On July 2, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law a bill that donated land to each state for the establishment of colleges to provide a liberal and practical education to the “industrial class,” or the common person. These colleges would provide instruction in agriculture, military tactics, the mechanic arts and classical studies. Because of the land granted to each state and territory, the Morrill Act of 1862 became known as the land-grant act.
Sponsored by U.S. Congressman Justin Smith Morrill of Vermont, the bill allotted 30,000 acres of public land for each sitting senator and representative in Congress to establish these colleges. Morrill could not have known the future impact this law would have in providing equal opportunity to education to people in the United States and its territories.
Today, there are more than 100 land-grant institutions in the United States and its territories, each focusing on teaching, research and outreach — taking new knowledge to the people.
The University of Nebraska was founded on February 15, 1869, and designated a land-grant institution under the 1862 Morrill Act.