Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: ACRE RIGHT
Definition: A citizen's share in the common lands in New England. The value of the acre right varied among towns but was fixed in each town. It was like having a piece of land that you could use to farm or graze your animals. The amount of land you could use depended on how many acre rights you had. For example, if you had 10 acre rights in a certain town, you could use the equivalent of 113 acres of upland and 12 acres of meadow. The amount of land you could use was always in proportion to the number of acre rights you had.
Definition: A citizen's share in the common lands in New England. The value of the acre right varied among towns but was fixed in each town. An exact proportion was maintained between the acre right and salable land.
Example: In a certain town, a 10-acre lot was equivalent to 113 acres of upland and 12 acres of meadow. This means that if a citizen owned an acre right, they could use it to claim a certain amount of land in the town, based on the fixed value of the acre right.
Explanation: The acre right was a way for citizens to have access to common lands in their town. It ensured that everyone had a fair share of the land, and that the value of the land was consistent across the town. The example shows how the value of the acre right was determined in one town, and how it could be used to claim a certain amount of land.