Morrill Act

US Senator Justin S. Morrill (1810–1898), a native of Vermont, member of the US House of Representatives for 12 years and the US Senate for 32 years, introduced legislation in 1857 providing for grants of public land to endow at least one college in each state in which the “leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts . . . in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life.” President James Buchanan vetoed the bill on grounds that education was a pursuit left to the states, but it was reintroduced during the Civil War. President Lincoln signed the act into law on July 2, 1862.