Final answer:
The Land Ordinance of 1785 surveyed land and divided it into a neat grid of townships, with each township being further divided into sections.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ordinance that surveyed land and divided it into a neat grid of townships was the Land Ordinance of 1785.
Under this ordinance, the land north of the Ohio River Valley and west of the Appalachians was divided into townships that were six miles square. Each township was further divided into thirty-six sections, with thirty-five to be sold and one reserved for schools.
This grid system of townships and sections is still visible in much of the western United States today.