Robert Livingston

Robert Livingston was an influential American lawyer, politician, and diplomat in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He played a key role in early U.S. history as a member of the Continental Congress and later as U.S. Secretary of State, serving under Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Livingston is best known for co-negotiating the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which doubled the size of the United States. His diplomatic skills helped shape the emerging nation’s expansion and international relations.