250 to 250:126. Morrill Act, Narrated by Josh Cowen

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Morrill Act, Narrated by Josh Cowen

Josh Cowen is a professor of education policy at Michigan State University, where he founded the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative. Cowen focuses on bringing research and evidence to public policy decision-making. Cowen describes the impact of the 1862 Morrill Act, which gave us our state colleges and universities.

Suring the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed several important laws.

• In 1862, he signed the Morrill Act.
• Senator Justin Morrill of Vermont supported the law.
• He wanted more people to have access to education.
• The federal government gave land to states to help pay for new colleges.
• Much of this land had been taken from Native American tribes.
• The colleges taught agriculture, engineering, and other subjects.
• Before this time, college was mostly for wealthy people.
• The Morrill Act helped make higher education available to more Americans.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 7:01. Where have you attended school full time or part time for the past 5 years?
• USCIS 100:16.  Who makes federal laws?
• USCIS 128:18.   What part of the federal government writes laws?
• Read: What does Congress do? 
• Write: Congress makes laws. 

Family Fun:

• Arkansas Division of Agriculture: Celebrating the Morrill Act
• History Facts Made Easy: Land Grant University What Is It Morrill Acts
• IU Center on Representative Government: Congressional Moments Morrill Land-Grant Act
• Michigan State University: The Nation's Pioneer Land-Grant University
• NDSU: Land Grant Animation
• National Archive: Morrill Act of 1862
• Nikki Bell: The Morrill Act of 1862 and its Impact on Native Americans
• Penn State Outreach: The Legacy and the Promise: 150 Years of Land-Grant Universities
• Timeless Reader 1: Morrill Act, 1862 - Hear and Read the Land Grant College Act - Abraham Lincoln
• Traveling for History: Justin Morrill Homestead State Historic Marker
• Trivia on Tap: How Well Do You Know the Morrill Act? Take This Quiz & Find Out! 
• uscitizenpod: 4c Higher Education stamp coloring page (commemorates the centennial of the Morrill Act of 1862 that created land-grant colleges and universities)