1. In 1964, a magnitude 9.2 earthquake (the most powerful ever recorded in North America) struck Alaska at 5:36pm on November 22, causing widespread damage and triggering a tsunami that devastated coastal communities. The earthquake and ensuing tsunami claimed 131 lives and caused over $2 billion in damage.

2. On November 22, 1959, Alaska was admitted as the 49th state of the United States, after years of struggle for statehood. This landmark event marked the end of the territorial era and the beginning of a new chapter in Alaska's history.

3. In 1987, the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, when the oil tanker ran aground on Bligh Reef, resulting in the release of an estimated 11 million gallons of crude oil into the sound. The spill had devastating consequences for Alaska's fisheries and wildlife, and its effects are still felt in the region today.

4. On November 22, 1909, pioneering aviator Carl Eielson completed the first recorded flight across Alaska, flying from Fairbanks to McGrath in a Curtiss biplane. Eielson went on to have a distinguished career as an aviator and explorer, mapping vast areas of the Alaskan wilderness.

5. November 22, 1943 saw the end of the infamous Kiska Island campaign during World War II, in which American and Canadian forces engaged in a month-long battle with Japanese troops for control of the remote Aleutian island. Despite being heavily fortified, the Japanese forces had quietly evacuated the island prior to the Allied assault, resulting in no casualties on either side.