On October 18, 1867, the frigate "Osipi" entered the harbor of Novoarkhangelsk (today the American city of Sitka), on which commission agents of the United States and the Russian Empire were. At 12:00 the official transfer of Russian America took place, the imperial flag was lowered and the American one was raised. So Alaska ceased to be Russian territory.
The idea of Nikolai Muravyov-Amursky
The first person to talk about the sale of Alaska was Nikolai Muravyov-Amursky, Governor-General of Eastern Siberia. Back in 1853, he provided Nicholas I with a note, in which he outlined his views on strengthening positions in the Far East and establishing close relations with the United States. Concerning Alaska, Muravyov-Amursky adhered to the following opinion: the area is huge - 1.5 million square kilometers, and there are so few emperor's submissions on it that they cannot even protect these lands.
Difficulty in managing territories
The actual discovery of Alaska by Russian navigators Fedorov and Gvozdev took place in 1732. Alaska was officially opened in 1841 by Captain Chirikov, who registered the discovery of a new land. The new territory was explored by Russian merchants who founded the Russian-American Company (RAC) there. They actively bought furs from local Eskimos, Aleuts and Indians, sold ice to America, traded in tea and Chinese fabrics. They also created Russian settlements, in which merchant ships stood in the winter months.
For 125 years, the vast territory of Alaska has not been developed. The settlements were rare and were located only along the coast; in order to avoid clashes with the Indians, it was forbidden to penetrate deep into the continent. In 1867, only 812 people lived in Alaska, employees of the Russian-American Company.
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The Russian empire believed that Alaska was a subsidized region that required investment and did not generate income for which it could continue to develop. It was believed that the Russian people would not want to travel so far to explore the "icy desert".
Russia leased America for 99 years
A persistent myth regarding the sale of Alaska is that it was not sold, but rented out for 99 years. But under the 1867 treaty, Alaska was unambiguously sold for $ 7,200 and is the property of the United States. Why was this myth born? Perhaps it appeared in connection with the declaration of the Soviet government in 1917. According to this declaration, the Soviet government does not recognize the agreements concluded by Tsarist Russia.
The Romanovs' debt to the Rothschilds
There is another version why Alexander II agreed to sell Alaska. To abolish serfdom in 1861, the government borrowed £ 15 million, at 5% from the Rothschilds, to compensate for the losses of the landlords. But the amount at which Alaska was sold would still not be enough to cover the debt. Then the British pound sterling cost $ 4.87, and the loan amount in dollars was $ 73 million. Alaska was sold for $ 7.2 million, less than a tenth of the debt.
Personal initiative of Konstantin Nikolaevich
The initiator of the Russian-American deal is Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich. He oversaw the work of discrediting the RAC in order to convince his brother to agree to the deal. He considered Alaska "extra territory", therefore, if a gold deposit is found, it will attract the attention of the British - and there is no one to defend the territory. According to Konstantin Nikolaevich, if England seizes Alaska, then the Russian Empire will lose its territory, and will receive nothing. And with the sale, it will be possible to bail out money, preserve reputation and strengthen friendly relations with the United States.
Alexander II feared that Alaska would be captured by England
One of the main reasons for the sale of Alaska is its vulnerability as a colony. The Aleuts collaborated with Russian settlers and adopted the Russian way of life. And the Indian tribes did not submit, did not recognize the domination of the Russians and lived with them in a state of "cold war". The British penetrated into the territory of Alaska and sold weapons to the Indians, incited rebellious actions. The British established a trading post on the far from the coast in 1847. The colony could do nothing about it, as well as with the whaling ships of different countries on the coast of Alaska. Alexander II feared that after the Crimean War England might attack the territory of Alaska, and it would be impossible to defend the territory. If Alaska had not been sold, that in a few years it would have become part of the Canadian Confederation, which was established in the summer of 1867.
Selling Alaska as inevitable
Back in the early 19th century, Secretary of State John Adams said: “Since the time we became an independent people, our claim is as much a law of nature as the Mississippi flows into the sea. Spain has dominions to the south and England to the north of our borders. It would be incredible if centuries passed without us annexing them. With regard to the Russian colonies in Alaska, John Adams adhered to exactly the same point of view, believing that patience and time would be the best weapon for reconquering this part of the American continent from the Russians.
In the United States, society was divided into two camps - some believed that buying a "box of ice, circus and bears" was a huge mistake, and such were the majority. "For" was Secretary of State William Seward, who lobbied with all his might in Congress. This purchase was called "Seward's stupidity" and Alaska "squeezed orange", which will bring nothing but losses. Horace Greeley, a publicist, asked: "Why should we invest in the kingdom of ice, rocks and snow?"
Charles Sumner played a major role in “moving the deal. He was one of Lincoln's associates, enjoyed authority, so he decided the fate of more than one important bill. He studied in detail at the Library of Congress everything he found about Alaska. Sumner was impressed by the wealth of the region, and came to the conclusion - a purchase is necessary! His speech had the desired effect: 37 people voted “for”, only 2 “against”. Later America recouped its expenses and made huge profits.