Wikipedia.
Since I live in Illinois, I was interested to learn more about the land given to War of 1812 veterans in the state.
The military tract was in a huge triangle of land in the Illinois Territory between the Mississippi and Illinois rivers in the western part. The northern boundary extended 90 miles east of the Mississippi along the southern border of today's Rock County.
The area was surveyed between 1815-1816 and consisted of 5 million acres of which 3,500,000 was considered suitable for cultivation.
Soldiers in the war received 160 acres and received warrants for the land by lottery. Most of the veterans, or their heirs, however, sold the warrants to speculators. One such company acquired over 900,000 acres.
Also, it was found that many squatters were on the land. In the end, many of the speculators lost the land.
Settlement of Illinois didn't really kick off until Indian removal.
Brock-Perry
2012 marks the 200th anniversary of America's "Forgotten War," the War of 1812 that took place over three years, 1812 to 1815.
Battle of New Orleans.
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