Alaska: A region that is bountiful in oil and gold, here’s how the US acquired it from the Russians

President Donald trump has once again been trying to acquire greenland however this time he seems to be making some progress. The story seems to be that the Americans may take control of Greenland either by force or through economic means. The situation seems to be dire but when we look at history we see how rough such political dynamics are because back in 1867 the Americans made a similar purchase when they offered Russia 7.2 million dollars for Alaska and the great irony is that it was referred to as ‘seward’s Folly because the politicians decided it was a simplistic trade when in fact there is much more into the story involving global ambitions,politics,world view, the practicality of trade and the list goes on. This is a story where we see the haste of the Russian people how Americans develop long term strategies and finally the plight of the people of Alaska.

Selling Alaska is the Right Choice and the Decision of Russia.

The Russian Empire’s expansionist ambitions were fueled by the hunting of fur, the zeal to spread Orthodox Christianity, and the zeal to colonize. In the 18th century, Emperor Peter the Great established Russia's first navy and during his efforts sought to discover how much further to the east the Asian landmass extends. Eventually, Russia would make an even greater discovery further to the east – Alaska.

Alaska was discovered during the 1741 expedition of the Russian explorer Vitus Bering, who neared its shores. Desolate high mountains, undulating forests and valleys choked in ice characterized the Alaskan landscape, which was quickly labeled by the Russians who invaded it because of its natural resources. In Russia, the fur trade was regarded as ‘white gold’ with otter pelts being the most sought after. The Russian traders seized the opportunity and began forming tiny colonies along Alaskan shorelines.

In the process, however, they disregarded the native Alaskan population including the Inuit and other groups. Their wealth was plundered and their customary lifestyle was turned upside down.

Explain the challenges how Russia lost Alaska specially in the 19 th century with examples there are three potentially factors that are responsible for russia losing its grip in Alaska these are. To begin with Political Strains as observed between 1853 to 1856 Russia was occupied with the Crimean war which crippled the Russian economy Following the war Alaska became more difficult to utilize and defend as manteering for power shifted and foreign interests increased. Additionally, there is the issue of decline in the fur trade the scramble for the sea otters eventually saw an imbalance this dented the damage making it the once highly profitable trade of Russia collapse and lastly geographical distance is also a reason, the clash availability of technology and logistical costs made the task of managing Alaska near impossible. Since Great Britain had control of Canada And there existed the chance that they could assume control of Alaska it made it extremely vital to find a new buyer for Alaska, that being said however ending up handing over control of Alaska to Great Britain would compliment the enemy even more so instead of spending money on war it was easier to diplomatcially make ends meet and so selling Alaska wasn’t as complicated after all.

Нowever, in the 1860s, Russia seemed to have started its romance with America. It was about that time when the U.S’s appetite for increasing its geographical scope was insatiable. Russia offered to sell Alaska to the US, however the procedure has not been as direct as it appears. There was an intelligent scheme behind the Russian initiative.

Russia knew very well the existed issue between the United States and Britain. Handing over Alaska to the United States would not only assist in alleviating some of Russian’s financial woes but would also serve to indirectly put Britain at a weaker position in the region. On the one hand, Russia had economical issues while on the other it made calculated moves. The Alaskan territory which was once its most significant trade center was now a liability.

And so, Russia decided that, “Selling Alaska is the right choice! How did Alaska change hands in that case? How did William H. Seward pull it off and why was it subsequently deemed to be “foolish”? This is the next chapter in the story.

America's aspiration for Alaska.

America had a pretty straightforward question, so how are they intending to buy Alaska? The cold and heavy icy region of Alaska seemed difficult for Americans to understand the use of in that era. However, that doesn't seem to be the case for America’a Secretary of State at that time - William H. Seward. He had a dream for Alaska. He quite imaginatively brought forward the idea that “Alaska is more than just a land covered in snow. It could immensely benefit nations like America in many different ways”. The offer was there however, that was not the only thought confined in America as they were still getting back on their feet after the civil war, so the offer didn't look promising. But on the other hand the nation deemed the investment to be of no use, Seward stepped up and took charge.

The buying price for Alaska was set to be around 7.2 million US dollars in the year of 1867, which has an estimated modern day value of 12 million. On March 30, 1867, The treaty for America to finally take control of Alaska was signed, to make it dramatic, that night will always be remembered as a turning point in the history of America. Now after hours of negotiations that were done between ambassador Stoeckl and America’s secretary, a deal was finally made.

Alaska was bought by the US on March 31st of 1867. At the time of the purchase the real worth of the state wasn’t understood. All of that changed when in the year of 1896, there was a discovery of Gold in the Klondike’s region of Alaskan, which propelled the area to the center of the global stage. The rush changed the perception of Alaska on an international scale and made it the talk of the town, eventually it was also determined that there were a plethora of resources such as oil and natural gas laying around the region. Furthermore, this greatly assisted the US, as it was now able to significantly bolster its defenses and trade capabilities.

Fast forward into the future and Alaska’s copper edged sarcasm that was once directed at Seward, turned into giggles of admiration as it started assisting the US economy on looking. Gone are the days where Alaska was a “drain” on the economy, today, the US proudly boasts about its largest and fastest growing state.

Alaskan Fish

Back in the days the state’s primary industry mainly revolved around fishing and timber. The state had some of the biggest oil reserves, which greatly sparked the interest of the wealthy, which in turn allowed the state to evolve and expand.

In the 1950s, Alabama uncovered enormous oil reserves in the form of the biggest oil field found in Prudhoe Bay. However, as was the case with gold, oil wouldn't be the only treasure that Alaska would have to offer. For even more valuable is the magnificent landscape that the state possesses. This state is home to thousands of glaciers, some of which can be compared in size to entire cities.