Final answer:
The US bought Alaska for strategic positioning and resources like fish, furs, gold, and later oil, which justified the initial skepticism of 'Seward's Folly.' It provided coaling stations for Pacific trade and helped reduce reliance on foreign oil.
Step-by-step explanation:
The United States' interest in purchasing Alaska was primarily motivated by strategic reasons and resource opportunities. In 1867, Secretary of State William Seward facilitated the acquisition of the Alaskan territory from Russia for $7.2 million. This purchase offered the U.S. valuable resources such as fish, furs and the potential for discovering gold, which later triggered the Klondike Gold Rush.
The territory also provided coaling stations for merchant ships in the Pacific, enhancing America's strategic positioning. Despite initial skepticism, often dubbed as "Seward's Folly," the purchase of Alaska proved to be a prudent investment, particularly after the subsequent discovery of massive oil reserves in 1968, and its assistance in reducing the nation's dependence on foreign oil.