The line intersections have established a large grid that controls the subdivision of grids to smaller ones. Halves are 320 acres, and quarters are each 160 acres. Township locations are identified by tier or township lines and ranges. Prior to the land ordinance of 1785 and the Rectangular Survey System, the state lands state which would be the 13 colonies, surveyed their land with meets and bound system. In reality, because of this earth curvature issue, many sections and townships vary from their exact area measurements. [/caption]\r\n

Each half or quarter section can be further subdivided into halves and quarters. Many plans have been made on how to subdivide the public domain lands. Tips to Understanding the Legal Description - PropLogix In the survey method, there has to be the creation of an initial point. ","description":"The rectangular survey system, often referred to as the government survey system, is based on a system of lines that form rectangles and squares throughout the United States. Youre likely to see at least a few questions on the real estate license exams on calculating the area of part of a section, and youll also see questions about terminology and some of the measurements that the rectangular survey system uses. This system, sometimes called the Public Land Survey System, was created in 1785 to plat or divide real property into squares and rectangles for sale and settling. The Rectangular Survey System can be thought of as a grid that covers the U.S. It is considered as one of the most significant subdividing of the United States mainland. She has a Masters in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University and a Bachelor's in English from Thomas Edison State University. You got it: Tic tac toe. Where a baseline meets a principal meridian is called a point of origin. 1 Square mile is equal to 640 acres. They are the starting points for describing a propertys boundaries. The fifth township south of the baseline and fourth to the west of the principal meridian would be identified as Missouri, Fifth Principal Meridian, Township 5 South, Range 4 West, or Missouri, Fifth Principal Meridian, T5S, R4W. A government check represents an area that measures 576 square miles.\r\n\r\nRemember that although these correction lines and guide meridians are the way the government deals with the issue of the earths curvature, it isnt the way the government survey system describes land. The land can be further divided into even smaller sections by dividing the halves or quarters into smaller halves or quarters. Same as term government rectangular survey: Way in which the U.S. government uses to subdivide public land. Its worth noting; quadrangles are not used when identifying land with the rectangular survey method, only the principal meridians, baselines, and townships and sections. They are often combined to create a more accurate map of property boundaries. We know that there are 640 acres in one section, and we are taking a 1/4 of a 1/2 section. Those states are: An error occurred trying to load this video. Definition Of Government Rectangular Survey In Real Estate Guide meridians run north to south, parallel with principal meridians. Specific directional references are needed in the actual description to locate a particular piece of property, but for finding out how large a particular piece of property is, only the fractions matter.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_274747\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"556\"] Sections can be divided in a variety of ways, including quarters and smaller sections. Because the rectangular or government survey system was instituted when the United States was a new country, it was used to describe most of the land west of the original 13 colonies, so most of you are likely to see some questions about this system.\r\n\r\nLongitude and latitude are imaginary lines that divide the earth through the north and south poles (longitude) and run parallel with the equator (latitude). Correction lines occur at every fourth township line or every 24 miles north and south of the baseline. )\r\nThe description probably would include the state and county in which the property is located and use abbreviations. It will serve as the basis for surveys of government in a specified area under its jurisdiction. For instance, a quarter section always contains 160 acres, or a fourth of the total 640 acres in a section. Guide meridians run north to south, parallel with principal meridians. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Title Theory State | Rights, Differences & Purpose. Furthermore, how well individual surveying parties actually met the requirements or recommendations at the time, also varied. Townships are identified based on their location to the point of origin where the principal meridian line meets the baseline. Base lines Where the two range lines and two township lines intersect, they form a township.\r\n\r\nNow, the way it really works is for this page to be filled with the lines going up and down and right to left so that you have many townships. Only about half of the states in the United States still use the Rectangular Survey System. ","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"The rectangular survey system, often referred to as the government survey system, is based on a system of lines that form rectangles and squares throughout the United States. The system uses Metes, which are straight lines connecting two points, and Bounds, which are identifiable aspects of a property. Graphic depiction of the Rectangular Survey System. Normally, a permanent monument, or marker, is placed at each section corner. These are known as correction lines and guide meridians. The Rectangular Survey System is a means of dividing and measuring large areas of land. All lands in the public domain are subject to subdivision by this rectangular system of surveys. Since townships are six miles north to south and six miles east to west, each township is 36 square miles. Using principal meridians and baselines as points of reference, land areas are divided by two kinds of lines, township lines and range lines. The government rectangular survey method is a legal description for land. Real Estate License Wizard2009 MacKenzie WaySuite 100Cranberry Twp, PA 16066Phone: (412) 212-3240Email: info [at] realestatelicensewizard.com. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Some data is missing in this version that is included in the old version. The federal government developed the rectangular survey system, or government survey method, to simplify and standardize property descriptions as a replacement for the cumbersome and often inaccurate metes and bounds method. The numbering continues directly beneath the sixth section, except that it progresses from left to right on the second tier. After six years of aircrew service in the Air Force, he earned his MBA from the University of Phoenix following a BS from the University of Maryland. These tools will help you assess your knowledge of concepts pertaining to the Rectangular Survey System. Remember, a township is 6 miles by 6 miles. Rectangular (Government) Survey System Definition - Boston Pads For example, how many acres are there if you take the North East of the South 1/2 of section 3 in township 8 North and range 5 west? Manage Settings These range lines form ranges. Using those lines for references, quadrangles are formed, which are smaller squares identifiable by where they are located near the principal meridian and baseline. These divisions mean just that. a rectangular system of land survey that divides a district into 24-square mile quadrangles from the meridian (north-south line) and the baseline (east-west line); the tracts are divided into 6-mile-square parts called townships, which are in turn divided into 36 tracts, each 1 mile square, called sections. Rectangular Government Survey System Map Townships have an area of 36 square miles, more or less, and are each further divided into 36 sections.\r\n \t

Sections: The divisions of a township, sections, are one mile square and have an area of one square mile, or 640 acres. Novation in Real Estate | Novation of Contract. How Do Metes and Bounds Differ From the Rectangular Survey System? Where the two range lines and two township lines intersect, they form a township. Figuring out the size of a piece of property, which sometimes is called a parcel, is simple, if you keep in mind that youre always dealing with a section of 640 acres. This system utilizes a system of rectangular coordinates to create a map of a parcel of land. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. [/caption]\r\n\r\nEach section of 640 acres can be divided into halves and quarters called, get this, half sections and quarter sections. The legal description includes the state name, the meridian name, the township and range directions, and usually the section number. Doing the math, its 1/2 1/4 640 = 80 acres.

\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_274746\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"556\"] A quarter section can be split into smaller parts. 10.B.3 Government Survey System Flashcards | Quizlet A system established in 1785 by the federal government, providing for surveying and describing land by reference to principal meridians. Legal descriptions under the Rectangular Survey System include the state, the principal meridian, the township designated by number and direction, and the section number. This system is also needed to divide all of the lands in the public domain which is possessed by the US federal government to benefit the American citizens. That could be further divided into quarters, such as the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 18 of a township would be 40 acres. There are 16 townships in each quadrangle. PDF Legal Descriptions - McKissock Learning The creation of the legal description for the Governmental Survey System is based on special longitude and latitude lines called principal meridians and base lines. Simply multiply 640 by or 0.25, which equals 160, then multiply 160 by 1/2 or 0.5, which equals 80. The township is the basic unit of measurement in the rectangular survey system. . Imagine trying to draw straight lines on a rubber ball. These smaller parcels are identified by their directional location within the section. Real Property Ownership Flashcards | Quizlet Guide meridians and standard parallels form quadrangles. Public Land Survey System - Sidwell D. Rectangular government survey C Jacob is a developer who purchased 78 acres and had it subdivided into halfacre lots. Think about two more lines running up and down the page on top of the first two lines, also about an inch apart. The rectangular survey system is based on principal meridians and base lines determined by precise scientific measurements. The real estate exam probably wont ask you what states use the Metes and Bounds system or the Rectangular Survey System, but they may ask you which system your state uses. Of course, this still makes up a lot of land, so townships are further divided into sections. Also Check: Government Regulations For Nonprofit Organizations. Rectangular Survey System - Divides land into rectangles - The system is based on two sets of lines - Principal Meridians and Base Lines Principal Meridians - Vertical lines, crossing base line. Sections also are numbered consecutively. The Rectangular Survey System is a method of surveying designed to divide the real property into specified plots. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The range and township lines create a 36-square-mile area called a township. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The lines are spaced 24 miles apart, creating squares that are around 576 square miles. The survey system essentially functions the same way. Police Power in Real Estate Significance & Examples | What is Police Power? The PLSS is actually a series of surveys that divide land into townships that are six miles. Today, the BLM controls the survey, sale, and settling of lands acquired by the United States. Each half or quarter section can be further subdivided into halves and quarters. The rectangular survey system, often referred to as the government survey system, is based on a system of lines that form rectangles and squares throughout the. Real Estate License Exam: The Rectangular Survey System As with most things, there are pros and cons of using the Rectangular Survey System. Principal meridians, quadrangles, townships, then sections its that easy, dont overthink it.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'realestatelicensewizard_com-leader-1','ezslot_6',691,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-realestatelicensewizard_com-leader-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'realestatelicensewizard_com-leader-1','ezslot_7',691,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-realestatelicensewizard_com-leader-1-0_1');.leader-1-multi-691{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. Each one square mile section is 640 acres. Townships are subdivided into 36 one-mile- square sections. Townships are then broken down into sections, which are 36 blocks, each being 1 square mile. So, there can be the north, south, east, or west half section.

\r\n\r\nBecause of the curvature of the earth, the lines in the government survey system are only theoretically straight. As mentioned above, basically you can think of the US as a huge checkerboard, with vertical and horizontal lines splitting it up. That means it is 3 townships north of the baseline and 5 townships east of the principal meridian. The section in the uppermost northeast corner of a township is section 1. Government Rectangular Survey | Free Real Estate Exam Prep Video You need to know what these lines are called and how they intersect for your real estate license exam. The Base Line in United States Rectangular Survey System meets its principal meridian at the point of origin, or initial point, for the survey of the land. For example, a piece of property that is located one township north of a baseline and two townships east of the fifth principal meridian in the state of Missouri would be identified as Missouri, Fifth Principal Meridian, Township 1 North, Range 2 East. The rectangular survey system was enacted by the Land Ordinance Act of 1785. In legal documents, such as a lien, deed, trust deed, mortgage, and sales contract, courts require an exact description of where a piece of land is located. The Metes and bounds system dates back centuries to the original 13 colonies, while the rectangular survey method was established in 1785 and used in all 36 states formed after that point. In reality, because of this earth curvature issue, many sections and townships vary from their exact area measurements. The numbering then moves from right to left across that first upper tier. Constructive Notice in Real Estate Overview & Law | What is Constructive Notice? As we mentioned earlier, two primary survey methods are used in the United States, the Metes and Bounds System, and the Rectangular Survey System. Quadrangles have an area of 576 square miles, more or less, and are divided into 16 townships.\r\n \t

Townships: The divisions of a quadrangle, townships, are six miles square (six miles on each side) and are delineated by township lines. In addition to the principal meridians and baselines, the land is further divided by range lines, which run north and south. Standard parallels run east to west along with the baseline. Doing the math, its 1/2 1/4 640 = 80 acres.

\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_274746\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"556\"] A quarter section can be split into smaller parts. It is the lands boundary lines that also have terminal points and angles. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you The numbering changes directions in the third tier from right to left. So, in the example above, Township 4 South would be T4S. The principal meridians and baselines are based respectively on lines of longitude and latitude.\r\n\r\nYoure likely to see at least a few questions on the real estate license exams on calculating the area of part of a section, and youll also see questions about terminology and some of the measurements that the rectangular survey system uses. Then the numbering drops down to 13 and goes right to left again and so forth: Each section of 640 acres can be divided into halves and quarters called, get this, half sections and quarter sections. What is Rectangular Survey System Description? - Civil Stuff Water & Littoral Rights Concept & Purpose | What are Water Rights? A mailing label lists your name, street address, city, state, and country. Principal meridians, baselines, and where they intersect (cross each other) are used as the basis for formulating property descriptions in this system. The implementation of the system begins with the identification of the reference lines: the east-west line called the Base Line and the north-south line is also known for the name principal meridian. Principal meridians run perpendicular to the earths equator, north to south. There are various issues with the names on the very small land parcels in several states. A township in this system can be both a line and the square of land created by the township lines and range lines. For example,Lot _ Block _ of Subdivision __ in the County of ______, State of ______________. Yes, but first you need to know the dimensions and measurements of a township. Rectangular (Government) Survey System Flashcards | Quizlet Doing the math, its 1/2 1/4 640 = 80 acres. Areas smaller than full-size sections are known as government lots and are numbered and placed in fractional sections. Previous to the Public Land Survey System, land was surveyed using a confusing landmark-based system called metes and bounds. He is also a real estate investor, board gamer and homebrewer. The Rectangular Survey System provides for a unit of land approximately 24 miles square, bounded by base lines running east and west, and meridians running north and south. succeed.