False knowledge: how Catherine II sold Alaska

The story of the sale of Alaska by Catherine the Second to the Americans is heard. Many will even name the amount from memory - 7.2 million dollars. If not for this deal, the Russian Empire would be located immediately in three parts of the world.

However, the incident is that Catherine II did not sell Alaska. Here it is. How so ?!

Now I’ll tell you everything.

Judge for yourself.

The signing of the agreement on the transfer of Alaska took place on March 30, 1867 in Washington, May 15, 1867 the contract was signed by Emperor Alexander II. The ceremony of the transfer of Alaska itself took place on October 18, 1867, and the years of life of Catherine the Second: from May 2, 1729 to November 17, 1796. That is, the empress died more than 70 years before the sale of Alaska. There is no historical paradox; there is false knowledge.

Moreover, it was under Catherine the Great that Alaska was actively colonized by Russian immigrants. They sold Alaska under Alexander II. The amount for which Russia ceded Alaska is indeed $ 7.2 million.

Why do so many compatriots believe that Catherine II sold Alaska?

Most likely, the Lyube song is to blame here - "Don't play the fool, America!" It has the following lines:

We have a lot of red matter
We’ll send you all the shirts, lads.
Oh, the crown of the Russian empire ...
Catherine, you were wrong.

Don't be fooled, America.
No offense to whom they say.
Give me the countryman Alyasochka,
Give me a darling back.

Here is a story. Separately, I will rejoice for those who already knew that Alaska was sold under Alexander II. But it seems to me that there are far fewer of them than those who were and remain confident in the involvement of Catherine II in squandering Russian possessions in North America.