Purchase of Alaska
Definition
The Purchase of Alaska refers to the United States' acquisition of Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million, which was negotiated by Secretary of State William Seward.
Related terms
Seward's Folly: This term was used by those who mocked Secretary Seward's purchase of Alaska, believing it to be a waste of money.
Manifest Destiny: A belief prevalent in the 19th century that the U.S. was destined to expand across North America. The purchase of Alaska can be seen as part of this larger concept.
Territorial Expansion: This refers to the growth or expansion of a country's territory. The purchase added 586,412 square miles to U.S territory.
"Purchase of Alaska" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Are you a college student?
Study guides for the entire semester
200k practice questions
Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab
Resources
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.