The USA was rounding up its territory, while Russia needed money badly. The deal was struck, yet not without difficulty. US Secretary of State William Seward was criticized as simpleton who wants to buy a useless box of ice. Nevertheless, cheque No.9759 was written out. America paid to Russia $7.2 million in gold and got Seward’s refrigerator in exchange. The fans of Lyube pop group may be discouraged, but Catherine the Great had nothing to do with this deal. It was her great grandson Alexander II who squandered Russian lands at a ridiculous price of $5 for square km. After the liberal reforms, including the abolition of serfdom, Russia was strapped for money. Thus the government sold the Russian America – the territory discovered by Bering and explored by Russian colonists.
In October 1867, the Russian national flag was pulled down in Alaska, while the American one was raised. A quarter of century later, Secretary of State Seward was praised for his wise decision. The news that gold was found in Alaska caused jubilation among the public. Klondike was seized by the gold rush. After that, this sort of fever would break out regularly, as Alaska turned out to be the source of oil, gas, coal, copper, iron and zinc, not to mention timber and fish. The only our compatriots who stood to gain from the sale of Alaska were the graduates of Soviet geological higher educational establishments who would permanently propose a toast to Alexander II. If it were not for him, they would be sent to the regions more distant than Chukotka.
