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Treaty of Cession of Alaska (1867)

Sitka, where the transfer ceremony took place in 1867
Photo: Curtis, Edward S., 1868-1952, photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:D.G._Elliot,_A.K._Fisher,_and_Robert_Ridgway_in_woods_bordering_Indian_River,_Sitka,_Alaska,_1899)_-_Curtis_LCCN2002706853.jpg)

Lawalso Treaty of Cessation, Alaska Treaty of 1867

In one line

The Treaty of Cession of 1867 transferred Alaska from Russia to the United States for $7.2 million.

The Treaty of Cession of Alaska was the agreement of March 30, 1867, in which the Russian Empire ceded Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million. Negotiated by U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward and the Russian diplomat Eduard de Stoeckl, it was ratified by the U.S. Senate on April 9, 1867, by a vote of 37 to 2, and took effect at a ceremony in Sitka on October 18, 1867 [1].

Sitka, where the transfer ceremony took place in 1867
Sitka, where the transfer ceremony took place in 1867. Photo: Curtis, Edward S., 1868-1952, photographer / Public domain.
SignedMarch 30, 1867, Washington, D.C.
NegotiatorsWilliam H. Seward and Eduard de Stoeckl
Price$7.2 million (about 2 cents per acre)
Senate ratificationApril 9, 1867, 37–2
TransferOctober 18, 1867, Sitka
AreaAbout 586,412 square miles

Background

Russia had lost the Crimean War, found its Alaskan colony hard to defend against Britain, saw its sea otter population collapse and needed money [1]. Russian traders had worked the territory since the 1740s, a history covered in the entries on the Russian-American Company and the fur trade in Russian America.

Negotiation and Signing

Seward negotiated the treaty with Eduard de Stoeckl, the Russian diplomat in Washington. The signing took place at 4:00 a.m. on March 30, 1867, after an all-night session [1].

Ratification

The Senate approved the treaty on April 9, 1867, by 37 votes to 2 [1].

Transfer of Sovereignty

U.S. sovereignty took legal effect on October 18, 1867, when the Russian flag was lowered and the American flag raised at Sitka, the former Russian capital Novo-Arkhangelsk [1][2]. See the entry on Novo-Arkhangelsk.

Size and Price

The territory covered about 586,412 square miles, more than twice the size of Texas, at a price of $7.2 million, or about two cents per acre [1].

Public Reaction

Critics called the purchase Seward’s Folly and Seward’s Icebox, arguing that the United States had bought useless land [1]. See the entry on William H. Seward.

Administration After the Treaty

The territory was organized as the Department of Alaska in 1867, renamed the District of Alaska in 1884, then the Territory of Alaska in 1912, and became a state in 1959 [1]. Congress made Alaska a customs district in 1868 and the U.S. Navy governed Alaska from 1879 to 1884 [3]. See the entries on the Alaska Purchase and the Territory of Alaska.

FAQs

When was the treaty signed? March 30, 1867.

How much did the United States pay? $7.2 million, about two cents per acre.

Who negotiated it? William H. Seward for the United States and Eduard de Stoeckl for Russia.

When did the United States take control? October 18, 1867, at a ceremony in Sitka.

How did the Senate vote? 37 to 2 on April 9, 1867.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Alaska Purchase
  2. Wikipedia: Battle of Sitka
  3. EBSCO Research Starters: Alaska statehood

More in Law

Key facts

  • Signed March 30, 18671
  • Senate vote 37–21
  • Transfer October 18, 18671
  • 586,412 square miles1
Quick checkWhat price did the United States pay for Alaska in 1867?Show answer

$7.2 million

Sources

  1. Wikipedia. Alaska Purchase. 2026 (accessed 2026-11-12)
  2. Wikipedia. Battle of Sitka. 2026 (accessed 2026-11-12)
  3. EBSCO Research Starters. Alaska statehood. 2026 (accessed 2026-11-12)

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 12, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue