1. Alaska:
- Alaska was acquired by the United States from Russia through the Alaska Purchase of 1867.
- The United States paid Russia $7.2 million for the territory, which was approximately two cents per acre.
- The acquisition was significant because it expanded the US territory in the Pacific Northwest and provided access to natural resources, including gold and furs.
2. Puerto Rico:
- Puerto Rico was acquired by the United States as a result of the Spanish-American War in 1898.
- Spain ceded Puerto Rico, along with other territories, to the United States under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the war.
- Puerto Rico became an unincorporated territory of the United States, meaning it was not incorporated into the union as a state.
The primary differences in how Alaska and Puerto Rico became US territories lie in the methods of acquisition: Alaska was purchased, while Puerto Rico was acquired as a result of military conflict. Additionally, their current political statuses differ, with Alaska being a state and Puerto Rico being an unincorporated territory.