Alaska Purchase Sally Park Sylvia Jung US-D

Dates  Russia offered to sell Alaska → 1859  Senate approval → April 9, 1867  President Johnson signed treaty → May 28, 1867  Officially became US territory → October 18, 1867  Russia offered to sell Alaska → 1859  Senate approval → April 9, 1867  President Johnson signed treaty → May 28, 1867  Officially became US territory → October 18, 1867

Who?  The Russians offered to sell Alaska to the US because it became unprofitable and was impossible to defend  Andrew Johnson purchased Alaska  The Russians offered to sell Alaska to the US because it became unprofitable and was impossible to defend  Andrew Johnson purchased Alaska

Did the government approve the deal?  Russia sold Alaska for two cents per acre, therefore since the land was cheap, America thought it was a good deal  Won approval easily in 1867  Did not pay $7.2 million until 9 months later  Congress busy paying damage of Civil War & fighting to impeach President Johnson  Russia also offered previously, but at that time government too preoccupied with Civil War in US  Russia sold Alaska for two cents per acre, therefore since the land was cheap, America thought it was a good deal  Won approval easily in 1867  Did not pay $7.2 million until 9 months later  Congress busy paying damage of Civil War & fighting to impeach President Johnson  Russia also offered previously, but at that time government too preoccupied with Civil War in US

Why did Russia sell Alaska?  Lack of financial resources to provide military or settlement in Alaska  Crimean War = Russia lost interest in Alaska and money  Wanted to turn towards Asia instead  Russia thought it would reduce rivalry between British  Lack of financial resources to provide military or settlement in Alaska  Crimean War = Russia lost interest in Alaska and money  Wanted to turn towards Asia instead  Russia thought it would reduce rivalry between British

Why did America end up buying Alaska?  Land was cheap (2cents / ache)  Americans thought it was pretty good deal  Russia banned direct trade between Alaska natives and Americans  purchase of Alaska ended Russian presence in Americas  Rich in resources  US wanted to expand territory like the European nations were doing  MANIFEST DESTINY!  expand country “from sea to shining sea”  Land was cheap (2cents / ache)  Americans thought it was pretty good deal  Russia banned direct trade between Alaska natives and Americans  purchase of Alaska ended Russian presence in Americas  Rich in resources  US wanted to expand territory like the European nations were doing  MANIFEST DESTINY!  expand country “from sea to shining sea”

Impact on Inhabitants  Not much impact on inhabitants due to booming industrialization previously from the Russians  Coast inhabited and densely populated to sell and export fur  No population rush, no economic incentive to move (at first)  Not much impact on inhabitants due to booming industrialization previously from the Russians  Coast inhabited and densely populated to sell and export fur  No population rush, no economic incentive to move (at first)

Population change  No immediate change  Gold rush and booming resources brings population boom later  Increase of women  No immediate change  Gold rush and booming resources brings population boom later  Increase of women

Natural resources  Gold, timber coal, copper  Fish: richest salmon fishing ground  Oil  Fur  Wild life  Natural beauty: park, forest, volcanoes  Gold, timber coal, copper  Fish: richest salmon fishing ground  Oil  Fur  Wild life  Natural beauty: park, forest, volcanoes

Economic  No immediate change  Klondlike gold rush in  Gold rush brought people wishing for instantaneous wealth  then brought miners hearing the news of abundant natural resources to be mined  No immediate change  Klondlike gold rush in  Gold rush brought people wishing for instantaneous wealth  then brought miners hearing the news of abundant natural resources to be mined

Political impact  First people ridiculed Seward for purchasing useless land  Ended up being rich in resources & gold rush  First Organic Act Alaska under federal and Oregon state laws  Second Organic Act in provide land ownership, mail service, civil government  Strategic importance realized in WWII  First people ridiculed Seward for purchasing useless land  Ended up being rich in resources & gold rush  First Organic Act Alaska under federal and Oregon state laws  Second Organic Act in provide land ownership, mail service, civil government  Strategic importance realized in WWII

Impact of Slavery/ other institutions  During Russian occupation, possession of slaves was legal  Mostly women, native tribes  Treated worse than animals  Owner's will to injury or kill slave  As purchase of Alaska, slavery banned thanks to Seward  During Russian occupation, possession of slaves was legal  Mostly women, native tribes  Treated worse than animals  Owner's will to injury or kill slave  As purchase of Alaska, slavery banned thanks to Seward

Change in geography/ environmental  Large-scale private transfer of public lands and extensive road-building  Increased dispersed settlement in forest  Created more than 60 communities with significant costly infrastructure surrounded by boreal forest  Forest fires burned 37,000 acres of forest and peat  Suburban development continues to expand  Climate increased by 20%  Gateway to Klondlike gold mines  Large-scale private transfer of public lands and extensive road-building  Increased dispersed settlement in forest  Created more than 60 communities with significant costly infrastructure surrounded by boreal forest  Forest fires burned 37,000 acres of forest and peat  Suburban development continues to expand  Climate increased by 20%  Gateway to Klondlike gold mines