Public domain (land)

In the United States, land is public domain if it has belonged to the federal government since the 13 original colonies bought from indigenous tribes or from other countries, and has not been dedicated to a specific use.

Creation of the first public domain of the United States, the Northwest Territory, began an epoch in American political history.

Its subsequent expansion, the mode of its administration, legislation for its government, its relation to constitutional questions, the diplomacy and politics involved in its acquisition, its international boundary questions, the enactment of settlement laws, the attraction of immigrants and growth of population, internal improvements and increased facilities of transportation, the discovery of precious metals, and other topics of interest might be cited here in connection with the public domain.

[1] During the American Revolutionary War, Congress spent vast sums and the nation was in debt.

After the Revolution, the new federal government owned all the public land except that within the 13 original colonies and a few non-original states.

The Act also allowed the Treasury Department to sell land in auctions to the highest bidders.

The necessary domain includes the whole coastline, roadsteads, ports, rivers, lakes, acquifers, other specific water bodies and all the works necessary for national defence purposes.