Back when Russia and the U.S. had much more of a neutral relationship, Alaska was bought from Russia.
It's not like there were just a bunch of Inuit up there who suddenly felt the urge to become a state of the U.S.
2007-05-19 10:49:49 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
It was known as Seward's folly because no one at that time could see that Alaska could ever be good for anything.
2007-05-19 11:40:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I knew that. The Alaska purchase from Russia by the United States occurred in 1867 at the behest of Secretary of State William Seward. The territory purchased was about 600,000 square miles (1,600,000 km²) of the modern state of Alaska with the purchase price set at $7,200,000 (this is about 1.9¢ per acre).
2007-05-19 10:58:34 · answer #2 · answered by tomthebomb1981 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Inuit, Aleutians, Athabaskans, Tlingets and any others were not consulted; it was a sales deal between the US and Russia. Western powers of the day had no recognition at all for indigeounous peoples; they were legally about on par with animals.
2007-05-19 12:19:32 · answer #3 · answered by kent_shakespear 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Seward made a pretty good deal for the US in purchasing what came to be known as Seward's folly.
2007-05-19 11:58:13 · answer #4 · answered by Dave aka Spider Monkey 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
2007-05-19 10:54:10 · answer #5 · answered by Amy27 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was called "Seward's Folly" and you're supposed to be taught that back in 7th grade.
2007-05-19 12:20:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes I knew this, and land was pretty cheap back then.
2007-05-19 10:55:43 · answer #7 · answered by cowboybabeeup 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I knew.
2007-05-19 10:57:17 · answer #8 · answered by netnazivictim 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ummmm.....yeah. they teach that in like, middle school or elementary history
2007-05-19 10:54:17 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋