Final answer:
The legal description of property based on lines of longitude and latitude, townships, and sections is described as metes and bounds. This system was introduced by English settlers during the colonial period and involved hiring surveyors to describe land parcels using local landmarks. The Land Ordinance of 1787 established a grid system to divide the land into townships and sections.
Step-by-step explanation:
The legal description of property based on lines of longitude and latitude, townships, and sections is described as metes and bounds. This system was introduced by English settlers during the colonial period and involved hiring a surveyor to inspect the land and write a description of the desired plot of land. The shape and size of the land parcels were quite random, often described using very local landmarks. The grid system established by the Land Ordinance of 1787 divided the land into townships and sections, creating an orderly pattern on the American landscape.