The Land Ordinance of 1785 was a law passed by the United States Congress under the Articles of Confederation to regulate the settlement and sale of public lands in the western territories of the United States. The ordinance divided the western territories into a grid system of townships and sections, providing a systematic method for land distribution and ownership.
Under the ordinance, the western territories were to be divided into a series of six-mile by six-mile townships. Each township was further divided into 36 one-mile by one-mile sections, amounting to a total of 36 sections per township. One section in each township (section 16) was to be reserved for the support of public schools, while four sections (sections 8, 11, 26, and 29) were to be set aside for the benefit of the veterans of the American Revolutionary War.
In addition to the grid system of townships and sections, the Land Ordinance of 1785 also established a method for the sale of public lands. The ordinance allowed for the sale of a minimum of one section of land, equivalent to 640 acres, for no less than one dollar per acre. This helped to finance the federal government and encourage settlement in the western territories.
The Land Ordinance of 1785 had a significant impact on the settlement and development of the western territories. It provided a clear and organized method for land distribution and ownership, which facilitated the expansion of the United States into the western frontier. The ordinance helped to establish the concept of public lands and influenced future land policies and laws in the United States.
Describe the Land Ordinance of 1785.
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