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The Gadsden Purchase was the last major territorial acquisition in the contiguous United States. It was also at the center of the growing slavery debate, the transcontinental railroad system controversy, and outstanding border issues left over following the Mexican-American War of 1846-48.
The controversy began in 1845, when a transcontinental railroad was proposed to the U.S. Congress. When they took no action, a convention was held in Memphis. James Gadsden of South Carolina recommended a deep southern route for the railroad, one that crossed Mexican territory to reach the Pacific Coast without crossing treacherous mountain ranges. A few years later, a similar convention was held in St. Louis, where attendees recommended a northern route. With war looming, the North and South were each concerned with the tactical advantage gained by controlling the nation’s railways.
Mexican opposition to the sale was one of the contributing factors in Santa Anna’s banishment in 1855.