Drawing the First Lines: Russo-American and Russo-British Border Agreements in Alaska, 1824–1825

This article investigates the background, negotiation, and signing of the 1824 and 1825 agreements between the Russian Empire and the United States, and between the Russian Empire and Great Britain, which formally established the first internationally recognised borders in the North Pacific. These agreements became the foundation for subsequent boundary settlements in the region. The early 1820s were marked by both cordial relations and mounting tensions between Russia and the two Anglo-American powers, stemming from competition for territorial expansion in the North Pacific. In 1821, the Russian Empire sought to enlarge its colonial holdings – a move that, unlike its earlier declaration of overseas possessions in 1799, provoked strong opposition from the United States. The Convention of 1824 between Russia and the United States delimited their respective spheres of control, and was followed in 1825 by an agreement with Great Britain defining its own territorial boundaries with Russia. Although the Russian-American Company was compelled to moderate its colonial ambitions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarded the recognition of formal borders as a significant diplomatic achievement. This study draws on newly examined archival materials to reassess the geopolitical and economic implications of these accords.