President Barack Obama renamed North America's tallest mountain this week.
President
Barack
Obama
renamed
North
America
's
tallest
mountain
this
week
.
For almost 100years, the 20,310-foot Alaskan peak has been identified on most maps as Mount McKinley.
For
almost
100years
,
the
20,310-foot
Alaskan
peak
has
been
identified
on
most
maps
as
Mount
McKinley
.
Its names is now officially Denali.
Its
names
is
now
officially
Denali
.
This "new" official name isn't really new at all.
This
``
new
''
official
name
is
n't
really
new
at
all
.
Obama changed the mountain's name to Denali because, for generations, that's what people in Alaska have called it.
Obama
changed
the
mountain
's
name
to
Denali
because
,
for
generations
,
that
's
what
people
in
Alaska
have
called
it
.
The Athabascan people, a Native Alaskan group, named the peak Denali long ago.
The
Athabascan
people
,
a
Native
Alaskan
group
,
named
the
peak
Denali
long
ago
.
It means "high one" or "great one."
It
means
``
high
one
''
or
``
great
one
.
''
"We are officially renaming the mountain Denali in recognition of the traditions of Alaska Natives and the strong support of the people of Alaska," said U.S.Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.
``
We
are
officially
renaming
the
mountain
Denali
in
recognition
of
the
traditions
of
Alaska
Natives
and
the
strong
support
of
the
people
of
Alaska
,
''
said
U.S.Interior
Secretary
Sally
Jewell
.
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski praised Obama's move.
Alaska
Senator
Lisa
Murkowski
praised
Obama
's
move
.
"I'd like to thank the president for working with us to achieve this significant change to show honor, respect, and gratitude to the Athabascan people of Alaska," she said.
``
I
'd
like
to
thank
the
president
for
working
with
us
to
achieve
this
significant
change
to
show
honor
,
respect
,
and
gratitude
to
the
Athabascan
people
of
Alaska
,
''
she
said
.
The name Mount McKinley got its start in 1896.
The
name
Mount
McKinley
got
its
start
in
1896
.
At that time, there was a gold rush going on in Alaska.
At
that
time
,
there
was
a
gold
rush
going
on
in
Alaska
.
A gold prospector wanted to honor William McKinley of Ohio, who had just been nominated to run for U.S.president.McKinley would go on to become the nation's 25th president.
A
gold
prospector
wanted
to
honor
William
McKinley
of
Ohio
,
who
had
just
been
nominated
to
run
for
U.S.president.McKinley
would
go
on
to
become
the
nation
's
25th
president
.
He was killed in 1901, six months into his second term as president.
He
was
killed
in
1901
,
six
months
into
his
second
term
as
president
.
The U.S.Congress made the name Mount McKinley official in 1917.
The
U.S.Congress
made
the
name
Mount
McKinley
official
in
1917
.
Native Alaskans were insulted by the name change.
Native
Alaskans
were
insulted
by
the
name
change
.
The result has been a political tug-of-war between Alaska and Ohio.
The
result
has
been
a
political
tug-of-war
between
Alaska
and
Ohio
.
Since 1975, Alaska politicians have pushed Congress to change the name back to Denali.
Since
1975
,
Alaska
politicians
have
pushed
Congress
to
change
the
name
back
to
Denali
.
Now that President Obama has changed the name, some people in Ohio are very unhappy.
Now
that
President
Obama
has
changed
the
name
,
some
people
in
Ohio
are
very
unhappy
.
"This political change is insulting to all Ohioans," said Congressman Bob Gibbs, who is from that state.
``
This
political
change
is
insulting
to
all
Ohioans
,
''
said
Congressman
Bob
Gibbs
,
who
is
from
that
state
.
Denali also made news this week for another reason: U.S.officials decreased its official height by 10feet.The United States Geological Survey announced that Denali is 20,310feet high, not 20,320as previously thought.
Denali
also
made
news
this
week
for
another
reason
:
U.S.officials
decreased
its
official
height
by
10feet.The
United
States
Geological
Survey
announced
that
Denali
is
20,310feet
high
,
not
20,320as
previously
thought
.
The mountain has not shrunk.
The
mountain
has
not
shrunk
.
Advances in technology allowed scientists to take more accurate measurements of it.
Advances
in
technology
allowed
scientists
to
take
more
accurate
measurements
of
it
.
President Barack Obama renamed North America's tallest mountain this week. For almost 100years, the 20,310-foot Alaskan peak has been identified on most maps as Mount McKinley. Its names is now officially Denali.  This "new" official name isn't really new at all. Obama changed the mountain's name to Denali because, for generations, that's what people in Alaska have called it. The Athabascan people, a Native Alaskan group, named the peak Denali long ago. It means "high one" or "great one."  "We are officially renaming the mountain Denali in recognition of the traditions of Alaska Natives and the strong support of the people of Alaska," said U.S.Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.  Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski praised Obama's move. "I'd like to thank the president for working with us to achieve this significant change to show honor, respect, and gratitude to the Athabascan people of Alaska," she said.  The name Mount McKinley got its start in 1896. At that time, there was a gold rush going on in Alaska. A gold prospector wanted to honor William McKinley of Ohio, who had just been nominated to run for U.S.president.McKinley would go on to become the nation's 25th president. He was killed in 1901, six months into his second term as president. The U.S.Congress made the name Mount McKinley official in 1917.  Native Alaskans were insulted by the name change. The result has been a political tug-of-war between Alaska and Ohio. Since 1975, Alaska politicians have pushed Congress to change the name back to Denali. Now that President Obama has changed the name, some people in Ohio are very unhappy. "This political change is insulting to all Ohioans," said Congressman Bob Gibbs, who is from that state.  Denali also made news this week for another reason: U.S.officials decreased its official height by 10feet.The United States Geological Survey announced that Denali is 20,310feet high, not 20,320as previously thought. The mountain has not shrunk. Advances in technology allowed scientists to take more accurate measurements of it.