The Purchase of Alaska
by Erik Dawson and Kirsten Cooley
On March 29, 1867,
Secretary of State William H. Seward
and Russian Minister to the United States, Baron Edouard Stoeckel completed the first draft of the treaty. It said that Russian America was now property of the United States. The next morning, before the senate vote the treaty was signed. Cassius M. Clay, United States Minister to Russia, claimed Alaska was worth over million dollars. But the United States bought Alaska for 7.2 million dollars. That's less than two cents an acre. Even though the senate vote was 37 to 2 many U.S. citizens thought the purchase was a mistake. They called it "Steward's Folly." This was a very promising beginning for Alaska, it was then claimed the nation's ugly duckling.
The check that was signed for the
purchase of Alaska. (Photo taken at
the Anchorage Museum of History and Art.)
The purchase of Alaska was the continuation of the United States westward expansion. In November of 1867 there were about 115 American civilians in Alaska wanting to sign a city government charter. Only a few of the 115 people left Sitka to go to other places.A historian concluded that, "Sitka was for all practical purposes the American frontier in Alaska."
Americans came to Alaska for four main reasons:
1. The United States wanted to maintain friendship with the Russian government.
2. The United States wanted to facilitate acquisition of British Columbia.
3. The United States wanted to derive economic benefit from Alaska's resources.
4. The United States wanted to be closer to Asia for trading benefits.
The signing of the treaty for the Purchase of Alaska.
Three other more personal reasons Americans came to Alaska were: The United States government sent them, they wanted to earn livelihoods exploiting Alaska's natural resources, and/or they wanted to earn livelihoods in the trade business.
Most people in the United States thought that Russia was trying to sell us a "Sucked Orange." They thought Alaska was a barren, unproductive region, covered with ice and snow. Another representative said," Anyone to leave the U.S. to seek a home in such a place must be insane. Russia wanted to sell Alaska because either Great Britain or the United States would soon take over Alaska. Russia was also better friends with the United States,therefore they offered to sell it to the United States. Russia also needed the money to fight the Crimean War.
One hundred Russian troops and over two hundred United States troops marched up to Baranof Hill for the flag raising ceremonies. Russia was represented by Prince Dimitri Maksutov and Captain Aleksei Peschurov. The United States was represented by Brigadier-General Lovell H. Rousseau, plus several other U.S.officers. After the brief speeches from both countries gun salutes were fired alternating between Russian ships and American ships. A marine was sent up the flag pole to get the Russian flag down. He tore it loose and threw it down on the heads of the Russian soldiers.
Back.