Read the excerpt from a New York newspaper about the United States’ purchase of Alaska.Cash! Cash! Cash! - Cash paid for cast off territory. . . . Any impoverished monarchs retiring from the colonization business may find a good purchaser by addressing William H. Seward, Post Office, Washington D.C.

The excerpt mocks the purchase by describing Alaska as “cast off territory” and joking that impoverished monarchs could sell unwanted land to Secretary Seward. This suggests the newspaper viewed Alaska as land that no one wanted. Choice D matches that criticism; the excerpt does not claim Alaska was too large or lacked natural resources.

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