1. The Alaska Constitutional Convention began on December 1, 1955. Delegates from all regions of the state met in Fairbanks to draft a new constitution for Alaska, which was later approved by voters and became effective on January 3, 1959, when Alaska officially became a state.

2. On December 1, 1988, a major earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands, measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale. The earthquake triggered landslides and a small tsunami that caused damage to the remote island of Unalaska. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries or fatalities.

3. December 1, 2011, marked the opening of a new ski resort in Girdwood, Alaska, called the Arctic Valley Ski Area. The resort offers a variety of winter sports activities, including skiing, snowboarding, and sledding, and boasts stunning views of the Chugach Mountains.

4. On December 1, 1928, a bush pilot named Noel Wien made the first successful mail delivery by airplane in Alaska. Wien flew from Fairbanks to McGrath, a distance of 261 miles, in a single-engine biplane carrying 125 pounds of mail. This historic feat paved the way for the development of air transportation in Alaska.

5. In 1974, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) was signed into law on December 1 by President Gerald Ford. The act provided $1 billion and 44 million acres of land to Alaska Natives as compensation for the federal government's claims to their ancestral lands. ANCSA was the largest settlement of indigenous land claims in U.S. history and forever changed the relationship between Alaska Natives and the federal government.