Historical1853
Gadsden Purchase Completed
The United States completed the Gadsden Purchase, acquiring approximately 29,670 square miles of territory from Mexico for $10 million. The land, in present-day southern Arizona and New Mexico, was sought primarily for a southern transcontinental railroad route.
Why It Matters
The Gadsden Purchase completed the continental boundaries of the lower 48 states and reflected how infrastructure needs drove territorial expansion and federal land policy.