Getting an even sweeter deal than the Louisiana Territory, the United States bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for a fire sale price of 2 cents per acre. Similar political dynamics motivated this sale. Russia was trying to become a player in the Pacific, but Great Britain was all up in their business. By selling Alaska to the Americans, Russia hoped to counter Britain's power. From America's perspective, buying Alaska gave the United States important access to the Pacific.

Two cents an acre might not seem like such a great deal for what was at the time a lot of unexplored frozen wilderness and polar bears. In fact, lots of people called the purchase "Seward's Folly," after Secretary of State William Seward, the guy who arranged the deal.

Everyone thought Seward had more or less bought the Brooklyn Bridge until 1896, when gold was discovered in them thar Klondike hills. And guess what—you could sail up to Alaska from Seattle and San Francisco. With gold discovered in the Alaskan territory, Seward's Folly wasn't looking so foolish after all.