ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Gadsden Purchase half dollar

The Gadsden Purchase Half Dollar is a special coin that was created a long time ago. The word "Gadsden" refers to a person named James Gadsden, who was a very important man in America. He helped make an agreement with another country to buy a big piece of land.

Now, a half dollar is a type of coin that is worth 50 cents. But this special coin has a picture of James Gadsden on one side and a cool picture of two camels on the other side. Yes, you heard it right, camels! That's because back then camels were used to travel across the desert.

This coin was made to celebrate the agreement that James Gadsden made with another country called Mexico. This agreement was called the Gadsden Purchase. It happened in the year 1853.

The Gadsden Purchase was like going to a store and buying something, but instead of buying a toy or candy, they bought a huge area of land. This land was in the southern part of what is now the United States.

The reason they bought this land was to build something called a railroad. A railroad is a special track where trains can run to carry people and things from one place to another. Back then, the United States wanted to connect the east and the west by building a railroad.

So they needed to buy this land from Mexico to make it happen. It was important to build the railroad there because that way, it would be easier for people and goods to travel between the east and the west.

The Gadsden Purchase Half Dollar coin was made to remind people of this important event and to remember the person who helped make it happen. The coin is a special way to celebrate and honor James Gadsden's role in expanding the United States and building the railroad.

Today, the Gadsden Purchase Half Dollar is very rare and valuable. It is a reminder of how people worked together to make big things happen and improve the country.