1. UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System

2. Chapter The Land Ordinance of 1785 -The Land Ordinance of 1785 was passed to help deal with the surveying, sale and settling of the Northwest Territories Page 1 UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System -The Northwest Ordinance (1787) made provisions for governing the new territories

3. Chapter The Land Ordinance of 1785 (CONT.) Page 2 -Prior to 1783, settlers merely claimed land in the West -Disputes (often violent) became common amongst settlers -As a result, and to raise money, the United States Congress passed the Land Ordinance of 1785 -It stated: 1.Land would be surveyed and divided into townships 2.Each township would be 6 miles square UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System

4. Chapter The Land Ordinance of 1785 (CONT.) Page 3 3. Each township would contain 36 sections 4. Each section would be 1 mile square, containing 640 acres 5. Congress stipulated that land would be sold at auction for a minimum of $1.00 per acre 6. The revenue from the sale of one section in each township would be used to fund the creation of a public school -To attract land speculators, Congress required speculators purchase one whole section, dividing it for sale later UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System

5. Chapter Page 4 UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System

6. Taylor County

7. Chapter Range and Township -Every “ cell ” (township) in the grid is identified by a township and range -The range number identifies how many cells the property is to the east or west of a starting point or principal meridian Page 5 UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System

8. Chapter Page 6 UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System

9. Chapter -The legal description of range is “ R18E ” -The township (or tier) number identifies how many cells the property is north or south of a starting point or the baseline Page 7 Range and Township -Only northern townships/tiers can exist in Wisconsin as the baseline is the southern boundary of the state -The legal description of township is “ T32N ” UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System

10. Chapter -Where range and township/tier intersect creates a “ cell ” or a township -Sections (1 of 36) are arranged in a boustrophedonic manor “ as the cow plows ” -This was done for ease of surveying Page 8 Range and Township (CONT.) UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System

11. Chapter Further Division -Each section is divided into quarters (quadrants), classified by the four principal directions (Southwest — SW) -Quarters are ½ mile by ½ mile or 160 acres Page 9 UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System

12. Chapter Further Division (CONT.) -Each quarter is divided into quarter- quarter sections, classified by the four principal directions (Southwest — SW) -Quarter-quarters are ¼ mile by 1/4 mile or 40 acres Page 10 UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System

13. Chapter Further Division (CONT.) -Each quarter-quarter is divided into half sections, classified by either North or South -Half quarter-quarter sections are ¼ mile by 1/8 mile or 20 acres Page 11 UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System

14. Chapter Legal Description -Descriptions are stated and read from smallest parcel to largest, however best interpreted from largest to smallest (the last descriptor to the first) Page 12 UNIT #2 The 20 th Century Notes Public Land Survey System