Congress had to decide what to do with the western lands now under its control and how to raise money to pay debts from the Revolutionary War. It tried to solve both problems by selling the western lands. Congress passed the Land Ordinance of 1785, which set up a system for surveying and dividing the western lands. The land was split into townships, which were 36 square miles divided into 26 lots of 640 acres each. One lot was reserved for a public school, and four lots were given to veterans. The remaining lots were sold to the public. 1. Explain: Why did Congress want to sell western lands? Explain. (1-2 sentences)​