Field Notes of Surveyor John Sullivan, 1816

    Courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, 1816

    Description

    John Sullivan was commissioned to conduct a survey to determine the boundary between American Indian lands and lands belonging to the United States of America. The line created controversy between the State of Iowa and the State of Missouri upon Iowa’s admission to the Union in 1846. Subsequent surveys relied on Sullivan’s notes as a starting point for their work.

    Transcript of Surveyor John Sullivan's Field Notes

    Source-Dependent Questions

    • Based on your analysis of John Sullivan's notes, how did he fulfill the directives in the Land Ordinance of 1785?
    • Using evidence from the text, do you see any problems that might arise from the way Sullivan marked the lines? Why or why not?
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