History of Land Settlement

Question 1

The Land Ordinance of 1785

Answer 1

provided for the rectangular land survey of the Old Northwest. The survey was completed following the end of the Revolutionary War and provided a systematic way to divide and distribute land to the public.

Question 2

In 1862, Congress passed the Homestead Act,

Answer 2

which provided 160 acres of land to settlers for a fee of $18 and a guarantee of five years of residence. The result was the settlement of 270 million acres or 10% of the land area of the United States.

Question 3

In 1862, Congress passed the Morrill Act,

Answer 3

allowed new western states to establish colleges.

Question 4

In 1891, the General Land Law Revision Act was passed by Congress.

Answer 4

This Act provided the President of the United States with the power to create forest preserves by proclamation.

Question 5

In 1897, Congress passed the Forest Management Act,

Answer 5

allowed the Secretary of the Interior to manage forest preserves.

Question 6

In 1902, the U.S. Reclamation Act was passed.

Answer 6

It allowed the funds raised from the sale of public land in arid states to be used to construct water storage and irrigation systems.

Question 7

In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed a Public Lands Commission

Answer 7

to propose rules for land development and management.

Question 8

In 1906, the Antiquities Act was the first law to provide federal protection for archaeological sites.

Answer 8

The Act allowed for the designation of National Monuments.

Question 9

In 1935, the Resettlement Administration was formed to carry out experiments in population resettlement and land reform.

Answer 9

The result was the development of Greenbelt towns.

Question 10

In 1944, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, commonly known as the GI Bill, guaranteed home loans to veterans.

Answer 10

The result was the rapid development of suburbs.