Question

Assume you are a member of Congress in 1867 when Seward's Folly was a major issue. Give your arguments for or against the Seward proposal of Alaska's purchase. Be as thorough as you can in justifying your support of or opposition to this purchase.

Answer 1

The Alaska Purchase was the acquisition of the territory of Alaska by the United States on March 30th, 1867.

The purchase was one of the smartest moves the Federal Government of the United States would make. The territory is vastly unexplored and there is no guarantee that there is a lack of resources in those grounds. To the contrary, the sole finding of any valuable reserves of goods would more than justify the purchase, as it is set at a reasonable price. Russians are leaving the territory due to their difficulty in managing it but they have not made adequate efforts to actually search any resources of value over there.

Answer 2

Basically:
Some thought it foolhardy to spend money on such a remote area.
The region seemed to have little value (at the time) and was remote and hard to defend.
Secretary of State Seward, who had long favored expansion, argued that the nation's strategic interests favored the treaty.
He was committed to the spread of American influence throughout the Pacific as a means of enhancing the nation’s trade and military standing.