What is the Ordinance of 1787?

Make reports on the circumstances connected with our various
territorial acquisitions.

From whom did the colonists get the right to the land in the
original thirteen colonies?

Do you know anyone who has ever taken up a "homestead claim"? If
so, learn how it was done.

If possible, get a description of a "land lottery" and a "land
rush" in newly opened public lands.

Get all the information you can about the plan to provide land for
the soldiers, referred to above. Do you think this is a better
plan than that of giving land to soldiers outright? Why? Is your
state likely to cooperate with the national government in carrying
out this plan? How?

THE NATION'S INTERESTS ARE FIRST

The policy of the government of disposing of the public lands to
individuals has of course been of great benefit to the latter; but
we should not lose sight of the fact that the national well-being
is the first consideration. As the Commissioner of the General
Land Office said in a recent report (1916), "Every acre of public
land disposed of under this line of legislation is AN INVESTMENT,
the profits to be found in the general development of the welfare