AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Purchase of Alaska (Day 218/309)

Hey APUSHers, let’s chat about the Purchase of Alaska as part of my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

Russian America, Wikimedia Commons

After decades of British and Russian claims in North America, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million in 1867. 

Alaska Purchase, Wikimedia Commons

This acquisition, spearheaded by Secretary of State William Seward, was first proposed during the era of Manifest Destiny and finally occurred after the Civil War as the United States sought to further its control over the Western Hemisphere.

Seward’s Folly, Inside the Apple

Seward negotiated the deal despite public criticism. The purchase was known as “Seward’s Folly” and “Andrew Johnson’s Polar Bear Garden” as many were skeptical of its benefits.

Signing the Alaska Treaty of Cession, Wikimedia Commons

The purchase included vast stretches of land rich in timber, fish, minerals, and other natural resources. And over time, Seward's vision was vindicated as Alaska became a crucial source of gold, fisheries, and later oil, significantly contributing to the nation's economy. 

Initiating a new period of U.S. expansion into foreign territories, Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867.

Join me tomorrow as I explain the Annexation of Hawaii in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!