Gadsden+Purchase

**GADSDEN PURCHASE 1853** James Gadsden was certain that the land which is now in southern Arizona would help the West become reliant on the South for shipping instead of the North. Gadsden planned to knit all the southern railroads together to form a transcontinental railroad. After Mexico ceded most of the southwest in 1848, Gadsden, the new Minister to Mexico, made a deal with Mexico for enough territory for his railroad He bought the territory he needed for 33 cents an acre. The total cost was $10,000,000 and eventually resulted in the banishing of Santa Anna from dictator.