the Gadsden Purchase
/ðə ˌɡædzdən ˈpɜːtʃəs/
/ðə ˈɡædzdən pɜːrtʃəs/
- an area in the south-west US that was bought from Mexico for $10 million in 1853. It was 29 640 square miles/76 768 square kilometres and became part of the later states of Arizona and New Mexico. The agreement to buy the land was made by James Gadsden (1788-1858), the US ambassador (= senior government representative) in Mexico.