Relatively speaking, Alaska has not been part of the United States of America for very long. Before it became a state, it came under the influence of Russia, which might surprise students of history who are more used to reading about the British or the Spanish in North America. The Russian interest in Alaskan history had begin in 1725, which was when explorer Vitus Bering was sent to explore the region by Russian Tsar Peter the Great.
This part of America was blessed with great natural resources and plenty of space of potential settlers, but Russia could never really get to grips with mounting a proper colonization. This was partly due to the distances involved, and there were never more than 400 Russian settlers who managed to get a toehold in the region. Interest from the Russians went into terminal decline after they lost the Crimean War in the 1850s.
This saw the Russians offer the territory for sale to the growing United States, which had begun its huge westward expansion during the 19th century. The Russians had a strategic aim when they offered the property for sale in 1859. They wanted to curb the strategic ambitions of Great Britain, which owned Canada and had just contributed to the defeat of Russia in the Crimean War.
The onset of the American Civil War in 1860, which last for five years, delayed the purchase of Alaska though. Once hostilities between the states had ended though, the US Secretary of State, a man named William Seward, looked to complete the transaction. Eventually, on March 30 1867, a deal was concluded with the Russian Minster in Washington, a man named Eduoard de Stoeckl, who agreed that $7.2 million was a fair price.
Alaska was formally transferred into the possession of the United States of America on October 18 1867. This was important in global strategic terms as it opened up the northern Pacific rim for access by Americans. It also ended the era of Russian influence in this part of the world.
There was very little material change in what actually happened in Alaska at this point though. Indeed, it was sometimes difficult to detect any meaningful control over the territory at all until 1884, when a formal civil government was constituted. Up until that point, Alaska had at various times been under the control of the Army, the Navy and the US Treasury.
So little happened in the territory at first that many people called the purchase 'Seward's Folly'. There seemed to be no value present in the acquisition of Alaska at all, though this view changed in 1896. This was when gold was found in the Yukon, and Alaska became the gateway to the gold fields of the Klondike.
As a starting point in Alaskan history, the purchase of the territory is as good as any, at least when it comes to the European history of the state. Of course, there were many people living in Alaska before the Americans, or the Russians, turned up. Alaska's real deep history lies in the stories and cultures of the many different Native American peoples who reside in what is, geographically speaking, the largest state of the Union.
This part of America was blessed with great natural resources and plenty of space of potential settlers, but Russia could never really get to grips with mounting a proper colonization. This was partly due to the distances involved, and there were never more than 400 Russian settlers who managed to get a toehold in the region. Interest from the Russians went into terminal decline after they lost the Crimean War in the 1850s.
This saw the Russians offer the territory for sale to the growing United States, which had begun its huge westward expansion during the 19th century. The Russians had a strategic aim when they offered the property for sale in 1859. They wanted to curb the strategic ambitions of Great Britain, which owned Canada and had just contributed to the defeat of Russia in the Crimean War.
The onset of the American Civil War in 1860, which last for five years, delayed the purchase of Alaska though. Once hostilities between the states had ended though, the US Secretary of State, a man named William Seward, looked to complete the transaction. Eventually, on March 30 1867, a deal was concluded with the Russian Minster in Washington, a man named Eduoard de Stoeckl, who agreed that $7.2 million was a fair price.
Alaska was formally transferred into the possession of the United States of America on October 18 1867. This was important in global strategic terms as it opened up the northern Pacific rim for access by Americans. It also ended the era of Russian influence in this part of the world.
There was very little material change in what actually happened in Alaska at this point though. Indeed, it was sometimes difficult to detect any meaningful control over the territory at all until 1884, when a formal civil government was constituted. Up until that point, Alaska had at various times been under the control of the Army, the Navy and the US Treasury.
So little happened in the territory at first that many people called the purchase 'Seward's Folly'. There seemed to be no value present in the acquisition of Alaska at all, though this view changed in 1896. This was when gold was found in the Yukon, and Alaska became the gateway to the gold fields of the Klondike.
As a starting point in Alaskan history, the purchase of the territory is as good as any, at least when it comes to the European history of the state. Of course, there were many people living in Alaska before the Americans, or the Russians, turned up. Alaska's real deep history lies in the stories and cultures of the many different Native American peoples who reside in what is, geographically speaking, the largest state of the Union.
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