Recognize the tzar as your leader, educate in Russian universities, pay taxes and you will remain in power among your people. Or you will regret.
      That’s how Russian expansion looks. That’s why there were no big genocides of indigenous people, there are about 200 nations inside Russia, not all of them are Slavic or Christian.

    • @ZaJaClt
      @ZaJaClt 2 роки тому

      @@MemoryOfTheAncestors not significant?? Imagine a village of 50 houses, those poles could populate 200 such places

  • @martinpoldma6393
    @martinpoldma6393 2 роки тому +4

    Thanks!

  • @johngolden3714
    @johngolden3714 2 роки тому +37

    When I lived in Hawaii I remember taking a family trip to Kaua'i and the ruins of Fort Elizabeth was one of the things we went to visit. I remember thinking it was just unimaginable that the Russians were there at one time.

    • @pawstravel
      @pawstravel 2 роки тому +4

      now you know the whole story 😊

  • @theawesomeman9821
    @theawesomeman9821 2 роки тому +17

    I have a friend who grew up in Alaska during the 1990's and 2000's, and according to him, its not just one of the well off places in the world, in terms of economics but a lovely place to be.

  • @LanceMillerSeattle
    @LanceMillerSeattle 2 роки тому +23

    In Akutan Alaska we celebrated Russian versions of Christmas and New Years, on entirely different days with Russian folk traditions. People were a mix of Russian and Inuit.

    • @LanceMillerSeattle
      @LanceMillerSeattle 2 роки тому

      @@mihovillmisha9885 Me: 1997-98 9 month contract and did housesitting in the village.

    • @arseniipianykh8425
      @arseniipianykh8425 Рік тому +1

      @@LanceMillerSeattle do yall celebrate new year? it was created in the USSR and still a lot of people celebrate, even more then christmas.

  • @timkrup9636
    @timkrup9636 2 роки тому +110

    Growing up in Hawaii and reading briefly about the encounter Russia had with the Hawaiian people and now seeing kings and generals bringing to light the history of the fort on the island of Kauai makes me happy . I can now use that scene from this episode to teach my friends and family and tell them more in def about the history Russia had on the Hawaiian people. Regardless of how short it was.
    Thank you @kingsandgenerals and I hope one day you’ll make a video on the history conquest of the Hawaiian islands, colonialism, and future statehood into the United States.

    • @iamspamus8784
      @iamspamus8784 Рік тому +1

      I'm goin to see that fort (Fort Elisabeth) in July!

    • @Worldaffairslover
      @Worldaffairslover Рік тому +6

      ⁠@@ivanpetrov2853as you should know, states can’t leave. Taking on more states also costs a lot of money, which Russia cannot maintain 😂

    • @wildfire9280
      @wildfire9280 Рік тому

      @@Worldaffairslover they’d reach the AE limit *and* demesne limit

    • @Worldaffairslover
      @Worldaffairslover Рік тому +1

      @@wildfire9280 the what limit?

    • @ayfabioo6876
      @ayfabioo6876 Рік тому +1

      ​@@ivanpetrov2853lay off the crocodile drug

  • @kristiawanindriyanto5765
    @kristiawanindriyanto5765 2 роки тому +32

    Never expected to find a mention of Russian attempt to colonize Hawai'i. 19th century was a era of turmoil for the emerging Hawai'ian nation, struggling to get diplomatic recognition from Britain, France, Russia and U.S.A until Hawai'i was eventually incorporated into U.S.A in early 20th century

    • @cattymajiv
      @cattymajiv Рік тому

      Hawaii was literally stolen by the US.

  • @WizardsandWarriors
    @WizardsandWarriors 2 роки тому +67

    My grandfather was not fond of colonization at all

    • @ajithsidhu7183
      @ajithsidhu7183 2 роки тому +3

      Sad rusky noises

    • @Aothis
      @Aothis 2 роки тому +1

      My great grandparents were part of a great migration out of germany during the 30's and ended up in the Pacific NW of the USA.

    • @GoodGirlKate
      @GoodGirlKate 2 роки тому

      I guess he played as a Horde in EU4

    • @Leynx-Et-Fenrir
      @Leynx-Et-Fenrir 2 роки тому

      Colonization is all fun and games when you have the upper hand...

  • @hkschubert9938
    @hkschubert9938 2 роки тому +32

    This is the best summary of Russian history in Alaska and California that I have ever seen or read.
    I have been to Ft Ross which is now a Calif State Heritage site.
    It is mostly popular to abalone freedivers.

  • @larsbackstrom3036
    @larsbackstrom3036 2 роки тому +38

    There is also the presence of the Orthodox Church to remind us of the Russian presence in Alaska

    • @justian1772
      @justian1772 2 роки тому +10

      As a member of an OCA Parish on the East Coast, can confirm. Trace our roots to Alaska. Even have a Saint from there, who preached to and helped the natives (St Herman of Alaska).

  • @stefanpfeiffermerino7633
    @stefanpfeiffermerino7633 2 роки тому +12

    Imagine being one of the explorers stuck in a boat in the north Pacific Ocean with all its freezing storms just to be greeted by what must probably be the most spectacular coastline on the planet, that being the very high and heavily glaciated Saint Elias mountains.
    Probably not the best place to start a colony but surely an awesome sight.

  • @jasonparrish8670
    @jasonparrish8670 2 роки тому +11

    Sonoma County, CA, the home of Fort Ross maintains a number of Russian place-names (Sebastopol, CA) and kids camp out in the rebuilt fort to role-play what settlers did in support of the colony, it's tremendous fun. It also inspired construction of a Russian-style hotel built of Redwood, stained glass and copper onion domes just a few km to the north, St. Orres, where the restaurant serves locally foraged food and game. One observation, Fort Ross is located on the North Sonoma Coast 36 km north of Bodega Bay and 144 km north of San Francisco.
    The Sonoma Coast has a really high mole/gopher population and reportedly it resulted in a report from Ft. Ross to the company that the land wasn't suitable for agriculture sufficient to support a colony. Within minutes to what's known now as the CA Wine Country.

  • @Heisen2420
    @Heisen2420 2 роки тому +92

    Imagine you owned land that you thought was worthless, only to find out centuries later it had gold, oil, and most important strategic position of the 21st century giving whoever's country own it great power on the political and economic stage.

    • @arolemaprarath6615
      @arolemaprarath6615 2 роки тому +5

      @@maligjokica British(US and Canada) all of them are British.

    • @legokingtm9462
      @legokingtm9462 2 роки тому +11

      @@arolemaprarath6615 No, American are american...

    • @billweirdo9657
      @billweirdo9657 2 роки тому +17

      @@arolemaprarath6615 Yes because rebelling from an government and creating a new government somehow makes it still the same country 🤣🤣🤣🤣

    • @hailexiao2770
      @hailexiao2770 2 роки тому +2

      For a very loose definition of "own". If you claim it (which not everyone recognizes) on paper but have no control except around a few forts, do you really own the land?

    • @arolemaprarath6615
      @arolemaprarath6615 2 роки тому +7

      @@legokingtm9462 Most of the US people at the tome were Brits who settled in the colony. US = New Britain.

  • @Alexei2539
    @Alexei2539 2 роки тому +32

    Another reason why the Russians had to leave Hawaii is that Shaffer didn't have authorization to take over Hawaii. As it took months for the news of what he was doing to get back to Europe, he was banking on the Tsar agreeing to what he did after the fact, but in the end he didn't get approval.

  • @Isaiah-tp1nc
    @Isaiah-tp1nc 2 роки тому +74

    Been waiting for this. I highly suggest to continue looking into the history of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest. The Tlingit, The Haida, The Kwakwuitl, The Coast Salish. So much rich history and unknown history. Thank you for touching on this history.

    • @haninditabudhi6574
      @haninditabudhi6574 2 роки тому +4

      Wow those indigenous peoples werent taught at history class! Hopefully this channel can cover it someday 👍🙏

    • @GoodGirlKate
      @GoodGirlKate 2 роки тому +3

      Yeah, interesting history!

    • @cattymajiv
      @cattymajiv Рік тому

      @@haninditabudhi6574 It's tragic how they have been marginalized, right up until now!

  • @EHH246
    @EHH246 2 роки тому +29

    The US purchase of Alaska was known as Seward's Folly at the time, named after then-Secretary of State William Seward who was in the American side of the negotiations. After all, he bought what looked like a frozen wasteland. What use could this tundra possibly have for America? Decades later, gold was discovered and people changed their tune.

    • @Cincy32
      @Cincy32 2 роки тому +1

      Even if not for the gold, it would have been seen historically as a wise purchase by the time the Cold War kicked off.

    • @joshdavis5991
      @joshdavis5991 Рік тому

      Was this the same Seward that was attacked the same night of Lincoln’s assassination, by one of John Wilkes boothes co-conspirators

    • @crazychase98
      @crazychase98 Рік тому

      More then that resource rich. Gold oil animals wood. Minerals. An the best location for air ports the busiest in the world in Anchorage it's geolocation gives the best flight times for cargo. Best mileage for jet fuel an militery bases give control of 90 of the Pacific an artic ocean. It's highly strategic for millitery purposes

  • @inspector_beyond
    @inspector_beyond 2 роки тому +116

    Imagine if the Tsar accepted Mexican terms. That would supply Fort Ross, which would support Alaska. There's a potential for Alt History.

    • @carnifex2005
      @carnifex2005 2 роки тому +18

      The US would have taken over both regardless. Both Russia and Mexico had no chance to hold that land against a "Manifest Destiny" US.

    • @guestimator121
      @guestimator121 2 роки тому +16

      @@carnifex2005 Russia would have likely sold it to Americans anyway, they were allies back then, and also to stick it to the Brits.

    • @ModernEphemera
      @ModernEphemera 2 роки тому +6

      @@deankosanovic2811 I mean, the US and USSR were closer in our reality than they would be if the Soviets had Alaska. In that reality they might be saying “can you imagine if the US had territory 55 miles away from the Soviets!?”

    • @R3GARnator
      @R3GARnator 2 роки тому +2

      It would have been sold along with Alaska because the logistics of defending it were too tenuous.

    • @marcusaustralius2416
      @marcusaustralius2416 2 роки тому +4

      With a lot of Jews being persecuted, there's a good chance a large number of Russian Jews would flee to the frontiers, including Alaska
      We could've had a bizarre Russian Jewish Alaskan Israel man

  • @GrandeSalvatore96
    @GrandeSalvatore96 2 роки тому +33

    “We won’t make those same mistakes again.” -VPutin

    • @Ideo7Z
      @Ideo7Z 2 роки тому +8

      Good luck with that Vlad, everbody is as well armed as potential colonizers these days.

  • @jawahrnamen42
    @jawahrnamen42 2 роки тому +29

    I bet even if imperial Russian geologists happen to discover gold and oil, Alaska would still be difficult to garrison and supply while British Canada and the United States are geographic neighbors

  • @lusitanocy
    @lusitanocy 2 роки тому +9

    0:59
    16th century Portugal and Spain: "What? There's nothing more fun than colonization!"

    • @guestimator121
      @guestimator121 2 роки тому +1

      My thought exactly, I only had a picture of an Ethernal Anglo with his monocle and colonial hat

  • @compatriot852
    @compatriot852 2 роки тому +10

    I think the main issue with the Russian colonization of Alaska is the fact that Russia was already over extended with so much newly conquered territory in Asia and then Eastern Europe.
    Russia simply was in no position to be fighting any conflicts with America or Britain who wanted the land for themselves

    • @crazychase98
      @crazychase98 Рік тому

      Russia has been an Allie far longer in American history then it had been an enemy

  • @PeterStanton
    @PeterStanton 2 роки тому +5

    There are a few errors and oversimplifications in this video, but overall it is the best video on the subject that you can find on UA-cam. Thanks Kings and Generals for producing the content!

  • @Mr_M_History
    @Mr_M_History 2 роки тому +51

    Kings and Generals asking the big questions! I wonder how the absence of a Cold War would have affected world history!

    • @GoodGirlKate
      @GoodGirlKate 2 роки тому +2

      Good question!

    • @iKvetch558
      @iKvetch558 2 роки тому +1

      I am curious...what is the scenario under which the US and USSR do not wind up as opponents?

    • @GrunOne
      @GrunOne 2 роки тому +3

      @@iKvetch558 Would probably have needed Stalin gotten rid of as WWII was ending and new leader/leaders who focused less on stoking ideological opposition.

    • @iKvetch558
      @iKvetch558 2 роки тому +1

      @@GrunOne Yeah...something like that would have been needed to change course on the Cold War.

    • @zyanego3170
      @zyanego3170 2 роки тому +2

      @@iKvetch558 Maybe if NATO accepted the Soviet request to become a member.

  • @Nowhereoh
    @Nowhereoh 2 роки тому +17

    The town of Sebastopol & the Russian River are reminders of the Russians in NorCal. The Russians vetoed San Francisco as UN HQ. That is another alternative history. San Francisco had a sizable Russian American population. Russian Hill & the Richmond Dist. Probably anti communist.

  • @slinky6481
    @slinky6481 2 роки тому +15

    Greetings from Juneau, Alaska! We don't have much of a Russian history here, but the influence is still here nonetheless. Sitka, on the other hand, still shows much of its history with the Russians.

    • @FlateeX
      @FlateeX 2 роки тому

      Sitka was called as Novo-Archangelsk(New-Archangelsk) by Russia, then that was renamed

  • @mikemodugno5879
    @mikemodugno5879 2 роки тому +1

    Thank you so much for this video. Getting this fascinating topic covered on K&G has been my sincerest hope for months. Very well done!

  • @Digmen1
    @Digmen1 2 роки тому +9

    Wow, I knew that Russia expanded into Alaska, but never knew that they went to California and Hawaii!
    In 1814, it shows just how empty California must have been

    • @GoldenGod69
      @GoldenGod69 2 роки тому +1

      Still is pretty damn empty once you leave SF/LA/SD

  • @readingking1421
    @readingking1421 2 роки тому +4

    Ah, another excellent documentary on a little-known topic.
    Thank you K&G for doing what you do.

  • @tomwh1993
    @tomwh1993 2 роки тому +26

    That brief mention of Hawaii piqued my interest. I've no idea of its history before the arrival of the Europeans but the idea of such an isolated civilization and its wars is really interesting. Same with the Maori in New Zealand. I'd love to see an episode on something like this, getting away from a eurocentric view of history is always good too

  • @KZ-sg4es
    @KZ-sg4es 2 роки тому +5

    English and Spanish expansion into the Pacific-Northwest is also very fascinating. You should do a video on the Nootka-Crisis!

  • @Minboelf
    @Minboelf 2 роки тому +28

    USA when it gets Alsaka: Seems like a useless land to me.......
    Few Moments later......
    USA: Oh Look! Oil and Gold

    • @gearloose703
      @gearloose703 2 роки тому +2

      Russia has plenty of both though in siberia. Still waiting for the siberian gold rush to happen :D

    • @malleableconcrete
      @malleableconcrete 2 роки тому

      @@gearloose703 There actually was a huge amount of Eastward immigration into Siberia during the late 19/early 20th centuries to make use of the huge amount of land and natural resources in the region, especially after the construction of the Trans Siberian railway. I believe that despite the harsh environment the average peasant was considerably better off in the East of the country than they were in the west because of this.

  • @xanderunderwoods3363
    @xanderunderwoods3363 2 роки тому +4

    As an Alaskan, I really loved this video

  • @FallenAnvilForge
    @FallenAnvilForge 2 роки тому +27

    I was never taught that Russia even tried to colonize North America, and I'm 43 years old. It's disturbing how little today's generation is being taught. Thanks for the video and the history lesson I never got.

    • @WillJM81280
      @WillJM81280 2 роки тому +4

      It’s even more disturbing how little people try to find out for themselves & rely on others to do it for them.

    • @VivianLinMusic
      @VivianLinMusic 2 роки тому +2

      Why would anyone need to know this though
      It’s just novelty

    • @westrim
      @westrim 2 роки тому

      One of the skills you're supposed to develop is inference, precisely so you don't have to learn massive tables of facts for regurgitation. That Alaska was bought from Russia is fairly common knowledge, from which it can be inferred that Russia also came to the America's.

    • @daveschillz
      @daveschillz 2 роки тому +1

      I’m 19 and this channel has shaped my understanding of world events

  • @anton3306
    @anton3306 2 роки тому +3

    Awesome stuff as always!

  • @jasepoag8930
    @jasepoag8930 2 роки тому +16

    13:40 Oh my, can you imagine a Russian Hawaii? Talk about an odd couple.

    • @Aeterna71
      @Aeterna71 2 роки тому +6

      American Hawaii is also an odd couple actually

    • @jasepoag8930
      @jasepoag8930 2 роки тому +2

      @@Aeterna71 True, but I feel like Russia is even more of an odd match due to their overall climate and reputation.

    • @jasepoag8930
      @jasepoag8930 2 роки тому +1

      @@DingaLingu I was imagining how different a Russian owned Hawaii would be, not the people themselves. When I think of Russia and modern Hawaii, they feel basically opposite.

  • @hxyzazolchak
    @hxyzazolchak 2 роки тому +2

    What a timely video!

  • @GanjaMasterBlaster
    @GanjaMasterBlaster 2 роки тому +11

    Honestly, imagine if the Russians kept Alaska, California, Hokkaido, Hawaii, and Sagallo (Djibouti)

  • @thajaeger
    @thajaeger 2 роки тому +1

    That empires total war music in the background tho ;) love it ! also great content - keep it up!

  • @holyfreak86
    @holyfreak86 2 роки тому +66

    Just imagine what would elk mamushkas look like!🦌

  • @BlueSideUp77
    @BlueSideUp77 2 роки тому

    Thanks for looking into this topic!

  • @quarrel79
    @quarrel79 2 роки тому +5

    Haha amazing timing I was literally just reading about Baranov and the Russian American Company in Stephen Bown's book "The Merchant Kings".

  • @RubyDoobieScoo
    @RubyDoobieScoo 2 роки тому +4

    Fun Fact that you didn't mention, Russia first offered to sell Alaska to Liechtenstein first.

  • @Nikephorus
    @Nikephorus 2 роки тому +3

    Great video. I didn't know much about the Russian colonization of Alaska.

  • @taiocruz2499
    @taiocruz2499 Рік тому +1

    So many small things at play here (as is often the case) that could've altered the course of world history forever. Fantastic video

  • @wolliveryoutube
    @wolliveryoutube Рік тому +3

    For Orthodox Christians in America, at least those of the OCA tradition, Russian America occupies a considerable spot in our hearts and minds. We find ourselves talking very often about saints like Herman of Alaska, Innocent of Alaska, and Peter the Aleut. It is very special to us to have a rich Orthodox tradition, however well-hidden, with saints and martyrs here on American soil. There are still many Orthodox Christian Aleuts and Tlingit today, which are held in a certain respect as the spiritual children of St. Herman.

  • @wrednax8594
    @wrednax8594 2 місяці тому +1

    Lost Face by Jack London is a great short story that I recomment to anyone interested in this area of history

  • @Jurgen_Ibro
    @Jurgen_Ibro 2 роки тому +8

    The Russian adventure overseas is strongly connected with the scarcity of its lands in Eurasia, lots of frost in both land and sea. If we consider that even the Transiberian was only constructed towards the end of the century the picture is much clearer.

  • @jonbaxter2254
    @jonbaxter2254 2 роки тому +12

    Boggles my mind how massive Russia is

  • @lombardo141
    @lombardo141 2 роки тому +2

    14:21 😮 so that’s where Kamehameha came from. Wow!

  • @Andrew-ly6yf
    @Andrew-ly6yf 2 роки тому +5

    Up in Northern California in wine county, there is the Russian River and a town named Sebastopol(Russian origin) so they left their mark. They were driven back by General Vallejo I believe

  • @Gorboduc
    @Gorboduc 10 місяців тому

    Fun fact: Baron von Wrangel (12:25) started off as an explorer, and got Wrangel Island named after him. It was recently discovered that this was the home of the world's last population of woolly mammoths, who believe it or not lived there in dwarf form until going extinct around the time of the Great Pyramids and Hammurabi.

  • @ikballalli5539
    @ikballalli5539 2 роки тому +22

    Oops, you made a mistake at 13:52, you said 1518 instead of 1815

  • @etanneriii
    @etanneriii 2 роки тому +1

    great content as always.

  • @louisthegreat1686
    @louisthegreat1686 2 роки тому +3

    Excellent video, but there is a mistake - Vitus Bering could not have traveled to Bering Islands in 1741 by the order of Peter the Great because Peter the Great died in 1725. This was an order from his daughter, Elizaveta Petrovna of Russia.

  • @loupiscanis9449
    @loupiscanis9449 2 роки тому

    Thank you ,K&G .

  • @yourcheapdate4564
    @yourcheapdate4564 2 роки тому

    i've been waiting for something like this. We go up the California coast every year for vacation and Fort Ross is one of our usual stops. It's a real presence in the area.

  • @Mark-uh3un
    @Mark-uh3un 2 роки тому +6

    Under different circumstances Russia could’ve either kept Alaska or maybe lose it to the British in one war or another. Imagine how different the world would’ve been

  • @HIS_MIL_GLOB
    @HIS_MIL_GLOB 2 роки тому +1

    Thanks for other so interested video. :D

  • @Scorpitarios
    @Scorpitarios 2 роки тому +9

    Just imagine if Russia had never sold its American territories. There would have been a direct land border between the USSR and USA after the October Revolution, which would have become a second Iron Curtain right on the North American continent. Just imagine if San Francisco and Los Angeles had been Soviet cities.

    • @AquariumRuss
      @AquariumRuss 2 роки тому

      yes! looking at Biden's face, you begin to understand that it's time to return these lands to the bosom of Matushka - Russia!

    • @manyulgarprsch
      @manyulgarprsch Рік тому +1

      If Russia had never sold its American territories, there's a good chance she wouldn't have suffered the October revolution.

    • @Boris_Belomor
      @Boris_Belomor Рік тому +2

      If Russia didn't sell Alaska to USA, it might become an independent country during revolution.

    • @АндрейКалугин-э6ы
      @АндрейКалугин-э6ы Рік тому +1

      it impossible to save that territory. Another way you just loose this territory (USA get this territory in any way)

    • @arseniipianykh8425
      @arseniipianykh8425 Рік тому

      @@Boris_Belomor nearly all of the states that declared independence in 1917 and after were brought back into the USSR. The only ones who succeeded are Poland, which 23 years later became a sattilite, and finland.

  • @davidwood1923
    @davidwood1923 2 роки тому

    A Great Little Video... Thanks for Sharing

  • @AlejandroDominguezParedes
    @AlejandroDominguezParedes 2 роки тому +6

    14:22 The power of Gokú: kame hame ha!!!

    • @Mische2k
      @Mische2k 2 роки тому

      It's over 9000!

  • @kendallcribbins415
    @kendallcribbins415 2 роки тому +2

    I live about 45 mins from fort Ross, it's a cool place to go check out.

  • @NashBrooklyn
    @NashBrooklyn Рік тому +3

    intriguing how russia failed to colonize the states in 1812 and how the states failed to colonize russia in 1918 -

  • @jamesdavies5386
    @jamesdavies5386 2 роки тому

    Excellent work as always on a little discussed chapter in history!

  • @orktv4673
    @orktv4673 2 роки тому +12

    Could you do a video on how missionaries historically worked? Was it any different (e.g. more violent) than it's done nowadays?

    • @billweirdo9657
      @billweirdo9657 2 роки тому +3

      I haven't read about continents worth of burning and killing to suppress local spiritual beliefs any times recently so I'd say it's alot less violent now a days.

    • @xXxSkyViperxXx
      @xXxSkyViperxXx 2 роки тому +2

      maybe it was harder but more institutionally supported by state-back institutions to go out and do it

  • @HistorySkills
    @HistorySkills 2 роки тому

    Great video topic by the way.

  • @NUSensei
    @NUSensei 2 роки тому +6

    This is exactly why you don't buy early access. The US did the right thing by waiting for the Oil expansion.

  • @petah-peoplefortheendlesst4668
    @petah-peoplefortheendlesst4668 2 роки тому +1

    All this time I've been subbed had no idea Kings and Generals was from my hometown, Toronto!

  • @Flying_Lexus
    @Flying_Lexus 2 роки тому +3

    This is fascinating. I knew Russia used to own Alaska but this episode is so informative. I want to visit Fort Ross now.

  • @sudetenrider-pili6637
    @sudetenrider-pili6637 2 роки тому +2

    Empire total war ost. Much love for that guys

  • @hellkr
    @hellkr 2 роки тому +6

    I'm happy that someone took the topic of Russian presence in Hawaii. Although I think it deserves more exploration and not enough justice has been done to this topic here. For example, nothing is mentioned about the involvement of Americans in the conflict between Kamehameha and Kaumualii. I've visited the ruins of Fort Elizabeth some time ago, and learned that the whole story is much more fascinating :) How about an episode dedicated to it? Or a mini-series on Kemehameha's expansion?

  • @carlesbusuldu2469
    @carlesbusuldu2469 2 роки тому +1

    I love the music of total war empire in your videos

  • @luigisaintil413
    @luigisaintil413 2 роки тому +4

    A king named kamehameha really! I thought it was original? Omg I’ve been putting my hands together and screaming this man name thinking a ky blast of epic proportion would fly out. This man will live forever in my heart😂😂😂😂😂😂.

  • @sunSherifAhmDRose1QuIST
    @sunSherifAhmDRose1QuIST 2 роки тому +2

    Kingdom of DANmark got its name in SLAVIC language, "Dan" meaning : "the day/ light".
    Danish old king had slavic name: Vladimir Sejr.
    Oldest danish town Ribe got its name in slavic language, meaning: "the fish".

  • @mule8064
    @mule8064 2 роки тому +4

    Forgetting that one moment where Russia tried to sell Alaska to Liechtenstein and they said no, so they then asked the US

  • @raptorhart
    @raptorhart 2 роки тому

    Watching from Sitka Alaska. Great video!

  • @Iron-Bridge
    @Iron-Bridge 2 роки тому +4

    It's why I never picked the Russians in Rise of Nations. It's the complicated logistics.

  • @sergiomonarrez7000
    @sergiomonarrez7000 2 роки тому

    great video and illustrations! 💜

  • @elnovillomapuchedehomerus2412
    @elnovillomapuchedehomerus2412 2 роки тому +3

    10:30 not only mexico, spain and the indigenous people claimed those lands but also it was an argentinian territory for a time.

    • @elnovillomapuchedehomerus2412
      @elnovillomapuchedehomerus2412 2 роки тому

      @@attiepollard7847 it was an independant country at that time and was trying to liberate other countries from spain in south, north and center america this is why many center american countries make their flags in reference of the argentine flag after being help to get independance from spain.

  • @annoyed707
    @annoyed707 2 роки тому

    Excellent choice of topic.

  • @manuelapollo7988
    @manuelapollo7988 2 роки тому +4

    You cannot defeat Kamehameha, unless you are Goku

  • @PaladinFeora
    @PaladinFeora 2 роки тому

    Is there a place you can just listen to the music you all use on repeat? It is so good

  • @JKRoss-zm3zu
    @JKRoss-zm3zu Рік тому +3

    There were times when Russians and Americans were good friends. And the Russians even sent a fleet in support.