Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

The word “folly” has become associated with only one policy decision in all of our nation’s history. That policy decision was to purchase Alaska from Russia immediately after the end of the Civil War. The primary advocate of the purchase for $7,000,000 was then Secretary of State William H. Seward.

After much heated public debate and opposition, the sale was ratified by the U.S. Senate and consummated by Mr. Seward who was ridiculed and heavily criticized at the time in the American press. The purchase, coming so close to the end of the Civil War, was seen as a needless and foolish g...