Ministerial Lands facts for kids
The Ministerial Lands were special areas of land in what is now Ohio. Long ago, the Congress decided to give these lands away to help support religious leaders, or clergy.
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Why Were These Lands Set Aside?
Back in the 1780s, before the Bill of Rights was created, the U.S. government sold huge areas of land in the Northwest Territory. This territory eventually became states like Ohio. When groups like the Ohio Company of Associates and John Cleve Symmes bought these lands, the contracts included a special rule.
How Land Was Divided
The land was divided into square areas called townships, each about six miles by six miles. Each township was then split into 36 smaller squares, called sections, each one mile by one mile. These sections were numbered from 1 to 36.
In most of these land deals, Section 29 of every township was set aside. This land was specifically for supporting religion. The only exceptions were two townships that were set aside to help fund Ohio University. In total, Ohio's Ministerial Lands covered about 43,525 acres (which is about 176 square kilometers).
How the Money Was Used
The idea was that money earned from renting or selling Section 29 would go to the churches in that township. The money would be shared based on how many members each church had. The state government of Ohio was put in charge of managing these lands and the money they brought in.
Changes Over Time
For many years, the money from Ministerial Lands helped support religious groups.
A New Purpose for the Funds
In 1833, the U.S. Congress allowed Ohio to sell these Ministerial Lands. The money from the sales was then put into a special fund. This fund continued to support religion in the townships where the lands were located.
However, this system changed in 1968. People started to question if it was right for the government to support churches directly. This is because the U.S. Constitution separates church and state.
So, Congress decided that any remaining money from these funds should be used for schools instead. In May 1968, voters in Ohio agreed to change their state's constitution. This change made sure that any future money from Ministerial Lands would only be used for education.
When Government Support Ended
The U.S. government stopped giving land or money to support religion in 1811. This happened when President James Monroe said "no" to a bill that would have helped a Baptist church. The church had built on government land. President Monroe explained that using government money for religious groups went against the Constitution. The Constitution says Congress cannot make laws that create a religious establishment.
