Even though available land appeared to be almost unlimited in quantity and easy to acquire, it was a possession that was generally increasing in value.

Of course wasteful methods of farming wore out some lands, especially in the South; but, taking it by and large throughout the country, with time and increasing density of population the value of the land was increasing.

The acquisition of land was a matter of investment or at least of speculation.

In fact, the purchase of land was one of the favorite get-rich-quick schemes of the time.

George Washington was not the only man who invested largely in western lands.