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The US and Russia Compete for Natural Resources
The U.S. and Russia competed to find untapped natural resources in sparsely populated Alaska. St Petersburg could not support large remote settlements, military or civilian so the Russian settler population stayed in the low hundreds. -
Russia Offers To Sell Alaska to the U.S.
Russia offers to sell Alaska (AK) to the U.S. Russia had drained it's treasury fighting the Crimea War and lost influence as an European power. Russia needed money and to shift focus on regaining power in Europe. Another issue Russia had was Great Britain's dominate presence in the Pacific. If the U.S. bought Alaska then Great Brattain would fall back in its Pacific pursuits. The American Civil War was about to begin so the U.S. was not interested in buying AK at this time. -
U.S. Regained Interest in Alaska
The U.S. regained interest in AK after the Civil War ended and William Seward, the US Secretary of State, and Edouard de Stoeckl, the Russian Minister to the US, reached an agreement for the US to buy AK for $7.2 million. Alaska covers more than 600,000 acres, so the US bought Alaska for about $0.02 an acre. -
The 1867 Treaty of Cession
The 1867 Treaty of Cession for the US to purchase AK from Russia was approved by the Senate. This was a peaceful transfer of property and both sides felt they benefited from the transaction. -
President Johnson Signed the Treaty of Cession
The 1867 Treaty of Cession was signed by President Andrew Johnson. The US wanted the untouched natural recourses AK offered, such as fisheries, furs, gold and lumber. The US also wanted new and better trade routes to Asia. Alaska was now considered a military district of the US. -
Alaska is Officially Transferred to the US
Alaska was officially transferred to the US. Now that AK is officially US territory the US had access to the Pacific north rim. Russia was no longer a presence in North America. -
The First Organic Act
US constituted The First Organic Act creating a civil government in Alaska. Until now, the US had not given AK much attention. This was the first step in making AK a more official territory. Until now, AK was considered a Military District. After The First Organic Act, AK was known as the District of Alaska. -
The Klondike Gold Rush
Gold was discovered in the Yukon Territory of Canada. The US used Alaska as a way into and out of Canada during the rush. An estimated $29 million in gold was found. The US was starting to pay more attention to Alaska and what it has to offer. -
The Second Organic Act
The Second Organic Act of 1912 incorporated Alaska from the District of Alaska to the Territory of Alaska. The importance of AK during the Klondike Gold Rush motivated the US to further incorporate AK. Alaskans wanted statehood but the US Government is not interested. -
Alaska's Strategic Importance During WWII
The US built military bases on many Aleutian Islands as strategic refueling and supply stations, as well as places to house troops for defense and observation. The Japanese's wanted control of AK to gain control of the North Pacific. The Aleutian Islands campaign lasted 13 months and followed the Japanese bombing of Dutch Harbor, AK. Large highways were built on the main land of AK to create a supply chain. Many people moved to AK during this time and the population boomed. -
Alaska Statehood Act
President Dwight D Eisenhour had to fight for Alaska's statehood because of it's remoteness and difficulty to defend so close to Russia and China during the Cold War. He overcame those obstacles and Alaska became the 49th state in the Union when Eisenhour signed the Statehood Act in 1959. Alaska is now officially the State of Alaska and has a star on the American flag.
