Definition of "Government rectangular survey". government rectangular survey system - Barrons Dictionary - AllBusiness.com The system is also relatively easy to understand, as it is basically a single grid laid over the land. The system was created by Thomas Jefferson in 1785. 276 lessons are further subdivided into 36 one-mile-square, (each section is one square mile or 640 acres), then into quarter sections, quarter-quarter sections, or irregular, Beginning at an initial point, townships are surveyed in all directions. 6 b/c each township is divided in 36 sections, each section is 1 sq mile; 36/6 = 6 in each row. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Sign up for the newsletter to get exclusive real estate exam tips that I don't share anywhere else. The system uses Metes, which are straight lines connecting two points, and Bounds, which are identifiable aspects of a property. The Rectangular Survey System, also known as the Government Survey System or Public Land Survey System, is a method of plotting land boundaries in the United States using a large grid made up of rectangles. Sections can be further subdivided into quarter sections, quarter-quarter sections, or irregular government lots. Townships are further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each. Guide meridians run north to south, parallel with principal meridians. The rectangular government survey system is the most common system used in the United States to create legal descriptions for real estate. In other words, after section number 6, it drops down to 7 on the next tier then goes left to right to number 12. 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. We know that there are 640 acres in one section, and we are taking a 1/4 of a 1/2 section. 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. Principal meridians, baselines, and where they intersect (cross each other) are used as the basis for formulating property descriptions in this system. The survey system essentially functions the same way. Rectangular Survey System: Definition & Uses - Study.com Also Check: Government Help With Home Down Payment. (This description refers to a 10-acre parcel of land. The Rectangular Survey System, also known as the Government Survey System or Public Land Survey System, is a method of plotting land boundaries in the United States using a large grid made up of rectangles. Surveyors also establish an east-west line from which all measurements originate. . Also, the meets and bounds system is used to describe land by listing the compass directions and distances of the boundaries. The Rectangular Survey System is a method of surveying designed to divide the real property into specified plots. Definition of "Rectangular survey". The numbering continues in this manner like a snake, until ending in the far southeast corner with section 36. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. From this initial . government survey method - Commercial Real Estate The grid is further divided by lines that run parallel to and between the principal meridian lines, called range lines, and lines that run parallel to and between the baselines, called township lines. These are known as correction lines and guide meridians. Where the two range lines and two township lines intersect, they form a township. \"https://sb\" : \"http://b\") + \".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\";el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);})();\r\n","enabled":true},{"pages":["all"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n\r\n","enabled":false},{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n","enabled":false},{"pages":["article"],"location":"header","script":" ","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage"],"location":"header","script":"","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage","article","category","search"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n\r\n","enabled":true}]}},"pageScriptsLoadedStatus":"success"},"navigationState":{"navigationCollections":[{"collectionId":287568,"title":"BYOB (Be Your Own Boss)","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-entry-level-entrepreneur-287568"},{"collectionId":293237,"title":"Be a Rad Dad","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/be-the-best-dad-293237"},{"collectionId":295890,"title":"Career 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How to P-R-E-P-A-R-E for the Real Estate License Exam, Real Estate License Exam: 10 Things to Find Out About State Real Estate Law, How to Make Mortgage Calculations without a Fancy Calculator, Real Estate License Exam: Measuring Area and Volume, Real Estate License Exams For Dummies Cheat Sheet. Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Different Types of Estates in Real Estate, Legal Description of Property: Definition, Importance & Example, What is a Land Survey? You have 80 acres in that plot of land, and that is your answer. The rectangular survey or government survey describes In the entire nation, there are only 36 principal meridians. Originally proposed by Thomas Jefferson, the PLSS began shortly after the Revolutionary War, when the Federal government became responsible for large areas west of the thirteen original colonies. We have Quarter sections, Half sections, township sections, townships, quadrangles, and principal meridians with baselines. Because the rectangular or government survey system was instituted when the United States was a brand-new country, it was used to describe most of the land west of the original 13 . 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. The government survey system is known by a few different names. Since nothing is perfect, some sections of land ended up being larger or smaller than they should. TRID Guidelines & Compliance Checklist | What is TRID? The area created by the intersection of a township line and a range line is a township. For example, you can say the east of section 3. That means the property is 320 acres and located on the east half of that section. [/caption]\r\n\r\nEach section of 640 acres can be divided into halves and quarters called, get this, half sections and quarter sections. Each section is numbered, starting at the top right corner and going back and forth, left to right, in a serpentine pattern. Running east to west every six miles between the baselines are the township lines. Youre so square more or less The rectangular survey system distinguishing among the various surveys. Create your account. Using principal meridians and baselines as points of reference, land areas are divided by two kinds of lines, township lines and range lines. The rectangular survey describes property location as fractions of sections, which are part of townships, and provide distance measurements from principal meridians, base lines and range lines. The north-south line that runs through the initial point is a, ). Additionally, the terms used in the Rectangular Survey System can have different meanings under other systems of measurement and governmental designations. The lines are spaced 24 miles apart, creating squares that are around 576 square miles. You got it: Tic tac toe. We know that there are 640 acres in one section, and we are taking a 1/4 of a 1/2 section. 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. 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. Remember, a township is 6 miles by 6 miles. The rectangular survey system was developed in an effort to try and describe all of the land in our country. 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. Rectangular Surveys FamilySearch I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Normally, a permanent monument, or marker, is placed at each section corner. Land is designated as either a base line (East-West) or principal meridian line (North-South). Lines that are parallel to the Base Line are called the standard parallels which run at 24-mile intervals north and south of the Base Line. 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. In other words, after section number 6, it drops down to 7 on the next tier then goes left to right to number 12. 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. The Rectangular Survey System was established in 1785 to identify, divide, and measure land, creating boundary lines for property owners. It is the lands boundary lines that also have terminal points and angles. It is known that Jefferson proposed a rectangular survey system, although his system was based on the decimal system -- townships 10 miles by 10 miles. There are two separate and distinct systems of land surveys in the United States: System of metes and bounds in which each parcel of land is . This process continues, creating a smaller and smaller grid that can be used to identify the specific location of any property. It is extended north from the Base Line and runs at 24 miles east and west from the principal meridian. ","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9566,"name":"John A. Yoegel","slug":"john-a-yoegel","description":"

John A. Yoegel, PhD, is a certified real estate instructor and former board member of the Real Estate Educators Association. ","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. Metes and bounds were used as the primary survey method before 1785 and were fairly inaccurate, especially before GPS technology. The boundary of each township is 6 miles long, so a township contains 36 square miles and is described as being 6 miles square. Also known as the rectangular survey system or public land survey system, the government survey system refers to a federal land survey system that uses (north and south lines) meridians and (east and west lines) base lines. Read Also: Government Grants For Commercial Real Estate. Before the Rectangular Survey System was established, the Metes and Bounds survey was the only way of identifying who owned what land. Actual Notice in Real Estate: Types & Examples | What is Actual Notice? However, in some areas of the country, a township refers to a legal municipality rather than a geographic area, which can lead to some confusion. Easement Appurtenant Features & Examples | What is an Easement in Real Estate? Sections can be further divided into halves and quarters. is a way of subdividing and describing land in the United States. He teaches pre-licensing and continuing education courses for salespeople, brokers, and appraisers. The land can be further divided into even smaller sections by dividing the halves or quarters into smaller halves or quarters. Townships are identified based on their location to the point of origin where the principal meridian line meets the baseline. He teaches pre-licensing and continuing education courses for salespeople, brokers, and appraisers. To learn more about these land descriptions, view our Real Estate Principles course, which provides information on ethics of practice, titles to and conveyance of real estate, deeds encumbrances and liens, distinctions between personal and real property, appraisal, finance and regulations, and more. Police Power in Real Estate Significance & Examples | What is Police Power? A simple approach to a complex concept, Jeff gives students practical guidance that can be used on any Government Rectangular Survey question. . A system of fractional sections and government lots are parts of standard practice to account for these discrepancies.\r\n\r\nSo how does the system describe land? Although the lines start out the same distance apart, they get closer together as you get near one or the other end of the ball.\r\n\r\nCorrection lines and guide meridians were established to correct this problem in the government survey system. Rectangular Survey System This is also called the section and township system or U.S. Government Section and Township Survey, established in the nineteenth century by the U.S. Surveyor General to survey public lands. 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. The area includes sections (1 mile on each side), townships (6 miles on each side), and quadrangles (24 miles on each side). As mentioned above, basically you can think of the US as a huge checkerboard, with vertical and horizontal lines splitting it up. 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. 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. 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. You may even see a question or two about the numbering system used for sections. The area is further divided into six-mile segments using range lines that run parallel to the principal meridian and township lines that run parallel to the baselines. The legal description can be further described by indicating which directional half or quadrants of the section, as well. The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) is the surveying method developed and used in the United States to plat, or divide, real property for sale and settling.Also known as the Rectangular Survey System, it was created by the Land Ordinance of 1785.. 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. 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.