On this day, December the 30th, in the year of 1853, the Gadsden Purchase, the American acquisition of land that is now part of modern day Arizona and New Mexico, was made official.

After America gained a plentiful amount of southwestern land from the Mexican-American war, the idea of a transcontinental railroad around the area arose.

However, the best route for this purpose around the area would go through land that America had not acquired. To get it, the United States would purchase the land.

For the price of $10 million, U.S. Minister to Mexico, James Gadsden, helped broker the deal between the two nations, with him being the namesake of the transaction.

The Gadsden Purchase shaped what is the present day Mexican-American southern border, having the cities of Tucson and Yuma, Arizona within its boundaries (Office of the Historian) (Britannica) (National Archives).

To read more daily facts and tidbits and about Mexican-American relations, see the Barron Perspectives “On this Day Archives” webpage and such articles as “(Texas Annexation) On This Day – December 29th”.