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Private Land Ownership During The Colonial Era

486 Words2 Pages
Prior to the Revolution private land ownership was not secure. During the colonial era it was common for a private citizen or the local government to compel another citizen to give up his land (500).
The writers of the Constitution understood that there would be times when the government would have to take land for a public purpose so the Constitution includes the clause, ‘without just compensation’ for those times when land taking is a necessity. Eminent domain is not being used as the writers of the constitution had intended, recent court rulings are reminiscent of the colonial days when ownership of private property was not secure. Common uses for the taken property were to build dams and private roads in order to drain private land
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