英语翻译Before Alaska became part of the U.S.,it had been owned

英语翻译
Before Alaska became part of the U.S.,it had been owned by Russia.Trading posts and small settlements were scattered along the coast.The rest of land was left unexplored.The Russians were mainly interest-ed in the wealth of furs from the vast herds of seals they found there.By the mid-1800’s,most of the seal herds had been wiped out,and Russia no longer wanted to keep Alaska.William Seward,Secretary of State for President Johnson,believed the United States should buy Alaska from Russia.President Johnson wasn’t so sure it was a wise way to spend U.S.money,but he agreed to let Seward discuss it with the Russians.Acting quickly,Seward made a deal.On March 30,1867,he signed an agreement for the U.S.to pay seven million dollars for the land.Many people thought it was a foolish waste of America’s money.They called the deal “Seward’s folly”.Then gold was discovered in Alaska and public opinion changed quickly.Seward did not live to see the true value of Alaska.He died in 1872,five years after making the purchase .Each year,Alaska’s natural resources have brought in many times the $7,000,000 paid for it.Natural gas,coal,oil,lumber,seafood and other minerals,besides the gold first found,have made it a valuable addition to the United States.In 1959,Alaska be-came the 49th state of the United States.

阿拉斯加被并入美国版图之前一直是沙俄的属地.在沿岸地区零散的分布着交易站和小的定居点,而其余的地区则无人涉足.俄国人对阿拉斯加的主要兴趣来自于他们在当地发现的大量的海豹身上的皮毛.在1800年之前,绝大多数的海豹群都从阿拉斯加的土地上消失了,而俄国人再也无意占有阿拉斯加.William Seward是约翰逊总统的秘书,他认为美国应当从沙俄的手里将阿拉斯加买下来.约翰逊总统对花钱购买阿拉斯加是否值得并不确定,但是他同意让Seward尝试和沙俄讨论这一事务.Seward很快就和沙俄达成了协议.在1867年的3月30日,他在那份美国将花费700万美元购买阿拉斯加的合同上签了字.许多人认为此举是对美国金钱的愚蠢的浪费,甚至称这笔交易为“Seward的蠢行”.但是接下来有人在阿拉斯加发现了金矿,而民意也随之迅速转移.Seward于合约签订的5年后,即1872年逝世,并没有等到亲眼看到阿拉斯加彰显自己价值的那一天.每一年美国从阿拉斯加获取的自然资源都远远超过了当初买下它时所花的700万美元.天然气、煤炭、石油、木材、海鲜、其它矿藏和最初在阿拉斯加发现的黄金一起使得阿拉斯加成为美国的一个宝贵财富.1959年,阿拉斯加成为了美利坚合众国的第49个州.