Land grant

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A land grant is a gift of land (or privileges) made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially as rewards for military service. Grants of land are also awarded to individuals and companies as incentives to develop unused land in relatively unpopulated countries.

Roman soldiers were given rewards at the end of their service including cash or land (praemia). Augustus fixed the amount in AD 5 at 3000 denarii and by the time of Caracalla it had risen to 5000 denarii. [1]

In the New World, starting in the 16th century, land grants were given for the purpose of establishing settlements, missions, and farms.

Two examples are given below are from English-speaking countries. However, process of awarding land grants are not limited to the countries named below, and has been used in most countries around the world.

1 Australia
2 United States
3 Notes
4 See also

[edit] Australia

Starting from 1788, the British crown granted land to released convicts in the colony of New South Wales.^[1]

Males were allowed 30 acres, plus 20 acres if they were married, and 10 additional acres per child. Instructions were issued on 20 August 1789 that non-commissioned Marine Officers were to be entitled to 100 additional acres and privates to 50 additional acres.

Governer Macquarie cancelled land grants issued during the Rum Rebellion 1808-09, although some were later renewed.

Land grants started to be phased out when private tendering was introduced, and stricter limits were placed on grants without purchase. The instructions to Governor Brisbane were issued on 17 July 1825. Eventually, on 9 January 1831, Viscount Goderich commanded that all land was to be sold at public auction.

There were also significant land grants in the Swan River Colony, and in Van Diemen's Land from 1803.

[edit] United States

Starting with the American Revolutionary War, United States veterans often received land grants in lieu of other remuneration.

Much land in the state of Florida in the United States comes from land grants given by the Spanish sovereign of this time.

During the 19th century, four out of the five transcontinental railroads in the United States were built using land grant incentives, as was the Canadian Pacific Railway.

After the Mexican–American War there was litigation for over 150 years concerning the validity of the Spanish and Mexican land grants in the U.S. Southwest.^[2]

Regarding academia, the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 gave nearly 100 United States colleges and universities large areas of public land, much of which in turn was sold by the institutions with the proceeds placed into endowment funds that provide them financial support in creating and sustaining agricultural and mechanical academic programs.