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Gadsden Purchase: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As Treaty of La Mesilla • Gadsden Purchase Treaty
Date December 30, 1853
Participants Mexico • United States

Photos

A 1953 three cent U.S. postage stamp in red, featuring a covered wagon, a rider on horseback, cacti, and a map marking the 1853 Gadsden Purchase region.
Map of the United States from 1822 to 1854, showing state and territorial boundaries over time. States as of 1822 are shaded yellow, states admitted from 1823 to 1854 are in purple, territories in 1854 are orange, the Gadsden Purchase from Mexico in 1853 is pink, and land ceded to the U.S. by Texas in 1850 is green. Major territories such as Oregon, Utah, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, and Indian Territory are labeled, along with state admission years. Insets at the bottom display evolving bounda
Map highlighting major U.S. land acquisitions, with regions colored in orange to show areas gained through the Louisiana Purchase, Alaska Purchase, Gadsden Purchase, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Florida Purchase, Danish Virgin Islands, and the Philippines. Inset labels provide each acquisition's year, seller, acreage, and cost at the time and in 2024 dollars.
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Related Topics and References

Topics

Key People

Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
president of United States
default image
James Gadsden
American diplomat and businessman
Marcy
William L. Marcy
American politician

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