Question

read the following excerpt from a biography of secretary of state william henry seward and answer the question be
asked to name his greatest achievement, seward said, \the purchase of
alaska, but it will take the people a generation to find it out.\
-discover diplomacy, william henry seward
source: u.s. department of state/public domain
why did secretary seward make this statement?
○ the alaskan treaty was signed in secret.
○ alaska was far away from the rest of the country.
○ many citizens believed alaska was a barren wasteland.
○ the population of the alaskan territory was extremely small.

Explanation:

To determine why Seward made the statement, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: The treaty's signing in secret doesn't relate to people "finding out" the value of Alaska.
• Option 2: Alaska's distance from the rest of the country doesn't directly explain why people would take a generation to recognize its value.
• Option 3: At the time, many citizens saw Alaska as a barren wasteland with no value. Seward believed its true worth (like resources, strategic location) would be realized over time, so people would take a generation to "find out" its value.
• Option 4: The small population of Alaska isn't the main reason people wouldn't immediately see its value.

Answer:

C. Many citizens believed Alaska was a barren wasteland.