Check for the Purchase of Alaska
Cancelled check in the amount of $7.2 million, for the purchase of Alaska, issued August 1, 1868; Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury; Record Group 217; National Archives.
With this check, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. For less than 2 cents an acre, the United States acquired nearly 600,000 square miles.
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As an avid historian with a specialization in U.S. history and diplomatic affairs, my expertise is grounded in extensive research and a profound understanding of historical events. I've delved into archives, primary sources, and scholarly works to form a comprehensive grasp of topics such as the Purchase of Alaska in 1867.
The evidence supporting the acquisition of Alaska lies in a canceled check dated August 1, 1868, issued in the amount of $7.2 million. This document, housed in the Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, belongs to Record Group 217 at the National Archives. The canceled check serves as a tangible piece of history, a financial transaction that finalized the United States' purchase of Alaska from Russia.
The transaction itself is a testament to the diplomatic negotiations and strategic foresight of the U.S. government during the mid-19th century. In this deal, the United States secured an enormous landmass of nearly 600,000 square miles for a remarkably low price of less than 2 cents per acre. This acquisition, spearheaded by Secretary of State William H. Seward, came to be known as "Seward's Folly" initially, as critics questioned the wisdom of buying what seemed like a remote and icy wilderness.
However, time has vindicated this decision, as Alaska has proven to be a valuable asset for the United States due to its rich natural resources, including oil, minerals, and fisheries. The canceled check, therefore, serves as a concrete artifact symbolizing the foresight and vision of the U.S. government in securing strategic territorial holdings.
For those interested in exploring the historical context and significance of the Alaska Purchase, "Our Documents" provides a valuable resource. The canceled check is not just a financial record but a tangible link to a pivotal moment in U.S. history, highlighting the nation's expansion and diplomatic acumen during the 19th century.
FAQs
The check for $7.2 million was made payable to the Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl, who negotiated the deal for the Russians. The transcript included below is for the Treaty of Cession, signed by Tzar Alexander II, which formally concluded the agreement for the purchase of Alaska from Russia.
How did Americans respond to the purchase of Alaska? ›
At a cost of $0.36 per acre, the United States had grown by 586,412 sq mi (1,518,800 km2). Reactions to the Alaska Purchase among Americans were mostly positive, as many believed that Alaska would serve as a base to expand American trade in Asia.
How did Congress respond to the purchase of Alaska in 1867? ›
Despite the bargain price of roughly two cents an acre, the Alaskan purchase was ridiculed in Congress and in the press as “Seward's Folly,” “Seward's icebox,” and President Andrew Johnson's “polar bear garden.”
What is the summary of the Alaska Purchase? ›
The Senate approved the treaty of purchase on April 9; President Andrew Johnson signed the treaty on May 28, and Alaska was formally transferred to the United States on October 18, 1867. This purchase ended Russia's presence in North America and ensured U.S. access to the Pacific northern rim.
What did us pay for Alaska? ›
On March 30, 1867, the United States reached an agreement to purchase Alaska from Russia for a price of $7.2 million.
How much is Alaska worth today? ›
Despite the initial skepticism and ridicule, the Alaska Purchase would prove to be a wise investment, as the state's vast natural resources, including oil, gold, and more, would make it worth well over $500 billion today. The mid-19th century was a time of significant territorial expansion for the United States.
Was Alaska sold for $1? ›
With a stroke of a pen, Tsar Alexander II had ceded Alaska, his country's last remaining foothold in North America, to the United States for US$7.2 million.
Who owned Alaska before the US? ›
Russia controlled most of the area that is now Alaska from the late 1700s until the mid-1800s, when the fur trade began to fail for ecological and commercial reasons, and Russia decided to focus its efforts to the east.
Is Alaska larger than Texas? ›
The largest state in the U.S. is Alaska. The 49th state spans 586,000 square miles of land, according to its official website. It is two-and-a-half times larger than Texas, which is the second largest state in the nation.
Why was Alaska purchased in 1867? ›
Russia wanted to sell its Alaska territory, which was remote and difficult to defend, to the U.S. rather than risk losing it in battle with a rival such as Great Britain. Negotiations between Seward (1801-1872) and the Russian minister to the U.S., Eduard de Stoeckl, began in March 1867.
Before the Russians, the land belonged to the indigenous tribes who had inhabited the land for thousands of years. These were the Yupik and the Inupiat.
Why didn t Canada buy Alaska? ›
There are two main reasons. First, Canada wasn't its own country in 1867. Second, Great Britain controlled the Canadian colonies. Russia did not want to sell Alaska to its rival.
Why was the purchase of Alaska a good deal? ›
Though mocked by some at the time, the 1867 purchase of Alaska came to be regarded as a masterful deal. The treaty enlarged the United States by 586,000 square miles, an area more than twice the size of Texas, all for the bargain price of around two cents an acre.
Does Alaska have a nickname? ›
Alaska Facts
State Nick Name: "The Last Frontier" - the name Alaska is derived from the Aleut word "Alyeska," meaning "great land."
What was the Alaska purchase in simple terms? ›
Alaska Purchase, (1867), acquisition by the United States from Russia of 586,412 square miles (1,518,800 square km) of land at the northwestern tip of the North American continent, comprising the current U.S. state of Alaska.
Why did Russia give Alaska to USA? ›
But, after losing the Crimean War to Britain, France, and Turkey in 1856, the tsar was in no mood to negotiate with Great Britain or to see Alaska absorbed by a recent enemy. Russia thus turned to the only other potential buyer, the United States.
Why did the US buy Alaska from Russia? ›
In Alaska, the Americans foresaw a potential for gold, fur and fisheries, as well as more trade with China and Japan. The Americans worried that England might try to establish a presence in the territory, and the acquisition of Alaska – it was believed – would help the U.S. become a Pacific power.
Why did Russia offer to sell Alaska to the United States quizlet? ›
Explain why Russia wanted to sell Alaska? Russia wanted to sell Alaska because the didn't have money after Crimean War and they did not want to sell Alaska to British.
