Take My Land, Take My Life: The Story of Congress's Historic Settlement of Alaska Native Land Claims, 1960-1971 - Paperbackby Donald Craig Mitchell (Author) In Take My Land, Take My Life, Mitchell concludes the story of the 134 year history of the U. S. government's relations with Alaska's Native people begun in Sold American: The Story of Alaska Natives and Their Land, 1867 1959. The culmination of that tale occurred in 1971 when Congress enacted the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. ANCSA authorized Alaska Natives to be paid $962. 5 million and to be conveyed title