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Alaska Purchase

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. Who?.

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Alaska Purchase

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  1. Alaska Purchase • Sally Park • Sylvia Jung • US-D

  2. 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

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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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”

  7. 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)

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

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

  10. Economic • No immediate change • Klondlike gold rush in 1896-1897 • Gold rush brought people wishing for instantaneous wealth • then brought miners hearing the news of abundant natural resources to be mined

  11. Political impact • First people ridiculed Seward for purchasing useless land • Ended up being rich in resources & gold rush • First Organic Act 1884 - Alaska under federal and Oregon state laws • Second Organic Act in 1912 - provide land ownership, mail service, civil government • Strategic importance realized in WWII

  12. 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

  13. 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

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