Morrill Land Grant Act - 1862

Senator Justin Morrill introduced two bills to the United States Congress in 1862 and 1890 for the following purpose:

without excluding other scientific and classical studies and including military tactic, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in such manner as the legislatures of the States may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life (United States Congress, 1862).

According to the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (1995), by providing grants in the form of federal land each state was able to "provide a broad segment of the population with a practical education that had direct relevance to their daily lives."

Refer to the following video for information concerning one beneficiary of the Morrill Acts: Iowa State University - Democracy's College

Senator Justin Smith Morrill

Department of Education - 1867

Originally created to collect information to establish effective school systems, the formerly known Office of Education's mission is "to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access" (U.S. Department of Education, 2010).