Alaska was willing to sell unlike other nations today. I remember the song about us buying Hawaii , Alaska Makes The 59th State, want me to play it? I'll put it in music.
If I recall correctly, Hawaii didn't actually agree to be part of the U.S. Weren't there some shenanigans by the president who invited their queen to Washington and the monarchy was overthrown while she was out of her country? Then it was a republic for a while before becoming a state. We bought Alaska from Russia, but they didn't really own it, did they? Lots of nations tried to lay claim, with Russia being the most successful occupier. I believe the reason that "Native Alaskan" corporations get preferences in Federal government contracts is as a sop thrown their way because of their land being taken from them.
Unlike Greenland, Hawaii did NOT want to be taken over by the United States . We literally overthrew their native government and took the country over. Greenland does not want to belong to Denmark, and they know that they will be taken over by some large country, and they much prefer it to be the US than either China or Russia. Taking over Greenland is beneficial to both the United States as well as Greenland’s population. That is why we are up there talking with them right now.
I heard from another source that two previous Presidents have attempted to buy Greenland--Andrew Johnson was first and there was another (but I forget which) in the early 20th century, so it is not really a new idea. Interviews with Greenlanders seem to say that Denmark won't allow development of any kind (Green policies) so jobs can't be created for the few who live there year-round. I heard one say that if they choose to visit Denmark, they are not treated well either. I suspect they are Inupiat peoples and there is a racial element there.
Alaska belonged to Russia in the same way the English colonies belonged to England or the Spanish colonies, or the French, or the German. Possession in 9/10 ths of the law, etc. The Natives were constantly warring with each other, just as they were in the Lower 48, so they were pretty easy pickings for colonizers. The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, here referred to as ANILCA, was something developed by Jimmy Carter in his attempt to make all of Alaska a National Park. Each Native Head-of-Household was entitled to a land claim. The size depended on where it was located. There is one of those at the end of our road, and it is a never-ending source of trouble. Last year there were 3 murders, 2 wildfires, and several "camps" on the land. The original claim owner died and the land claim was passed to (eventually) 16 landholders now, all of which hate the others. Apparently (I am told) splitting the claim is okay under state and borough law, but not under Federal law. The Troopers cannot address the murders since they occurred on a claim, so the FBI has to do it. There was some discussion among the Troopers, the FBI, the BIA, a Tribal official and some borough officials as to how to address the problem. People who live on the land walk down the road and steal whatever they find, but if they get to the claim, they are basically untouchable. It is like a mini-reservation. There are also Native Corporations that were originally set up as subsidized corporations under the Federal Government. They have used the money they receive for the Feds to buy land and companies all over the world. They own large tracts of land throughout the state as well, and control access to that land. This was all set up in lieu of reservations. Now some of the corporations want reservations here as well since they want the best of both worlds. Although a large part of the population of Alaska are Natives, the is only one small true reservation at Metlakatla.