title statutes title statutes thirteen colonies principal subjects legislation colonial assemblies exception delaware colony codified general prohibition private purchases native american lands consent government disputes generally resolved special interest legislation war indians connecticut lawsuit proceeded years special royal enabling acts dismissed non substantive grounds judicial test indigenous tenure title remained central political economic issue listed grievances declaration independence regardless colonial land law relating indigenous peoples foundation title united_states ratification united_states_constitution colonial law prohibition codified federal level land transactions remained subject political legal disputes independence sharp contrast transactions indian tribe succeeded receiving compensation transaction prevailing view remains colonial governments state governments succeeded confederation era power authorize indigenous lands borders british law british monarchy attempts regulate land transactions british north_america second statutes colony connecticut connecticut colony est est merged connecticut colony connecticut colony authorized military expedition lands right god conquest given soon colony decided hold liable indian conquered land dispose prejudice succeed transactions prohibited indians prohibition taking indian property arise explicitly extended land acquisitions prohibition strengthened penalties increased gold hill indian reservation colony established confirmed indians explicitly permitted use public lands hunting instances colony resolved land disputes competing indians reservations established application adverse possession including power purchase indian lands delegated colony offered amnesty purchased violation previous long provided true account colony declared lands government king great_britain lord fee barred introduction private purchases evidence established committee settle affair noting prohibition ancient laws colony fine increased damages imposed compensation provided case eminent domain prior merging connecticut colony prohibited private purchases indian lands use plantation delaware delaware appears passed laws concerning indian lands georgia georgia passed prohibition private purchases indian lands person persons shall attempt purchase contract cause purchased contracted shall grant lands tracts lands indian body indians whatsoever use crown permission purpose obtained majesty heirs successors governor commander chief said province time purchase grant contract shall declared void purposes whatsoever maryland maryland codified separate land purchases indians non english europeans set end session general assembly provided shall subject king accept land province indian use lord heirs shall hold possess land pain person shall lose lord heirs lands accepted held grant lord provision renewed indian reservations established boundaries modified enlarged indian reservation boundaries surveyed reservation extinguished unlike colonies maryland provided limited legal violation indian property rights colony provided non indians took timber indian lands action actions persons shall recover damages accordingly later authorized specific proceedings indian english disputes authorization jurisdiction extended committed lands claims arising renting indian lands said granted inhabitants province massachusetts plymouth colony est massachusetts bay colony est merged combination colonies new prohibition codified deeds bargain sale lease release titles whatsoever lands province gotten obtained indian indians person persons whatsoever time license respective general courts said late current colony purchases shall deemed law void effect law titles martha titles preceded grant colony henceforth subject fine twice value land months prison lands sale authorized property tax granted miles square reservation borders amended times indian lands township protected years plymouth plymouth statute acknowledged constant beginning person persons purchase rent hire lands natives consent person persons purchase rent lands natives place government consent court person persons shall times value plus pounds acre colony exception prohibition failed satisfy conditions land grants resulting lands granted non indians exception months end court session extended june colony later purchases violation prohibition prohibition interpreted apply gifts land prohibition extended mere use prohibition extended mount hope tracts land body indians amended lands colony afford fine colony established year statute limitations concerning indian lands government orderly possessed english lay shall orderly prosecute able age longer care taken indians notice massachusetts bay massachusetts bay colony codified prohibition private purchases indian lands person whatsoever shall buy land leave court land recording law instructed record inter purchases natives code codified prohibition ordered court person whatsoever shall henceforth buy land indian licence obtained shall land bought shall pounds acre ordered colony acknowledged title statute reference biblical verses hat indians possession improvement right according indians brought indians shall according english like case indians evicted planting fishing places indians courts justice english english indians confined towns colony confirmed acres land indians deeds contrary new_hampshire new_hampshire codified weak prohibition private purchases buys way purchase tender town exeter proper use particular colony ordered colony instructions included instructions purchase indian lands new_hampshire codified prohibition person persons whatsoever treat indian indians purchase sale receive deed sale gift mortgage lease contract confirmation whatsoever leave hand pounds acre shall utterly void penalties added violations fine value land months prison new_jersey colony authorized commissioner buy lands indians lands plots exceed acres september colony codified prohibition private purchases person persons shall buy tract tracts land indians province special given governor commissioners major time purchase contrary void subject fine shillings acre prohibition included colony instructions lord prohibition specific include gift purchase fee lease life number years authorization method changed certificate hand recorder fine raised shillings acre provision applied heirs assigns shall forever incapable hold plea said land court common law equity colony appropriated commissions sum sums money find necessary purchase right claim use colony maximum appropriation pounds half near recounted later unrelated judicial opinion state new_jersey purchased indian title lands state consideration purchase bought tract land residence indians having previously passed act declaring lands subject tax state law usage law existing contrary notwithstanding indians time purchase lived land year authorized act legislature sell land new_york director passed law holding citizens liable damages indian crops colony dissolve void claimed occupied purchases sales patents deeds signed previous purchases confirmed codified prohibition private purchases indian lands purchase lands indians shall bee good title leave obtained signed warrant hand entered record office purchase indians purchase bee recorded likewise purchase prosecuted entered record office shall time purposes north_carolina north_carolina defined boundaries indians colony passed prohibition private purchases applied lands imposed fine pounds acres person consideration whatsoever shall purchase buy tract land claimed possession indian indians sales shall declared void effect colony authorized lands pennsylvania colony passed prohibition private purchases indian lands person shall buy land natives limits province territories thereof leave governor person shall lose said land pay fine acres statute crown enacted year similar law passed supplemented specific legislation statute limitations colony passed legislation clear title land grants colony act declared grants free clear freely clearly acquitted discharged sufficiently saved harmless said heirs assigns indian claims claims non indians colony violations punishment death benefit clergy punishment set pound fine year prison bail plus paid poor rhode_island early rhode_island laws restricted indians certain areas later laws passed vein colony passed prohibition private purchases indian lands purchase shall land natives plantation consent state bee indians particular shall purchase shall land purchased pound fine added wording prohibition pound fine added colony repealed prohibition private purchases indian lands certain prohibited selling land law purported commemorate surrender subjects lands protection king colony authorized acquisition certain lands laws passed void purchases lands permitted extended south_carolina colony established reservation indians contrast colony appropriated lands colony passed prohibition private purchases indian lands person persons shall buy bargain treat way means hold obtain lands indian indians virginia early colonial laws removed permitted settlers indian lands hoc basis indian reservations established reservation confirmed reservation reservation reservation private purchases indian lands passed new prohibition passed right pre delegated title clearing acts passed reservation boundaries sales authorized confirmed
Aboriginal title statutes in the Thirteen Colonies