Section #5 - Statistical Tables
Land Acts
One factor behind America’s rapid population growth is the almost endless acreage of public domain land available to prospective farmers. Since selling it is also a primary source of income to the government (along with tariffs), a series of Land Acts are passed in Congress.
5.0 Major Land Acts Passed By Congress: 1785 to 1862 (Gov Archives)
| Date | Name of Act | Terms | Price/Acre |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 1785 | 1785 Ordinance | Divides all land into square tracts of 6 miles on a side broken into 32 sections including one for a public school. | |
| May 10, 1800 | Harrison Land Act | Sets minimum purchases of land at 320 acres payable over four annual periods. | $2.00 |
| April 24, 1820 | Land Act of 1820 | Reduces the minimum purchase to 80 acres at a lower price and with a down payment of $100. | $1.25 |
| Sept. 4, 1841 | 1841 Preemption Act | Allows settlers to stake out 160 acres and farm it for a limited time before requiring a purchase. | $1.25 |
| May 20, 1862 | Homestead Act | Title to 160 acres can be gained by men or women after living on the land for 6 months, or after paying an $18 fee and then building a home and farming over a 5 year period. | $1.25 |