Alaska

Trade between the peoples on either side of the North Pacific (the Bering Strait) has been going on for centuries. From the 18th Century AD onwards trade between Russians and native Alaskans was the most important feature of the relationship between these peoples. Trade often took the form of simple exchange i.e. one good was exchanged for another. The exchange rate would be agreed agreed at the time of exchange and would have gone up and down quite a bit.

1 The Russian trader wants to exchange flour for the Alaskan's ivory. The rate is agreed at 5kg of flour to 50g of ivory. How much flour would be given in exchange for 500g ivory? 2 The Russian trader wants to exchange flour for the Alaskan's ivory. The rate is agreed at 5kg of flour to 50g of ivory. How much flour would be given in exchange for 300g ivory? 3 The Russian trader wants to exchange Venetian beads for Alaskan jade. The rate is agreed at 10 beads to 25g of jade. The Alaskan trader weighs his jade on the scales (right). How many beads would be given in exchange for the jade? 4 The Russian trader wants to exchange Venetian beads for Alaskan jade. The rate is agreed at 10 beads to 25g of jade. The Alaskan trader weighs his jade on the scales (right). How many beads would be given in exchange for the jade? 5 An Alaskan trader wants some tea. He has got walrus skins to exchange. He agrees a rate of one skin for 2kg of tea with a Russian trader. The Russian trader has two tea bricks. Each brick is weighed (the results are shown below). How many skins would the Alaskan trader have to give for the tea? 6 An Alaskan trader wants some tea. He has got walrus skins to exchange. He agrees a rate of one skin for 2kg of tea with a Russian trader. The Russian trader has two tea bricks. Each brick is weighed (the results are shown on the right). How many skins would the Alaskan trader have to give for the tea?