Robert Livingston was an important American statesman and diplomat in the 18th century. He was born on November 27, 1746, in New York and played a significant role in the early years of the United States. Livingston was a member of the Continental Congress and helped draft the Declaration of Independence. Livingston is best known for his involvement in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, where he served as the U.S. Minister to France. He negotiated the acquisition of a vast territory from Napoleon Bonaparte, which doubled the size of the United States and opened up new lands for exploration and settlement.