The check the US paid Russia for Alaska, public domain

In 1725, Tsar Peter I sent the Danish sailor Vitus Bering to the far east in order to observe if there was a land connection between Asia and North America. His activity, acting under Russian orders, was associated with St. Petersburg’s growing interest in Alaska. Firstly, the focus was on research expeditions, and in the 80s the first Russian colonies were established there. However, it soon turned out that Alaska is an area that brings Russia more problems than profits. Insufficient financial resources and too little military involvement in the North Pacific area did not allow for much. Moreover, there was a risk that Alaska could be occupied by the British presence in Canada, who were one of St. Petersburg’s strongest opponents. Russia had to find a way to get rid of the problematic territory, at the same time avoiding any potential strengthening of its rival.

American Dream

The United States offered them an opportunity to get out of this situation whilst saving face. Negotiations between the interested parties took place for the first time in 1859, but the outbreak of the Civil War led to their discontinuation. The Russians and Americans sat down again at the turn of 1866 and 1867. Finally, on March the 30th, 1867, at 4 am, the American Secretary of State William H. Seward agreed to buy Alaska for the amount of 7.2 million dollars (an amount equivalent to about 142 million in present day value), which was proposed by Baron Edward de Stoeckl. The relevant documents were signed in Washington.

Some bureaucracy

However, the agreement with the Russians was only the beginning. Now the American Congress had to be persuaded to approve this decision. The US took over the territory on October the 18th, 1867, but Alaska only became the 49th state in 1959, 7 months before Hawaii. Despite the passage of time, the Russians still regret the loss of those lands that the Americans bought for a none too exorbitant amount. Sometimes comments from Moscow can be heard to the effect that the purchase was illegal and it is Russia which possesses the rights to Alaska.