Why did they sell Alaska?

Russia was in a difficult financial position and feared losing Russian America (Alaska) without compensation in some future conflict, especially to their rivals the British whom they had fought a decade earlier in the Crimean War. While Alaska attracted little interest at the time, the population of nearby British Columbia started to increase rapidly after hostilities ended. The Russians therefore started believe that in any future conflict with Britain, their hard-to-defend region might become a prime target, and would easily be captured. Therefore Tsar Alexander II decided to sell the territory. Perhaps in hopes of starting a bidding war both the British and the Americans were approached, however the British expressed little interest in paying for Alaska. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_purchase so it was sold to America for $7,200,000 in 1867. so everyone thought it was worthless at the time, even Americans doubted purchasing it.

I think they honestly thought it the money was of more worth than the land itself. Remember that Russia and the U.S. were friends at the time. Russia had known about Alaska and the west coast of North America for much longer than most people think. They actually had trading posts (much like the Hudson Bay Company in Canada). I just wish the panhandle wasn't given to the U.S. It seems a shame it's not part of Canada.

i think russia thought alaska was worthless at the time and the us wanted to buy it... i think that is right

to get out of debt maybe the america can sell it back to get out of debt now

Only recently has it been found that Alaska has oil and thus is not a useless place. Before that however it looked like Russia ripped of the USA as Alaska was only a liability to the US economy until oil development .

Nice answer Due Baby May!