How the US Acquired Alaska and Hawaii: Purchase vs. Annexation
The United States gained Alaska and Hawaii through fundamentally different processes—one a negotiated purchase, the other a contested annexation.
Alaska: Treaty Purchase (1867)
- Mechanism: Treaty of Cession—diplomatic agreement with sovereign Russia
- Price: $7.2M gold (~$120M today)
- Ratification: Senate 37–2 (April 9, 1867)
- Transfer: October 18, 1867 at Sitka
- Status: Territory (1867), District (1884), Territory (1912), State (1959)
Hawaii: Annexation by Joint Resolution (1898)
- Background: Independent kingdom → US business dominance (sugar) → 1887 "Bayonet Constitution" → 1893 overthrow (US Marines landed) → Republic of Hawaii (1894)
- Mechanism: Newlands Resolution—Congressional joint resolution (not treaty, avoiding 2/3 Senate vote)
- Votes: House 209–91, Senate 42–21 (July 7, 1898)
- Transfer: August 12, 1898 at 'Iolani Palace
- Status: Territory (1900), State (1959)
Key Contrasts
| Aspect | Alaska | Hawaii |
|---|
| Sovereign seller | Russia (willing) | Hawaiian Kingdom (overthrown) |
| Legal instrument | Treaty (Senate 2/3) | Joint Resolution (simple majority) |
| Indigenous consent | Not consulted | Petitioned against (Kūʻē Petitions) |
| Strategic driver | Pacific presence, resources | Pearl Harbor, Asia trade, sugar |
Legacy
Both became states in 1959 (Alaska Jan 3, Hawaii Aug 21). Alaska's purchase is now celebrated; Hawaii's annexation remains contested—Native Hawaiians seek federal recognition and sovereignty restoration.
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