Basically the federal government did not give western states all their land when they qualified for statehood. States were so excited to get coveted statehood that they went along with the conditions despite the confiscation of, for most in the West, at least a third of their land.
powned
Said the feds to Nevada.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
My understanding is that there was a law passed in the 70's that was supposed to give most of it back. I think they got as far as giving Nebraska (one or two before Nebraska) their land back (something like 90-95% of the federally held land)and then just sort of stopped.
"... and then I was forced to walk the Trail of Tears." - Elizabeth Warren