Another interesting nugget, pun intended. Russia wanted out of North America, so they started by selling Fort Ross to a California businessman who agreed to send food supplies to Sitka for the payment of Fort Ross.

This businessman did not make his payments as agreed. This businessman put up land as collateral in case of default on payments for Fort Ross. This businessman's name was John Sutter. The collateral property was Sutter's Mill where gold was discovered. If the Russians had foreclosed on John Sutter, we could easily all be speaking Russian. It is so easy to criticize history in hind sight, but you had to be there.