Final answer:
A surveyor's description of a parcel of real property using distances, angles, and directions is known as a metes and bounds survey. It is characterized by the use of natural landmarks to define property boundaries, leading to a jigsaw-puzzle appearance of land parcels.
Step-by-step explanation:
The surveyor's description of a parcel of real property using carefully measured distances, angles, and directions to create a legal description of the land is called a metes and bounds survey. This system was introduced by English settlers during the colonial period and involves describing parcels of land using local landmarks, like trees, boulders, or streams. The metes and bounds system results in highly irregular land parcels that sometimes create challenges in determining exact property lines, especially when natural landmarks change or disappear.
The survey process employs techniques such as using a baseline and observing from different stations to measure distances through parallax. Contrastingly, the grid system introduced by Thomas Jefferson replaced the metes and bounds in some areas with a more orderly, rectangular land division system to promote equality among yeoman farmers. However, metes and bounds were still used extensively, especially on the frontier, where early settlers and land speculators often secured the most desirable land.