Alaska Purchase

The Alaska Purchase was a treaty in 1867 when the United States bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. This acquisition expanded U.S. territory significantly, adding a vast northern region rich in natural resources like fur, minerals, and later, oil. While initially seen as a remote and cold land, Alaska’s strategic importance and resource potential became clearer over time. The purchase is sometimes called "Seward’s Folly" after Secretary of State William Seward, who negotiated it, but it eventually proved to be a valuable addition to the U.S.