Final answer:
The Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 were passed to provide federal land and funds for the establishment of land-grant colleges, significantly expanding access to higher education and including provisions for historically Black colleges and universities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Morrill Acts and Land-Grant Colleges
The legislation that was passed to give each state money to establish land-grant colleges is known as the Morrill Acts. The Morrill Act of 1862, authored by Vermont Republican senator Justin Smith Morrill, and its subsequent amendment in 1890, were pivotal in supporting the growth of higher education in the United States. These acts set aside public land and federal funds, leading to the creation of colleges that were more affordable to middle-class families compared to the elite, private Ivy League universities. These land-grant institutions offered practical courses in agriculture, mechanics, business, and other trades, fundamentally transforming access to higher education and bolstering the nation's agricultural and economic growth.
Following the original Morrill Act, Iowa was the first state to benefit, eventually establishing what became Iowa State University. By 1920, enrollment in these institutions had surged from 50,000 students to over 600,000. The Morrill Acts also extended their reach to include Black students, with the Second Morrill Act of 1890 requiring separate land-grant institutions for persons of color, which later became some of today's historically Black colleges and universities.
Land-grant colleges have played an instrumental role in American education, with a legacy that includes numerous universities across the country that continue to serve as important centers of learning, research, and community development.