why did the us purchase alaska from russia, why not canada purchase alaska?

Question

why did the us purchase alaska , did they know alaska had oil back then.

Answer 1

William Seward Bought Alaska in 1867 for reasons stated below.

Russia was in a difficult financial position and feared losing the Alaskan territory without compensation in some future conflict, especially to their rivals the British, whose Royal Navy could easily capture the hard-to-defend region. Therefore the Czar Alexander II decided to sell the territory to the US and instructed Russian minister to the United States, Baron Eduard de Stoeckl, to enter into negotiations with Seward in the beginning of March 1867.

The negotiations concluded after an all-night session with the signing of the treaty at 4 o'clock in the morning of March 30, with the purchase price set at US$ 7,200,000 (equivalent to about US$ 1.67 billion 2006 dollars). American public opinion was generally negative; as summarized by one historian, the complaints were many: [Oberholtzer p 541]
Already, so it was said, we were burdened with territory we had no population to fill. The Indians within the present boundaries of the republic strained our power to govern aboriginal peoples. Could it be that we would now, with open eyes, seek to add to our difficulties by increasing the number of such peoples under our national care? The purchase price was large; the annual charges for administration, civil and military, would be yet greater, and continuing. The territory included in the proposed cession was not contiguous to the national domain. It lay away at an inconvenient and a dangerous distance. The treaty had been secretly prepared, and signed and foisted upon the country at four o'clock in the morning. It was a dark deed done in the night.... The New York World said that it was a "sucked orange." It contained nothing of value but furbearing animals, and these had been hunted until they were nearly extinct. Except for the Aleutian Islands and a narrow strip of land extending along the southern coast the country would be not worth taking as a gift.... Unless gold were found in the country much time would elapse before it would be blessed with Hoe printing presses, Methodist chapels and a metropolitan police. It was "a frozen wilderness," said the New York Tribune.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Purchase

At about .03 Cents an acre I think the US made a good deal.

Answer 2

Purchase Of Alaska

Answer 3

Good question. Well, the Secretary of State Seward had the vision of purchasing Alaska, basically for estrategic reasons. At the moment Canada was still in terms of being a British colony, and the British did want to purchase Alaska. Seward pressed the issue in the Congress to make the purchase before the British.
No, Seward was very criticized for this transaction. People called it: "Seward's madness."
It was not until gold was found, some years later, near the Yukon river, that Alaska become important

Answer 4

When Was Alaska Purchased

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
why did the us purchase alaska from russia, why not canada purchase alaska?
why did the us purchase alaska , did they know alaska had oil back then.

Answer 6

US purchased Alaska because the country wanted to expand into Asia at the time following other world powers into an era of imperial expansion. Since many areas in South America and Africa were already under the influence of other European powers, so logical choices left at the time for US were places like Alaska, Hawaii, Philipines. which US went about and exerted its influences. One area US set to colonize was Japan, but the county quickly developed its own industrial power and became a world power itself to colonize other underdeveloped areas shortly after.

As to Canada, it was not an independent country at the time and it was only a colony of Britain.

Answer 7

At the time of the purchase (1863), the United States was an imperial power (even though it was busy with a civil war), while Canada was not yet independent. The total population of the United States was much larger than that of Canada.

Answer 8

Canada was still controlled by Britain, and the U.S. were concerned about gaining territory. It was unknown about all the resources up there at the time, and was thought of as a big mistake... But when the cold war came around it did create a buffer zone between Russia, and North America. Then the realization of the oil, diamonds, and I believe there is also gold, turned out to be, (I would say), one of the best purchases they made.
CyberNara

Answer 9

For one, Canada wasn't entirely in charge of Canada at that point - it was still controlled by the British.
Recognize also that nobody thought it was a great deal at the time. It was called "Seward's Folly" or "Seward's Icebox". At that point its gold and oil and environmental benefits were not known, and it was seen as a bad purchase by US and especially by secretary of state William Seward. Also, no one knew the Cold War was coming and that it would be a huge advantage to have then as well.

Answer 10

When Alaska was purchased the US was expanding. Every country wants more land to control. The US just got to it first!