U.S. Miners Stripped the Surface of Western Alaska and What They Found There Shocked Russia

In 1867, a major historical event took place when the Russian Empire sold Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million in gold.

Today, the deal is considered a great victory for the United States because the vast land and rich natural resources of Alaska were acquired at a low price. However, at the time, the decision was controversial and criticized.

Alaska was once part of the Russian Empire, but few people know that tens of thousands of years ago, North America and Eurasia were connected by the Bering Land Bridge.

This is considered the first human migration route to North America, but in the 18th century, Russia began to expand its presence in the region to take advantage of the fur trade.

Russian explorers such as Vitus Bering led important expeditions to explore the Alaskan coast. Russia later established the first settlements such as Three Saints Bay on Kodiak Island.

However, harsh living conditions, food shortages, and the decline of the fur trade caused Russia to reconsider the value of Alaska.

Finally, in 1867, Russia decided to sell the land to the United States, fearing that it would not be able to defend the territory against Britain, its main colonial rival. The sale expanded the United States by 586,000 square miles, an area twice the size of Texas.

Although initially criticized and called “Seward’s Folly,” Alaska quickly proved its worth when gold and other resources were discovered. In particular, the gold rush of the late 19th century attracted many settlers and spurred economic development in the area.

Today, Alaska is one of the richest states in the United States, with abundant resources such as oil, gold, fish, and timber. It is also home to pristine natural landscapes and an important strategic location.

However, indigenous peoples still protest resource exploitation and the way their history is ignored in the transaction between Russia and the US.

In addition, the US has attempted to purchase other lands, such as Greenland, but failed. Recently, Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory, is considering becoming the 51st state of the United States.