Seward's Folly: Russia Sells Alaska for $7.2 Million
Russia sold Alaska to the United States to prevent British seizure during potential war, adding over half a million square miles to American territory. This transaction threatened British Pacific control and directly accelerated Canadian Confederation three months later, blocking U.S. expansionist dreams of connecting Alaska to the lower states. The deal reshaped North American borders, ensuring Canada remained a unified dominion while the U.S. secured its northern flank.
October 18, 1867
159 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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