Given the disorder and hysteria that was the Cold War, it has become somewhat passé for Americans (let alone the world) to remember that the American state of Alaska was once a colony of their "greatest enemy" — the Russians. While it's easy to chalk the end to Russia's colonial ambitions to the sheer size and isolation that Alaska is notorious for, it was not for a lack of trying. Since the early 19th Century, the Russian Empire had as much ambition for North America as the rest of the European powers. Probably their greatest attempt to solidify their claims was the construction and operation of Fort Ross (a colony located in modern day Northern California). While not successful in regards to the overall goal, the colony lasted for about 30 years, and we can thank the Russians for the ear