Greetings, I am William Henry Seward. I was born on May 16, 1801. I served as the United States Secretary of State from 1861 to 1869, prior to which I held the positions of governor of New York and United States Senator. My unwavering stance against the expansion of slavery in the prelude to the American Civil War earned me recognition within the Republican Party. Additionally, I am credited for my efforts in preserving the Union during the Civil War and negotiating the purchase of the Alaska Territory for the United States.