1. In 1954, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in North America occurred in Alaska. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.3 and caused widespread damage and numerous landslides.

2. On November 12, 1971, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was passed into law. The act created 13 regional Native corporations and over 200 village corporations, which were given title to over 44 million acres of land and 962 million dollars in compensation.

3. In 1981, oil first flowed through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. The pipeline is 800 miles long and transports oil from the North Slope to the port of Valdez.

4. On November 12, 1987, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that the state's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. The ruling was the first of its kind in the United States.

5. In 2012, Alaska Airlines launched the first commercial flight using biofuel made from leftover cooking oil. The flight was from Seattle to Washington, D.C., and was part of an effort to reduce the airline's carbon footprint.