If any country ever wants to sell you a part of its land, for geopolitical reasons, you always say yes if you can afford it. Honestly, the resources there are usually less important than having the land itself.
@@stevej71393 Except that the US has been doing this for decades & still does it now in the form of military leases. There are plenty of US bases around the globe that are there because the host nation's government wants them for geopolitical reasons--even though the local population itself may not necessarily be happy to have the base there at all.
@@jimroscovius - As a result of the Spanish-American War the US acquired the Philippines, Cuba, and some small Pacific Islands. It did not go all the way and take Spanish possessions in Africa, such as Equatorial Guinea and Spanish Morocco.
This isn't universal. For example Kaliningrad was never annexed by any neighbouring country because of a fear of incorporating the major majority russian population. If you look at how Russia has wound up infiltrating other countries with Russian populations, I think it was justified to see as a mistake.
I studied American history for UK ‘A’ levels back in 1967 (and rather surprisingly passed.) I have never heard a clearer exposition of any aspect of it than this - and so pleasantly and professionally delivered. Thank you very much.
I'm an enthusiastic but amateur historian of the USA (my home country) and Britain in its many forms to a lesser degree. In my opinion, all of the American topics I have seen him cover are air tight.
Professional lies. Is this paid propaganda? Who pays for this psychological nonsense? Google the following to know the truth about Alaska and Hawaii: “Alaska is an Apartheid State” and “Notice of Fraud to USA and the Holy See on the maladministration of Alaska and Hawaii Indigenous Nations” The deception of the racist regime United States of America and its racist political subdivisions Alaska and Hawaii are laid bare in truth about history. Why was Alaska and Hawaii listed for independence in the United Nations. They never belonged to the United States - Americans are easily brainwashed. Or naturally deceived?
THIS CHANNEL IS A GEM!! I never thought any of this would be facinating to a 38yr old mom but alas here I am; recommended by my younger sister! My 15 year pld daughter was listening along in the car ride. I thought she wasn’t paying attention then she said wait mom can you go back I missed what he just said 😂😂.
They needed the money to pay the war indemnity for the Crimean War. Also, the Crimean war showed them that they couldn't go toe-to-toe with the British Navy, and they would need to be able to do that to reasonably expect to defend Alaska. And they sold it to the US because they didn't want to sell it to the British (who at the time more directly controlled the regions that would later become Canada) because they had just finished fighting a war with the British.
In 1962 Lincoln and the Czar started making plans for a TransContinental RR and the TransSiberia RR to allow the US and Russia to supply the world without having to contend with the British and French. The British held choke points in the Mediterranean, North Sea and were acquiring choke points in China. If you look at the map and realize San Fran and Seattle were growing as ports at the same rate as the Kamchatka ports....with the Aleutians in-between with newly US forced open Tokyo at the bottom of that triangle... You'll see why decisions were made.
Alaskan here, who enjoys Alaska history. I learned quite a lot in this video -- I always took for granted that $7,200,000 equaled the price per acre, multiplied by the (then surveyed) size of Alaska. Fantastic stuff. And -- great shirt!
@@celiabrickell2500 re-reading my post, it confused my a bit. I replaced "was" with "equaled" here: "$7,200,000 equaled the price per acre multiplied by the (then surveyed) size of Alaska" So I was saying, for some reason, I thought they decided on a price per acre, and multiplied to get the final number. I hadn't realized the offer was straight up for everything, and when we today say "39 cents" an acre today, that's not what they were thinking
Keep up the studies fellow Alaskan! It was offered for free for over ten years-IF the new State of Columbia was allowed entre to the United States, (54degrees by 40 or FIGHT was the slogan and battle cry, ), ignore "pig island" histories, it would have BLOCKED the brit Royals from access to the Pacific forever. And freed the poor colonials of Columbia, Canada. I ran a radio talk show in Fairbanks, 1990's and during 4 hours these real truth(s) came out as Alaskan Historian's called in and 'straightened" ME out on the real history. It was offered for FREE by our nations friends in Russia. Also, during the U.S. Civil war, The Russian had the only IRON Boat" Navy and they anchored their "Iron Boats" with 50,000 sailors in NYC and San Francisco, with ORDERS to turn over that Navy to President Abe Lincoln to attack ANY nation who recognized the 'Confederacy"." Confederate gold was sent to Canada to make confederate monies and bills. To this DAY the brits continue to demand 'civil wars' and divisions in the UNION, to break up the largest republic in the world.
Thanks for a fascinating video. I am British (despite the RUclips handle), and I had never devoted much thought to the Alaska Purchase before. Above all, you show how important it is, when studying history, to look closely at the perceptions of the time rather than view things in retrospect.
I am researching this topic right now for a presentation tomorrow and yours has been one of the most organized and informative sources I have seen! Your video deserves so many more views!
Big laugh at "The United States has never had a friend among the nations of Europe save Russia". How times change. Wish things could have been turned out better between the two continent spanning nation-empires, the world would have been much better for a friendship that never failed. Also, I was surprised to see you only have 4.5k subscribers - the quality of your presentation made me think you had at least ten times that amount. Great work.
I know, right? Imagine how different things would be if the US and Russia had stayed friends up to the present. Thank you for the kind words. Believe it or not, when I published this video the channel had 0 subscribers.
@@stevej71393 The author of the editorial was probably referring to the fact that Britain and France had been on friendly terms with the CSA, while Russia was always solidly pro-Union. That's at least what I recall reading when I was researching this video.
So it's fine to contemplate invading colonies that had no interest in being invaded because the British North America Act had not been passed yet ? And Americans wonder why they are not universally loved
Nice to encounter someone who is well spoken and has a quiet passion and deep respect for history. A person who dispenses with sensationalism, talks in measured tones and not in love with the sound of their own voice or amazed with their own incites. Someone whose priority is to teach and clarify above being entertaining. Puts me in mind of one of my countries most revered historical researcher/lecturers, the late great Pierre Berton.
What a lucky find your channel is! The videos are extremely well made, and hosted by someone who appears to absolutely love history. Thanks for making these!
Just discovered your video and channel. Thank you so much, this was really well-done and captivating. I teach AK history at a high school in Palmer, and was pleased that you touched on so many points that I teach in my class. AND I learned something new about the .2 added on to the 7 million. Thanks again!
Fantastic video. As a fan of history educated in the U.S. you always manage to find topics that it seems we know just a ~little bit~ about, but never enough that we were taught all of the nuance and interesting details in school. The fact that you cover seem to cover whatever subjects strike your interest whenever you catch a wave of motivation to make a video makes the material that much better. Please continue to deliver content on interesting points in pre-modern and early modern history, and please continue to deliver them at a pace that feels comfortable and allows you to do your best. THANKYOU :)
As someone who was raised in Alaska, graduated college there, then left the state, I am always amazed the ridiculous questions I get about Alaska sometimes. One time someone asked me if I used "American money". Another person asked if I knew anyone with a pet penguin.
And yet here you are still not answering the penguin question. Could it be perhaps that YOU are the real villain here? PS, i am sorry you had to trade in your dog team. That must have been really hard, especially with the depreciation on large breed dogs that require raw salmon.
The U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Cassius Clay, never gets the credit that he deserves for his personal relationship with the Czar and for his efforts to persuade the Czar to sell Alaska to the USA.
Crazy to think how different things would be if instead Russia maintained land and a political boundary in North America, or even just the same cultural influence as the French in Canada. There's so many moving parts it's hard to even imagine what might have happened.
The problem with Russian colonialism was that they had expanded into areas that were already full of people, had a bustling economy and plenty of culture, long before they even got into Siberia. It was a heck of a lot easier to convince Russians to move to cozy Samarkand, the capital of ancient empires, than to start up a colony in Alaska. There's a reason Russian regimes had to exile people to Siberia. By the time Russians got Alaska, they had basically run out of people willing to go there. By contrast, Americans had been expanding into depopulated lands for over two centuries. Even if the Alaska purchase had not happened, demographics pressure would have kicked the Russians out of the region anyway.
Fascinating. I’ve been through a few American history courses, and they’ve all glossed over this bit, which is a shame. This really helps wrap my head around how Americans saw manifest destiny in the 19th century.
This is my second video of yours I have watched, having watched the 1789 Presidential election immediately before this. I think you have a great voice and a great style with great pacing. You include details that 99.9% of us don't know, but they are actually *interesting* details. I don't know how much you produce, but you've just gotten a new subscriber.
Good presentation.... And love the Strongbad shirt dude! I just kinda stumbled onto this video. Watched in full and had already subscribed by the 1/2 way point. Looking forward to watching more!
What's more interesting than the Alaska Purchase, in my opinion, is the extra information about the colony of British Columbia and other 'Canadian' colonies North of the United States. I had no idea there were more Colonies that 'could have' been part of the U.S. 🤯 If B.C. had joined, and a couple colonies in the Northeast, wow, the map would look completely different! How would that have changed geopolitics? Why don't they teach this in school? Everything in history class seems to start from the present day looking backwards, through the lens of modern-day America, instead of 'starting at the beginning' and showing how things moved forward in time.
I'd also love a video about the Colonies beyond the 13 that originally came together to oppose and free themselves from British rule and why the other colonies did not join them.
This was very interesting! I had no idea that the US purchasing Alaska and making moves to potentially acquire British Columbia was one of the largest motivating factors for the creation of Canada as a country!
It was one of the factors, yeah, although the process of Confederation was already underway by then, for example: The Charlottetown Conference and then the Quebec Conference, both in 1864, and then the London Conference in 1866, so Confederation was a years-long process that was already in motion by then. The British North America Act of 1867, while it went into effect on July 1 (Dominon Day, later Canada Day), it received Royal Assent in March. The American purchase of Alaska probably had a larger effect on British Columbia joining Canada 4 years later in 1871 and the construction of the transcontinental railroad linking it to the rest of Canada.
I'm from BC, I've always found it interesting when I read histories and important documents from the 1880's when British Columbia had to decide whether it would remain British, become independent, join the US, or join Canada. Apparently joining either the US or Canada were the two most popular options. We went with Canada because Canada offered a railway to join, and because many British Columbians had a bad impression of Americans do to some rowdy prospectors coming north during a gold rush.
Let me tell ya.... We Americans only got MORE rowdy. Ever see the cartoon Yosemite Sam? Based on truth.... The ruffest, tuffest, rootenest, tootenest, gunslingest, rowdiest outlaw cowboy in da west...
I'm actually kinda glad we didn't get BC. Would have been kinda mean cutting Canada off from the Pacific. But more importantly, it would have made our border look weird
@@hotdogguy273 Really is is good that the U.S. didn't get BC and the rest of the N.A. territory north of 49°N, for the simple reason that Canadians actually live and work there, but if it wasn't the southern extent, it would just be unsettled wasteland.
@@Pyrolonn Don't think so. The areas the Coast Salish nations lived on (Which is much of Vancouver Island and Greater Vancouver) were abundant with fish and game. They lived a beautiful life before we stole their land. It was rich country with tons of waterways; it was going to be heavily populated no matter which colonists ended up there.
"decide" hahahaha the KING STOLE that land and oppressed the Canadian's ever since with Hudson's Bay. (and now Locked up at home in the royal censoring masks, for over two years!
This reminds me that during the Civil War, russian naval ships patrolled New York Harbour to keep it safe when the US Navy was down south fighting the war. And a couple of years later the US could negotiate to buy Alaska. So odd that there were such warm relations between the US and Russia, considering later history and today.
Not as odd as you might think. There are many instances where Russian people and American people have gotten along famously. In WW2 the Soldiers not only appreciated our lend lease aid but also remembered the Famine Relief aid that was sent in the '20's and '30's from America (by NGO's I believe) They may not have not known anything else about America but the saw the printing on the outside of the sacks of food that saved their lives.
I learned in school (in Alaska) that it was like the best deal for us ever, but never heard of anyone thinking it was a bad deal. Some cities like Fairbanks formed because of a gold rush
Your T-shirt reminded me of some early internet days I had totally forgotten about. Strong bad or whatever its called lol. Homestar runner. Wow, just took a direct hit of nostalgia.
Shreveport, LA bred & reared. Delighted a (defunct) local newspaper was cited. And, I learned the AK purchase was less controversial than I thot. Thank you for “edumakating” me.
This filled in some details about things I knew or guessed in part, many thanks! Style and use of graphics is spot-on. I'd love to see videos on the Russian interest in selling Alaska and the underhanded acquisition and quasi-forced statehood of Hawai'i.
I just found this channel and I am throughly enjoying these videos! It is bringing out my younger self when I used to read a lot of history books. I hope you keep making more and more.
Had no idea that there were more than 13 colonies. I guess I knew there were other colonies but I didn’t know they could have joined the rebellion. Also always thought Florida was a Spanish colony during the revolution. Thanks! 👍😊
Pretty great video. Seward lived in my hometown but I never learned too much about him besides being able to visit his house a few times. This was really informative and interesting. Thanks!
Please make more videos. You mention so many details I’ve never heard before in any videos and they’re important things. I’m learning a lot on your few videos you have.
Don't! History is long and far too complex. A lot of people complain "why wasn't I thought this in school?". Keep in mind that aside from teaching you geography and history, your teachers most likely had to spend time putting order in the class and attending to their resposibilities as the adult in charge and a lot of that is also part of your formation. In this day and age, if you want to know more about the stuff from school, just look up whatever topic that makes you curious in the technological wonder you hold in your hand or keep in your pocket. I'm not even American but I really enjoy learning about this stuff. "What's that going to help me in life??"... Well, now in my 40's, I can say it helped me keep myself entertained to develop a taste for history topics from all over the world. Especially during the recent lockdowns and the times I have been unemployed. Other than that, I also get to talk about stuff with people. Or just kill some time learning about something I did not knew about.
You're good. I like the way you put yourself in those time periods, like you are actually there, and explain how other things were going on and how they relate to the topic. Makes "History" more believable and interesting. Can you do something, in your style, covering the history of Native Americans? Anything. Thank you.
Wish you were my college professor 😭 would’ve been so much more interested in taking history classes. (also I’m from Alaska and I’m shocked to say lots of the public education (granted I was in a military base) seemed to align with most of what you said, so it’s really cool to hear a full and more casual explanation of the purchase, definitely more digestible)
Completely unrelated to the topic, but hearing the grandfather clock chime at 7:26 gave me so much nostalgia. My abuela used to have a clock like that in her house and would hum along to it whenever it chimed.
I am in so much odd with many when I am trying to tell this and other stories. I grew up in Hungary, where I had books in my grandmother attic, waiting for burning in the 1960 is. She was a member of the party, and got lot of books, including some related to this topic. I still remember as a child telling people, I will live in Alaska. I was ridiculed, a bit treacherous, but now I am here for passing the age of sourdough. And this justified my memory, and my point. Thanks,
I have worked as a tour guide in Alaska, and I asked a Russian guide/escort of a Russian tour group how the US acquisition of Alaska was explained in her school days. She said that the line was that the US had leased Alaska, and did not return it to Russia after the term of the lease expired. The party line in the classroom.
@@Dutch_Uncle I think that is just so silly, she messing up royally. Even, if she says that how started, Who leased it, the czar made a sale and it is provable. And the US at the time hag it asa a territory, because the. uS government was decent, and let the Statehood be chosen by the people. She is another outlandish lunatic, because she does not think or ignorant. First of it, this land was taken in by Kathrine the great, second of it, if she is right, then the Japanese Island, Kuril or those near by India should go back. Im so fed up with idiocy that takes lives for no reason.
I used to live in Kodiak and Dutch Harbor, and have moved around a lot in between. It would have been neat if we bought coastal land next to Canada to drive straight up.
The initial plan was to take the territory of British Columbia but UK & US agreed on the 49th Parallel. Off that at the same time, Alaska was purchased.
As a Canadian, my vague recollection from high school history was that Alaska was unfairly given to the US instead of Britain/Canada, via some 2:1 vote. Obviously I misunderstood or it was way oversimplified or both. This video explained a whole lot. Thanks!
The boundary line along the present southeast Alaska panhandle was decided by a US-British-Canadian commission, with the British voting in favor of the US position, perhaps in hopes of gaining either US support or forbearance during the Boer War.
It's not that I necessarily like the topic of the Alaska Purchase, but because I live less than 100 miles from the Alaska Border, in Whitehorse, Yukon, that I find the topic interesting.
I do enjoy this stuff a ton, and thanks so much for making these videos! I just found them and I'm sure I'll be watching more. Any future videos planned about other American expansions in the west?
Excellent! I wonder how the "Seward's Folly" myth arose and what were the motivations behind it or those with interests in creating that narrative... In other words, why were they critical of the purchase?
Maybe early opponents of colonialism and imperialism, who took the chance to criticise territorial expansion? I know there were similar complaints that led to Cuba not being annexed, and challenges to taking Peurto Rico and the Mexican territories
Wow! Reading this article about what/how Russia like back then with the United states is amazing. 4:37 Wooden iceboxes? Now that painting of fruit in the cabinet makes since. It was an icebox. 5:00 lol. Now that is a long trip just so you can get ice.
Please make more presentations like this on any subject, no less. You have outstanding talent! I'm going to recommend You to The Great Courses Program. At this point, I'll have to send them the information from a forward email.
alaska is especially valuable because, despite being on the same latitudes of russia which has s critical lack of warm water ports, alaska has them up until the pack ice begins which is well north of nome where there's only a few minor coastal settlements. the only folly anyone can correlate with acquiring alaska is that the US hasn't used it's natural pinscher position to eliminate the Canadian menace
Nice informative video of course, but I'm most grateful for finding out about Maximilian I of Mexico via your timeline. I feel like I'm going crazy, I had no idea the Habsburgs were involved in Mexico
I heard that during the time of the civil war, Russia sent its Navy to the America coastlines to prevent France and England from interfering in the outcome of the war. I would be very interested to know your thoughts about this. I’ve really been enjoying the content of your channel. Keep up the good work 👍
![Twenty One Pilots - The Line (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XCz7WUotXs8/mqdefault.jpg)
If any country ever wants to sell you a part of its land, for geopolitical reasons, you always say yes if you can afford it. Honestly, the resources there are usually less important than having the land itself.
@@stevej71393 Except that the US has been doing this for decades & still does it now in the form of military leases. There are plenty of US bases around the globe that are there because the host nation's government wants them for geopolitical reasons--even though the local population itself may not necessarily be happy to have the base there at all.
A young man, on asking an old-timer what was the best investment, received this reply, "Buy land. They are not making it anymore."
@Richard Garrison Yes, but land in Africa? Can you imagine trying to protect it?
@@jimroscovius - As a result of the Spanish-American War the US acquired the Philippines, Cuba, and some small Pacific Islands. It did not go all the way and take Spanish possessions in Africa, such as Equatorial Guinea and Spanish Morocco.
This isn't universal. For example Kaliningrad was never annexed by any neighbouring country because of a fear of incorporating the major majority russian population. If you look at how Russia has wound up infiltrating other countries with Russian populations, I think it was justified to see as a mistake.
I studied American history for UK ‘A’ levels back in 1967 (and rather surprisingly passed.) I have never heard a clearer exposition of any aspect of it than this - and so pleasantly and professionally delivered. Thank you very much.
Thank you!
I'm an enthusiastic but amateur historian of the USA (my home country) and Britain in its many forms to a lesser degree. In my opinion, all of the American topics I have seen him cover are air tight.
Woah you could do a specifically 'american' history a level back then? I never knew that. I'm doing my a levels now and we never had that choice
Professional lies. Is this paid propaganda? Who pays for this psychological nonsense? Google the following to know the truth about Alaska and Hawaii: “Alaska is an Apartheid State” and “Notice of Fraud to USA and the Holy See on the maladministration of Alaska and Hawaii Indigenous Nations” The deception of the racist regime United States of America and its racist political subdivisions Alaska and Hawaii are laid bare in truth about history. Why was Alaska and Hawaii listed for independence in the United Nations. They never belonged to the United States - Americans are easily brainwashed. Or naturally deceived?
4:32 My father always called the refrigerator "the icebox" out of pure habit because he had grown up with an icebox.
Both my parents said “ice box.” Both grew up in Kentucky in the 1920’s.
@@robertewalt7789 Mine grew up in Philadelphia in the 30s and 40s.
My grandmother's icebox is where we kept the paper plates, gloves, and potatoes. She was real big on refinishing her childhood furniture.
THIS CHANNEL IS A GEM!! I never thought any of this would be facinating to a 38yr old mom but alas here I am; recommended by my younger sister! My 15 year pld daughter was listening along in the car ride. I thought she wasn’t paying attention then she said wait mom can you go back I missed what he just said 😂😂.
I love this so much
This was great, hope you still get around to doing a video about why the Russians wanted to sell Alaska.
Thanks! I'm glad there's interest. I do plan to do it, but I've got some other videos coming down the pike first.
Short answer...they needed the money.
They needed the money to pay the war indemnity for the Crimean War. Also, the Crimean war showed them that they couldn't go toe-to-toe with the British Navy, and they would need to be able to do that to reasonably expect to defend Alaska. And they sold it to the US because they didn't want to sell it to the British (who at the time more directly controlled the regions that would later become Canada) because they had just finished fighting a war with the British.
@@mathewfinch Very interesting summary. I didn't know that. Let's hope Alaska isn't the end of it and they leave Crimea as well.
In 1962 Lincoln and the Czar started making plans for a TransContinental RR and the TransSiberia RR to allow the US and Russia to supply the world without having to contend with the British and French. The British held choke points in the Mediterranean, North Sea and were acquiring choke points in China.
If you look at the map and realize San Fran and Seattle were growing as ports at the same rate as the Kamchatka ports....with the Aleutians in-between with newly US forced open Tokyo at the bottom of that triangle...
You'll see why decisions were made.
Alaskan here, who enjoys Alaska history. I learned quite a lot in this video -- I always took for granted that $7,200,000 equaled the price per acre, multiplied by the (then surveyed) size of Alaska. Fantastic stuff. And -- great shirt!
That was the price for all of Alaska!
@@celiabrickell2500 re-reading my post, it confused my a bit. I replaced "was" with "equaled" here: "$7,200,000 equaled the price per acre multiplied by the (then surveyed) size of Alaska"
So I was saying, for some reason, I thought they decided on a price per acre, and multiplied to get the final number. I hadn't realized the offer was straight up for everything, and when we today say "39 cents" an acre today, that's not what they were thinking
Keep up the studies fellow Alaskan! It was offered for free for over ten years-IF the new State of Columbia was allowed entre to the United States, (54degrees by 40 or FIGHT was the slogan and battle cry, ), ignore "pig island" histories, it would have BLOCKED the brit Royals from access to the Pacific forever. And freed the poor colonials of Columbia, Canada.
I ran a radio talk show in Fairbanks, 1990's and during 4 hours these real truth(s) came out as Alaskan Historian's called in and 'straightened" ME out on the real history. It was offered for FREE by our nations friends in Russia.
Also, during the U.S. Civil war, The Russian had the only IRON Boat" Navy and they anchored their "Iron Boats" with 50,000 sailors in NYC and San Francisco, with ORDERS to turn over that Navy to President Abe Lincoln to attack ANY nation who recognized the 'Confederacy"."
Confederate gold was sent to Canada to make confederate monies and bills.
To this DAY the brits continue to demand 'civil wars' and divisions in the UNION, to break up the largest republic in the world.
Was amazed he had a Strong Bad shirt. ❤❤
Thanks for a fascinating video. I am British (despite the RUclips handle), and I had never devoted much thought to the Alaska Purchase before. Above all, you show how important it is, when studying history, to look closely at the perceptions of the time rather than view things in retrospect.
I am researching this topic right now for a presentation tomorrow and yours has been one of the most organized and informative sources I have seen! Your video deserves so many more views!
Thanks, I appreciate it!
Big laugh at "The United States has never had a friend among the nations of Europe save Russia". How times change. Wish things could have been turned out better between the two continent spanning nation-empires, the world would have been much better for a friendship that never failed.
Also, I was surprised to see you only have 4.5k subscribers - the quality of your presentation made me think you had at least ten times that amount. Great work.
I know, right? Imagine how different things would be if the US and Russia had stayed friends up to the present.
Thank you for the kind words. Believe it or not, when I published this video the channel had 0 subscribers.
France, though.
yeah i thought exactly the same
@@stevej71393 The author of the editorial was probably referring to the fact that Britain and France had been on friendly terms with the CSA, while Russia was always solidly pro-Union. That's at least what I recall reading when I was researching this video.
So it's fine to contemplate invading colonies that had no interest in being invaded because the British North America Act had not been passed yet ? And Americans wonder why they are not universally loved
Nice to encounter someone who is well spoken and has a quiet passion and deep respect for history. A person who dispenses with sensationalism, talks in measured tones and not in love with the sound of their own voice or amazed with their own incites. Someone whose priority is to teach and clarify above being entertaining. Puts me in mind of one of my countries most revered historical researcher/lecturers, the late great Pierre Berton.
As Finnish guy who is interested about knowing history of USA I think I have found my golden channel for consuming it, Thank you!
if you dont mind telling me, what makes you interested in the history of the usa? i always see finns doing this
@@VegaTakeOver Its a birth story (biography if you will) to most influential country in modern age.
In Manhattan, in the late 40s and early 50s, my mom's Aunt Louise, in a small apartment, had an icebox and bought a "refill" from an iceman weekly.
What a lucky find your channel is! The videos are extremely well made, and hosted by someone who appears to absolutely love history. Thanks for making these!
I recently found this channel and love all your videos! Mad props for the Strong Bad shirt too!!!
Just discovered your video and channel. Thank you so much, this was really well-done and captivating. I teach AK history at a high school in Palmer, and was pleased that you touched on so many points that I teach in my class. AND I learned something new about the .2 added on to the 7 million. Thanks again!
We live in Palmer too! It’s always neat to see another neighbor !
Fantastic video. As a fan of history educated in the U.S. you always manage to find topics that it seems we know just a ~little bit~ about, but never enough that we were taught all of the nuance and interesting details in school. The fact that you cover seem to cover whatever subjects strike your interest whenever you catch a wave of motivation to make a video makes the material that much better. Please continue to deliver content on interesting points in pre-modern and early modern history, and please continue to deliver them at a pace that feels comfortable and allows you to do your best. THANKYOU :)
As someone who was raised in Alaska, graduated college there, then left the state, I am always amazed the ridiculous questions I get about Alaska sometimes. One time someone asked me if I used "American money". Another person asked if I knew anyone with a pet penguin.
You got money from the oil fields tho, right?
@@E4439Qv5 yes, it varies but about $1,000 a year
Do you miss your dog driven sleigh?
@@francisluglio6611 yes, very much
And yet here you are still not answering the penguin question. Could it be perhaps that YOU are the real villain here? PS, i am sorry you had to trade in your dog team. That must have been really hard, especially with the depreciation on large breed dogs that require raw salmon.
The U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Cassius Clay, never gets the credit that he deserves for his personal relationship with the Czar and for his efforts to persuade the Czar to sell Alaska to the USA.
The way you present everything so concisely and conversationally is amazing. Thanks for the videos!
Great historical content! And great Strong Bad T-shirt!
Crazy to think how different things would be if instead Russia maintained land and a political boundary in North America, or even just the same cultural influence as the French in Canada. There's so many moving parts it's hard to even imagine what might have happened.
The problem with Russian colonialism was that they had expanded into areas that were already full of people, had a bustling economy and plenty of culture, long before they even got into Siberia. It was a heck of a lot easier to convince Russians to move to cozy Samarkand, the capital of ancient empires, than to start up a colony in Alaska. There's a reason Russian regimes had to exile people to Siberia. By the time Russians got Alaska, they had basically run out of people willing to go there. By contrast, Americans had been expanding into depopulated lands for over two centuries. Even if the Alaska purchase had not happened, demographics pressure would have kicked the Russians out of the region anyway.
@@andrewsuryali8540 Not to mention Russia has resource curse just like some African countries.
It is probable that GB would have annexed Alaska and added it to Canada had the USA not purchased it in 1867!
@@normaaliihminen722 not true
@@andrewsuryali8540 "depopulated" They literally genocided Native Americans through scalp bounties
Fascinating. I’ve been through a few American history courses, and they’ve all glossed over this bit, which is a shame. This really helps wrap my head around how Americans saw manifest destiny in the 19th century.
This is my second video of yours I have watched, having watched the 1789 Presidential election immediately before this. I think you have a great voice and a great style with great pacing. You include details that 99.9% of us don't know, but they are actually *interesting* details. I don't know how much you produce, but you've just gotten a new subscriber.
Good presentation.... And love the Strongbad shirt dude!
I just kinda stumbled onto this video. Watched in full and had already subscribed by the 1/2 way point. Looking forward to watching more!
I was quietly enjoying listening to this while working... then... STRONGBAD SHIRT. Mr. History Prof Guy just got a hell of a lot cooler.
A Strongbad shirt in 2021 in such good condition too! Mine are all ratty now from when I got them in the 2010's
I need him to do a history of Strongbadia.
What's more interesting than the Alaska Purchase, in my opinion, is the extra information about the colony of British Columbia and other 'Canadian' colonies North of the United States.
I had no idea there were more Colonies that 'could have' been part of the U.S. 🤯
If B.C. had joined, and a couple colonies in the Northeast, wow, the map would look completely different! How would that have changed geopolitics?
Why don't they teach this in school? Everything in history class seems to start from the present day looking backwards, through the lens of modern-day America, instead of 'starting at the beginning' and showing how things moved forward in time.
I'd also love a video about the Colonies beyond the 13 that originally came together to oppose and free themselves from British rule and why the other colonies did not join them.
This was very interesting! I had no idea that the US purchasing Alaska and making moves to potentially acquire British Columbia was one of the largest motivating factors for the creation of Canada as a country!
It was one of the factors, yeah, although the process of Confederation was already underway by then, for example: The Charlottetown Conference and then the Quebec Conference, both in 1864, and then the London Conference in 1866, so Confederation was a years-long process that was already in motion by then. The British North America Act of 1867, while it went into effect on July 1 (Dominon Day, later Canada Day), it received Royal Assent in March. The American purchase of Alaska probably had a larger effect on British Columbia joining Canada 4 years later in 1871 and the construction of the transcontinental railroad linking it to the rest of Canada.
I'm from BC, I've always found it interesting when I read histories and important documents from the 1880's when British Columbia had to decide whether it would remain British, become independent, join the US, or join Canada.
Apparently joining either the US or Canada were the two most popular options. We went with Canada because Canada offered a railway to join, and because many British Columbians had a bad impression of Americans do to some rowdy prospectors coming north during a gold rush.
Let me tell ya.... We Americans only got MORE rowdy. Ever see the cartoon Yosemite Sam? Based on truth.... The ruffest, tuffest, rootenest, tootenest, gunslingest, rowdiest outlaw cowboy in da west...
I'm actually kinda glad we didn't get BC. Would have been kinda mean cutting Canada off from the Pacific. But more importantly, it would have made our border look weird
@@hotdogguy273 Really is is good that the U.S. didn't get BC and the rest of the N.A. territory north of 49°N, for the simple reason that Canadians actually live and work there, but if it wasn't the southern extent, it would just be unsettled wasteland.
@@Pyrolonn
Don't think so. The areas the Coast Salish nations lived on (Which is much of Vancouver Island and Greater Vancouver) were abundant with fish and game. They lived a beautiful life before we stole their land. It was rich country with tons of waterways; it was going to be heavily populated no matter which colonists ended up there.
"decide" hahahaha the KING STOLE that land and oppressed the Canadian's ever since with Hudson's Bay. (and now Locked up at home in the royal censoring masks, for over two years!
Louis Lamour novel Sitka was about the Alaska purchase. An excellent read.
Thanks for the tip!
This reminds me that during the Civil War, russian naval ships patrolled New York Harbour to keep it safe when the US Navy was down south fighting the war.
And a couple of years later the US could negotiate to buy Alaska.
So odd that there were such warm relations between the US and Russia, considering later history and today.
Not as odd as you might think. There are many instances where Russian people and American people have gotten along famously. In WW2 the Soldiers not only appreciated our lend lease aid but also remembered the Famine Relief aid that was sent in the '20's and '30's from America (by NGO's I believe) They may not have not known anything else about America but the saw the printing on the outside of the sacks of food that saved their lives.
I learned in school (in Alaska) that it was like the best deal for us ever, but never heard of anyone thinking it was a bad deal. Some cities like Fairbanks formed because of a gold rush
I am a history aficionado.
Thanks for this post - nicely written - and debunking the Seward's Folly myth.
Great video, my undergrad thesis was about the tension between Russia and Britain and Russia had a lot of geopolitical incentives to sell to the US
Your T-shirt reminded me of some early internet days I had totally forgotten about. Strong bad or whatever its called lol. Homestar runner. Wow, just took a direct hit of nostalgia.
Shreveport, LA bred & reared. Delighted a (defunct) local newspaper was cited. And, I learned the AK purchase was less controversial than I thot. Thank you for “edumakating” me.
I remember reading once that ice was actually one of the most valuable commodities on the Oregon Trail
A little late to the party but wow this video is fantastic! I love the way you put it together. Thanks!
Came for the content and stayed for the strongbad shirt :)
This filled in some details about things I knew or guessed in part, many thanks! Style and use of graphics is spot-on.
I'd love to see videos on the Russian interest in selling Alaska and the underhanded acquisition and quasi-forced statehood of Hawai'i.
You are one of the best RUclips historians! Keep it up!
I just found this channel and I am throughly enjoying these videos! It is bringing out my younger self when I used to read a lot of history books. I hope you keep making more and more.
Had no idea that there were more than 13 colonies. I guess I knew there were other colonies but I didn’t know they could have joined the rebellion. Also always thought Florida was a Spanish colony during the revolution. Thanks! 👍😊
1704 Gibraltar was traded from Spain to Btitain for Florida. During revolution
'79-'83,🇬🇧controlled
🇬🇮was under seige from imperial France & Spain!
Pretty great video. Seward lived in my hometown but I never learned too much about him besides being able to visit his house a few times. This was really informative and interesting. Thanks!
Hello from Uzbekistan. This channel is so useful for a lot of information...
Thanks for all of them
Obligatory Uzbek bully comment
Please make more videos. You mention so many details I’ve never heard before in any videos and they’re important things. I’m learning a lot on your few videos you have.
14:47 Thank you for putting Longitudinal History at the bottom of the timeline. Seeing worldwide events really makes history feel real.
My wife and I visited William Seward's home (now a museum) in Auburn, NY and saw Seward's icebox.
I feel stupid watching this. This was far more involved than I thought. Thank you sir.
I feel the same way when studying history. The more one learns about the past, the more one realizes how little one knows.
Don't! History is long and far too complex. A lot of people complain "why wasn't I thought this in school?". Keep in mind that aside from teaching you geography and history, your teachers most likely had to spend time putting order in the class and attending to their resposibilities as the adult in charge and a lot of that is also part of your formation. In this day and age, if you want to know more about the stuff from school, just look up whatever topic that makes you curious in the technological wonder you hold in your hand or keep in your pocket.
I'm not even American but I really enjoy learning about this stuff. "What's that going to help me in life??"... Well, now in my 40's, I can say it helped me keep myself entertained to develop a taste for history topics from all over the world. Especially during the recent lockdowns and the times I have been unemployed. Other than that, I also get to talk about stuff with people. Or just kill some time learning about something I did not knew about.
You're good. I like the way you put yourself in those time periods, like you are actually there, and explain how other things were going on and how they relate to the topic. Makes "History" more believable and interesting. Can you do something, in your style, covering the history of Native Americans? Anything. Thank you.
Ice production was a substantial industry in the northeast from about 1870 - 1920. Maybe you could do a segment on that.
Stumbled upon your channel about a week ago. Love your content! Keep posting!
Would be really interested to learn more about what was going on in the other colonies at the time of the revolution.
Totally agree
Wish you were my college professor 😭 would’ve been so much more interested in taking history classes. (also I’m from Alaska and I’m shocked to say lots of the public education (granted I was in a military base) seemed to align with most of what you said, so it’s really cool to hear a full and more casual explanation of the purchase, definitely more digestible)
Can you make a video about the history of Hawai’i? Love your videos! Fantastic stuff man
Completely unrelated to the topic, but hearing the grandfather clock chime at 7:26 gave me so much nostalgia. My abuela used to have a clock like that in her house and would hum along to it whenever it chimed.
Wouldn't Alaska also give the US some control over the North West Passage that was being explored around this time. If it ever became a viable route.
The NW passage was a "thing" in the mid/late 1700s. By this time the idea had been long abandoned.
I am in so much odd with many when I am trying to tell this and other stories. I grew up in Hungary, where I had books in my grandmother attic, waiting for burning in the 1960 is. She was a member of the party, and got lot of books, including some related to this topic. I still remember as a child telling people, I will live in Alaska. I was ridiculed, a bit treacherous, but now I am here for passing the age of sourdough. And this justified my memory, and my point. Thanks,
I have worked as a tour guide in Alaska, and I asked a Russian guide/escort of a Russian tour group how the US acquisition of Alaska was explained in her school days. She said that the line was that the US had leased Alaska, and did not return it to Russia after the term of the lease expired. The party line in the classroom.
@@Dutch_Uncle I think that is just so silly, she messing up royally. Even, if she says that how started, Who leased it, the czar made a sale and it is provable. And the US at the time hag it asa a territory, because the. uS government was decent, and let the Statehood be chosen by the people. She is another outlandish lunatic, because she does not think or ignorant. First of it, this land was taken in by Kathrine the great, second of it, if she is right, then the Japanese Island, Kuril or those near by India should go back. Im so fed up with idiocy that takes lives for no reason.
Great job in filling in many missing details of historical significance that I wasn't aware of!
I used to live in Kodiak and Dutch Harbor, and have moved around a lot in between. It would have been neat if we bought coastal land next to Canada to drive straight up.
The initial plan was to take the territory of British Columbia but UK & US agreed on the 49th Parallel.
Off that at the same time, Alaska was purchased.
Clicked because of the Strong Bad shirt. Stayed for the quality content.
Same
I'm a simple man. I see a fellow academic wearing a Strong Bad T-shirt, I hit the like button.
i could listen to you discuss 19th century american history for hours. great video!!
Great to know about Alaska. History is not always as portrayed. I wonder how a few of generations from now will they view what's going on now.
I just discovered your RUclips channel in the last hour. Fantastic!
13:57 I just like how dry and direct that message is "British America and Mexico clearly belong to us".
Edit: grammar
Amazing videos. It's lovely having a presenter more interested in the content than the monetization
I've been living in Alaska for the last couple years now. This is stuff I need to know!
You have filled a vast gap in my knowledge which I did not know existed.
As a Canadian, my vague recollection from high school history was that Alaska was unfairly given to the US instead of Britain/Canada, via some 2:1 vote. Obviously I misunderstood or it was way oversimplified or both. This video explained a whole lot. Thanks!
The boundary line along the present southeast Alaska panhandle was decided by a US-British-Canadian commission, with the British voting in favor of the US position, perhaps in hopes of gaining either US support or forbearance during the Boer War.
@@Dutch_Uncle that is exactly what I was thinking about, thank you!
Just discovered your channel, and I must say I enjoy how you present the information-subbed and look forward to more content!
Thank you!
It's not that I necessarily like the topic of the Alaska Purchase, but because I live less than 100 miles from the Alaska Border, in Whitehorse, Yukon, that I find the topic interesting.
I have enjoyed visits to the Beringia Exhibit in Whitehorse whilst driving the Alaska Highway. My only chance to use an atlatl.
@@Dutch_Uncle Funnily enough, I've also thrown an atlatl spear at the Berengia Center more than a decade ago.
@@PBGetson It looks like a hard way to get food, but hunger is a powerful motivator.
I do enjoy this stuff a ton, and thanks so much for making these videos! I just found them and I'm sure I'll be watching more. Any future videos planned about other American expansions in the west?
I adore the amount of information delivered here. Bloody brilliant!
Thank you bud
I genuinely do enjoy learning about this, thank you so much!
Great video, but the true gem is the Strongbad shirt.
Just wanted to say,
♥️ the Strong Bad shirt
FASCINATING! Thank you for this in-depth content; I'm currently binge-watching your channel.
Excellent!
I wonder how the "Seward's Folly" myth arose and what were the motivations behind it or those with interests in creating that narrative... In other words, why were they critical of the purchase?
Maybe early opponents of colonialism and imperialism, who took the chance to criticise territorial expansion? I know there were similar complaints that led to Cuba not being annexed, and challenges to taking Peurto Rico and the Mexican territories
Likely a partisan attack at the time that makes for an easy keyword for tests in primary school
Political, one side trying to discredit the other
That was an awesome video
I’m actually really into economics so the 7.2 story at the end was the highlight for me
Wow! Reading this article about what/how Russia like back then with the United states is amazing.
4:37 Wooden iceboxes? Now that painting of fruit in the cabinet makes since. It was an icebox.
5:00 lol. Now that is a long trip just so you can get ice.
Just stumbled onto this channel, loving it so far!
As soon as I saw the Strongbad t-shirt, I had to sub. WP.
Please make more presentations like this on any subject, no less. You have outstanding talent!
I'm going to recommend You to The Great Courses Program. At this point, I'll have to send them the information from a forward email.
I'm just here for that kickin' Strong Bad shirt.
alaska is especially valuable because, despite being on the same latitudes of russia which has s critical lack of warm water ports, alaska has them up until the pack ice begins which is well north of nome where there's only a few minor coastal settlements. the only folly anyone can correlate with acquiring alaska is that the US hasn't used it's natural pinscher position to eliminate the Canadian menace
Me. A ten year old. Playing Yukon Trail: "People thought there wasn't gold a few hundred miles from the Yukon!? What are you stupid?"
this channel is really well done! I hope you reach 50k soon!
Imagine how negative social media today would have portrayed it!
Donald Trump wanting to buy Grenland b4 steal & $trillion+ budgets & debt ceilings that are normalized
Man great video. I love your voice and how confident you are.
Had to rewatch your video because I got distracted by Strongbad and kept imagining you saying all this in his dulcet tones.
Nice informative video of course, but I'm most grateful for finding out about Maximilian I of Mexico via your timeline. I feel like I'm going crazy, I had no idea the Habsburgs were involved in Mexico
Great vid, love it!
So what you're taught us is that the "Seward's Folly" story was...ahem, *disinformation* by our school systems.
A suggestion? Request? Desire. A historiography on WHY and where these misunderstandings occur. Would be enjoyable.
Great video! Extremely underrated!
I heard that during the time of the civil war, Russia sent its Navy to the America coastlines to prevent France and England from interfering in the outcome of the war. I would be very interested to know your thoughts about this. I’ve really been enjoying the content of your channel. Keep up the good work 👍
"the reason for this is a little arcane, but if you got this far in the video you're probably really into this"😆
very nice. You should put together a four hour documentary on history people believe versus history as it actually was.
My family came from Italy and had a very successful business selling ice and coal to homes……
Your content and presentation are mostly excellent. I think upgrading your thumbnails could net you some well deserved views and subscribers.