9h 57min, apr 30, 1803 y - Louisiana Purchase
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The Louisiana Purchase was when the Americans bought 530,000,000 acres of land from France for $15 million dollars. Previously Napoleon had planned on reviving the French empire in America, but an onset of yellow fever among his troops quickly prevented his dreams from coming into fruition. Napoleon then decided to sell the land to the American government and withdrew his troops. When news of the sale reached the United States, the West was elated. Jefferson, however, was in a bind. He had always advocated for strict adherence to the letter of the Constitution, yet there was no provision empowering him to purchase territory. Given the public support for the purchase and the obvious value of Louisiana to the future growth of the United States, however, Jefferson decided to ignore the legalistic interpretation of the Constitution and forgo the passage of a Constitutional amendment to validate the purchase. This decision contributed to the principle of implied powers of the federal government.
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America in the World- APUSH timeline
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