Who purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867?

William H. Seward, the 24th United States Secretary of States, fought for the purchase of Alaska for a long time. Finally the USA bought the territory of Alaska from Russia on the 30th of March, 1867. 7.2 million dollars were paid for the 586 thousand square miles, which is twice the size of Texas. The purchase of Alaska is celebrated on the last Monday of March as Seward's Day.

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51 Comments

Don Woodworth

Alaska was refered to at one time as 'Seward's Folly'

Christopher John Goddard

It is Secretary's of State not Secretary of State's duh

earlepg

Lynne Zeman, But Fulton's Folly involved a steamship and patenting, not a land sale.

docluci

Easy answer....Seward’s Folly!

Carroll Price

At the time, it was known as "Sewards Folly".

Jaimi McEntire

@vasily tchaikovsky: Perhaps you are thinking of Hong Kong. Alaska was ceded outright by treaty with the Empire of Russia in 1867. Copy of treaty in English and French here: https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=015/llsl015.db&recNum=572

Jacky Pierce Friedman

Got this one cause I use to live I Anchorage which isn't far from the town of Seward.

Sue Gembrini-Spataro

That’s why I remembered. Don Woodworth,

vasily tchaikovsky

Good Q and A but officially Alaska was given for rent for 100 years .Alexander 2nd said :"I can not sale Russian territory" He was smart man

Steve Schrotter

Yes it was Sewards folly

txfl

It seems much more logical that Canada would have wanted it.

Lynne Zeman

As was Fulton's Folley Don Woodworth. Neither land purchases turned out to be folly....lol

Joanne Serin

Seward fought for the purchase, but he didn't actually buy it.

Mr.LaFaye

George Geller, You obviously do Not know American History. The question is not written well as Seward organized the purchase of the Alaska territory. The Treaty with Russia was negotiated and signed by Secretary of State William Seward and Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl. Critics of the deal to purchase Alaska called it "Seward's Folly” or “Seward's Icebox." Opposition to the purchase of Alaska subsided with the Klondike Gold Strike in 1896. garyjohnsusmc: He wishes he could, not a chance