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Lesson 80 of 84 · Westward Expansion

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The Gadsden Purchase

🌍Mission Brief #80

The Gadsden Purchase took place in 1853 when the United States bought a small piece of land from Mexico, located in present-day Arizona and New Mexico.

🎯 Your mission

Connect the dots between past and present.

⚡ The twist

There's always more than one side to the story.

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Mind = Blown

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Then & Now

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The Gadsden Purchase took place in 1853 when the United States bought a small piece of land from Mexico, located in present-day Arizona and New Mexico. This purchase was made to help build a southern route for a transcontinental railroad. The Gadsden Purchase helped finalize the borders of the continental United States and furthered westward expansion, making travel and trade easier across the country.

Key Facts

1

The Gadsden Purchase occurred in 1853.

2

It involved land in present-day Arizona and New Mexico.

3

The purchase helped to build a southern route for a railroad.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 2

What was the purpose of the Gadsden Purchase?

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Why this still matters

This shapes your daily life in ways you stopped noticing.

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Stretch Challenge

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Connect what you learned to one real thing in your world this week.

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The Gadsden Purchase

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The Gadsden Purchase — Westward Expansion | 4th Grade Social Studies | LittleActivity