History of Yukon

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The history of the Yukon covers the period from the arrival of Paleo-Indians through the Beringia land bridge approximately 20,000 years ago. In the 18th century, Russian explorers began to trade with the First Nations people along the Alaskan coast, and later established trade networks extending into Yukon. By the 19th century, traders from the Hudson's Bay Company were also active in the region. The region was administered as a part of the North-Western Territory until 1870, when the United Kingdom transferred the territory to Canada and it became the North-West Territories.

After gold was discovered in the Klondike region in 1896, the area saw a large influx of prospectors enter into the region in search of gold. Due to the large influx of prospectors into the region, the western portion of the North-West Territories was split from the rest of the territory in 1898 to form the Yukon Territory. Although the gold rush ended by the turn of the century, mining developments continued to take place in the territory during the early 20th century. During the Second World War, the Alaska Highway was built through the territory in order to facilitate the transportation of supplies to Alaska. In 1953, the capital of the territory was moved from Dawson City to Whitehorse. From the late-20th century, a number of First Nations in Yukon have entered into land claim negotiations with the government of Canada.