Land Ordinance of 1785

The Land Ordinance of 1785 was a law passed by the U.S. Congress to organize and sell the western lands acquired after the American Revolution. It established a systematic way to survey and divide the land into townships, each measuring six miles square. This made it easier to sell parcels of land to settlers. The ordinance aimed to encourage westward expansion and settlement, promoting orderly development while also ensuring that some proceeds from land sales would fund public education. This law laid the groundwork for future land policies and the growth of the United States.