User:Bennett1203/Sandbox
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On March 30, 1867, the Russian Empire sold Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million, motivated by rising tensions between Russia and Great Britain in the Pacific Ocean.[1] The U.S. Senate ratified the treaty on October 18 of that year, formally establishing American sovereignty over the territory.[citation needed] This made it impossible for any outside country to claim sovereignty over the region or challenge American control. During the purchase, Canada enacted the Constitution Act of 1867, which unified the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia into the Dominion of Canada.[2] This made it politically and administratively complex for Canada to claim Alaska, as the newly formed Canadian federal government focused on consolidating its existing territories rather than pursuing territorial expansion.[citation needed]