Wisconsin History Day By Day

Related Web Sites:
Wisconsin and Its Resources-Public Lands

Wisconsin Public Land Surveys

A Location Guide to the General Land Office (GLO) Survey Plats


Read More About It

"The History of Wisconsin, From Exploration to Statehood" by Alice E. Smith


Vocabulary:

claims union
land titles
speculators


Interesting Fact:

During the public land sale, there were 54 individuals or partnerships with eastern or foreign currency that purchased at least a thousand acres each.


Study Questions:

  • How much did land cost in Wisconsin in 1839?
  • When did the federal government survey the land in Wisconsin? What all did a survey entail?
  • What were squatters? What problems did they cause?


    Search these newspaper databases for additional stories about early Wisconsin settlement:

  • Wisconsin State Journal/The Capital Times
  • Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
  • BadgerLink Wisconsin Newsstand
  • Wisconsin Historical Society


    U.S. historical events that occurred on February 21:

    1878: The first telephone directory in the U.S. is published.
    1885: The Washington Monument is dedicated.
    1973: President Richard Nixon begins his historic trip to China by arriving in Shanghai.



    • February 21

    February 21, 1839: Public land sales were offered in Milwaukee. Settlers united to form claims unions in order to protect their land titles from speculators.

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