What Is The Morrill Act Of 1862

The ceded lands were to be systematically surveyed into townships six miles square, prior to sale or settlement. Of the thirty-six sections of 640 acres in each township, the sixteenth was reserved "for the maintenance of public schools." The national government then had land to sell and with which they could create new states. The 1787 Northwest land ordinance created the protocol for this, providing a method for admitting new states to the Union, and listing a bill of rights guaranteed in these territories (5).

The Homestead Act was a massive federal program that provided large parcels of free land in the west to settlers. Under the act, which was designed to encourage Americans to populate the territory acquired sixty years earlier in the Louisiana Purchase, about 8 percent of the entire United States land mass was transferred from federal to private ownership (Kidder, Oppenheim 152). Two men primarily responsible for the act were George Henry Evans and Horace Greely. Evans lobbied the idea of the Homestead Act and came up with the slogan “vote yourself a farm,” thus he was given the title Father of the Homestead Act. Greely wanted to make it easier and less

On May 20, 1882, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act into law. This act allowed people to live on unclaimed land for five years and legally obtain it for

Lincoln went by the presidency Whig theory which gave Congress the sole responsibility to write the laws and at the same time ensure that the Executive enforced them. During his presidency term Lincoln ensured that four bills were vetoed and passed by Congress namely; the Wade Davis Bill which was a harsh program of reconstructing the states by seeking to reunite the country by a policy of generous reconciliation (Donald 2001 p.137). He signed the Homestead Act in 1862, where millions of acres of government held land in the West available for purchase at very low cost (p138). The Morrill Land Grant Colleges Act, also signed in 1862, provided the government of the day grants for agricultural colleges in each particular state (Donald 1996 p. 36). The Pacific Railway Acts of 1862 and 1864 granted federal Government support for the construction of the United States, First Transcontinental Railroad, to completed in 1869 ( Donald 2001p 256). Passing the Homestead Act and the Pacific Railway Acts was made possible through the absence of Southern congressmen and senators who had opposed the measures in 1850s (2 Donald 2001p 55).

I feel that the Morrill Act was the pivotal movement in the Career and Technical Education. Per the reading, “It’s primary purpose was to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in pursuits and professions of living.” The Morrill Act was passed to help fund education and it also helped obtain the equipment and instructional material that was needed for educational purposes. It also integrated academics and vocational work which is something use today, and that I find most beneficial for students. This Act was revised later to provide the same opportunities to all races, in which I believe everyone should have the equal opportunity to further their learning. These two Acts were the foundation of education. They

The Louisiana Purchase, in 1803 was a deal for land between the United States and France, in which the U.S. purchased approximately 827,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million. The territory that was bought included Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska, parts of Minnesota and Louisiana west of Mississippi River, including New Orleans, big parts of North and northeastern New Mexico, South Dakota, northern Texas, some parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado as well as parts of Canadian territories Alberta and Saskatchewan. This effectively doubled the size of the United States. The land was bought on the date July 4, 1803.

Mountains and from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Other causes of westward expansion included the Homestead Act which is An act passed by Congress in 1862 promising ownership of a 160-acre tract of public land to a citizen or head of a family who had resided on and cultivated the land for five years after the initial claim. and African American slaves, traveled West to get their freedom.

The Homestead Act of 1862 authorized any citizen or prospective citizen to acquire 160 acres of public land and to buy it for a small payment after living on it for five years. Another economic policy formed was the Morrill Land Grant Act. It occurred in the same year as the Homestead Act and transferred a considerable amount of public land to the state governments. The state governments would then be responsible to sell the land and use the earnings to finance public education. These acts were positive results of the revolution by giving people the opportunity to obtain land and to help fund for education.

The deal officially closed at the price of fifteen million dollars for Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and some of Florida. The country formally gained possession for the land on December 30, 1803, when France transferred authority over the region to the United States. As a result of Madison’s and other members of the cabinet efforts, America doubled the size of their nation and increasing their wealth immensely due to the potential of the land (“Louisiana Purchase”).

This party called Johnson “the vilest radical and most unscrupulous demagogue in the Union”. After winning his election and becoming Senator he presented the Homestead Act. This act gave one hundred and sixty acres of land to any applicant who was the bread winner of the house. This act was planned to help out poor farmers. He bill was passed by both houses but unfortunately vetoed by the president, James Buchanan. After Lincoln moved in as president the bill was immediately put on his agenda and passed on May 20, 1862.

This cause the Westward expansion. During the Westward expansion, white settlers thought they they were entitled to land. “...Washington only had a few thousand residents… The United States Congress understood this fact and in 1850 passed the Land Donation Claim Act”

The Morrill Act of 1862 is what eventually led to the development of Cooperative Extension. Land-grant universities were started because of the Morrill Act, and in 1914 the Smith-Lever act allocated funds to land-grant universities.

The Homestead Act  stated that settlers could migrate to the west and every American including free slaves could claim at least 160 acres of federal land. When the Civil War was over, fifteen thousand land claims had been made. A program was established that gave small farmers public land grants. States in the south voted against this act before the Civil War. Most states did not want the Homestead Act to be passed because they knew it would rush settlement.

An agrarian law was also passed that intended to reform the division of public land. Land which belonged to the whole state would now be justly distributed among all citizens.

The Morrill Act was one of many that was sent from the heavens to help. On July 2, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the act to create a better way for young individuals to be able to have a college education. The act helped learning colleges and universities by giving government-controlled land to the U.S. states to sell, raise funds, and to establish and endow land-grant colleges (Wikipedia). Justin Smith Morrill, a politician in both houses of congress, presented the act in earlier than year, but ended up having it vetoed the first time by President James Buchanan. This act of the exciting grant ignited objection from the western interest who all became scared that their land would vanish. From the grant, over 17.4 million acres were granted. The Morrill Act created a positive effect on education. The change would help leaders and workers rebuild a nation that was destroyed by the Civil War and achieve its Manifest Destiny (Hess). Later on that year, the act became a law granted land to all of the states.