Land grants are an important consideration, even today. After all, land, as with the rest of the real estate market, has a strong record of climbing in value. However, the idea of the Government providing land in exchange for someone’s useful service is not at all new. It extends to well before the first social media company reared its head — before we worried about Y2k — and before, in fact, the fall of Rome.

One of the main ways that Roman soldiers were recruited was with the promise of a land grant, which was then called praernia. At the end of the soldier’s campaign, they would be rewarded with a large amount of money or land, with the exact amount varying dependent on the segment of Rome’s history.

In other countries since, grants have been used to further a political objective or prompt citizens to contribute to some social aim. Especially of note, Australia gave a substantial amount of land grants to released convicts, effectively colonizing and dividing the land.

In the United States, a number of countries gave land grants to help further their presence in the “New World.” Whether it was for a religious mission, farming settlements, or other “general populace” locations, these grants were given generously. These froze after the territory was largely exhausted, but several resurgences were seen since. The development of Florida, once an unlivable swampland, is largely due to land grants.

The most recent major use of large scale land grants was during the 1800s when the US authorized the distribution of land to five major railroad companies. These railroads created the initial infrastructure for the continental transportation system — and later stirred controversy about monopolistic tendencies from some railroads.

Since that time, land grants have been given out far less generously and frequently, however, those knowing where to look can still find excellent resources on modern-day grants.