Which group resisted Russian expansion during early contact in Alaska?

• A. The Tlingit
• B. The Haida
• C. The Yupik
• D. The Aleut

Answer: (A)

When new powers push into a coastal region, Indigenous communities often respond with organized resistance and strategic defense. The Tlingit lived along the southeastern Alaska coast and mobilized effectively against Russian expansion in the early contact period. They conducted forceful actions against Russian forts and incursions, most famously at Sitka, where they challenged Russian control and slowed the pace of Russian consolidation in the area. This strong, organized resistance underlines why this group is the best answer.

The other groups had different kinds of interactions. The Aleut, for example, often acted as intermediaries for the Russians and were integral to the fur trade network, rather than mounting large-scale resistance. The Yupik and Haida had encounters with Russians as well, but the most prominent, well-documented resistance in Alaska during early contact is associated with the Tlingit.