On October 18, 1867, the United States made a historic deal with Russia, acquiring the vast Alaska territory for $7.2 million. This transfer of 665,000 square miles of land had a significant impact on the geopolitical balance of power that is still felt today. The purchase marked the end of Russian efforts to expand trade and settlements to the Pacific coast of North America, while also playing a role in the rise of the United States as a great power in the Asia-Pacific region.
Following months of negotiations and political discussions, the deal was finalized with the lowering of the Russian flag in Sitka and the raising of the American flag. This historic event is celebrated annually in Alaska as Alaska Day, an official state holiday. The purchase price of Alaska, at 1.7 cents per acre, was seen as a steal for a territory more than twice the size of Texas and three times the size of California.
The treaty between the United States and Russia created a geographic curiosity, as the two nations became next-door neighbors, separated only by 2.4 miles of ocean in the Bering Strait between Big Diomede and Little Diomede islands. Russian nationalists today lament the loss of such vast natural resources, with some speculating on the possibility of Russia reclaiming Alaska in response to geopolitical tensions.
Initially, Alaska was viewed as a wasteland by both nations, with Czar Alexander II reportedly willing to give the land away. American critics, including the press and political pundits, derided Secretary of State William Seward for the secrecy of the deal and for spending taxpayer dollars on what they considered to be empty, frozen wasteland. The acquisition of Alaska was mockingly referred to as “Seward’s folly” and “Seward’s icebox.”
Public opinion began to shift in the late 19th century with the discovery of gold in Alaska, leading to an influx of Americans during the Alaska Gold Rush. This ultimately paved the way for Alaska’s statehood, as it became the 50th state of the United States on January 3, 1959. Alaska Day continues to be celebrated in the state, with events and festivities in Sitka culminating in a reenactment of the changing of the flag on Castle Hill. The purchase of Alaska remains a pivotal moment in American history, shaping the nation’s expansion and influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
