The Klondike Gold Rush was significant not only because
it was the last great gold rush but also because it
increased awareness of the northern frontiers of Alaska
and Canada. Unimpressed, the press had labeled the
purchase of Alaska as "Seward's folly" or "Seward's ice
box." Alaska and the Canadian Northwest, including the
Yukon Territory, remained sparsely populated until the
end of the century. When the U.S. Census Bureau
declared the western frontier closed in 1890, interest in
Alaska grew. While there still were millions of acres of
empty space in the lower states and territories, more
people began to venture north, toward the lands they
recognized as the last frontier. The discovery of gold, first
in Yukon Territory and then in Nome, Alaska, raised the
public's interest in what the far north had to offer.
-"The Legacy of the Klondike Gold Rush,"
National Park Service


Why did people want to explore Alaska and the Yukon
Territory? Check all that apply.
O Gold had been discovered in that area.
The western frontier had been expanded.
The western frontier was declared closed.
Many Americans supported the purchase of Alaska.
There was little open space in the lower 48 states
and territories.