
S2E145 - Purchase of Alaska
Published: May 1, 2026
Duration: 13:36
In 1867, the United States - led by Secretary of State William Seward - agreed to purchase the territory of Alaska from the Russian government - for $7.2m. Many people mocked the purchase - saying the land was useless. They called it "Seward's Folly" or "Seward's Icebox". Little did they understand what had been acquired. This is the story of one of the best buys ever made by the United States government - the purchase of Alaska.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Purchase
https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures...