The agreement on the sale of Alaska was signed between the Russian Empire and the United States of America on March 30, 1867. 152 years have passed since then, but the legends around this historical event still continue to arise. What myths exist about the transfer of the peninsula, and what actually happened to it? Airport shuttle Portland wants to guide the peoples.

According to one of the most popular versions, Empress Catherine the Great sold Alaska to America. However, this story contradicts historical facts. At that time, the Russian Empire was not ruled by her, but by Alexander II. Catherine the Great held her seat on the throne from 1762 to 1796, until her death. At this time, the "mainland" has just begun to develop. The first expedition was organized there in the 17th century, but a small settlement there could only be created in 1784 under the leadership of the merchant Grigory Shelikhov. It was founded off the coast of Alaska, on Kodiak Island.

Another legend suggests that the Russian Empire leased the peninsula to the United States of America for a period of 99 years, that is, until 1966. Recall that at this time there was already the Soviet Union, which was ruled by Leonid Brezhnev. There is a version that the Secretary General simply forgot about Alaska or decided not to take the territory back at all.

The most mystical assumption about the fate of Alaska is the loss of money. According to this version, the Russian Empire sold the territory, but the gold received from the deal sank. The ship that transported him was caught in a severe storm and did not make it to the destination. It is believed that the gold was lost not because of bad weather conditions, but because of the British army, which also claimed the peninsula and was the main geopolitical enemy of Russia at that time.

What actually happened? Alaska was indeed sold to the United States of America in 1867. The agreement signed on March 30 confirms the ratification instrument with the original signature of Alexander II. The document is kept at the US National Archives and Records Administration. According to him, not only the entire Alaska Peninsula was transferred, but also the adjacent archipelagos, Aleksandrovsky and Kodiaksky, the Aleutian ridge islands and some land areas in the Bering Sea. The area of ​​these territories was about one and a half million square meters. The transaction amount is $ 7.2 million. The official transfer of Alaska to the possession of the United States was completed only in October 1867.

Today many questions arise about the expediency of the Russian emperor's act. Why was it necessary to give to another country not only a huge territory, but also rich in natural resources? The fact is that Alaska was then little developed due to its remoteness and lack of rail links. All forces were directed to the nearest regions, including Siberia, and no gold deposits were discovered. In addition, the Russian Empire at that time did not have enough resources to defend the territory of Alaska. The number of Russian inhabitants of the "Big Land" was minimal, no more than a thousand people, and Alexander II feared that the British invaders would conquer the peninsula. For read more visit airport shuttle Portland.