Base and meridian are imaginary reference lines used by surveyors to accurately describe the location of land. These lines form part of the Government Rectangular Survey System, with the baseline running east-west and the meridian running north-south.
A meridian is a longitudinal reference line that traverses the earth in a north-south direction. All meridians circle the earth through the equator and converge at the north and south poles. They are used by surveyors in describing property under the government rectangular survey method.
The Rectangular Survey System, also known as the Government Rectangular Survey System, is a method used in the United States to divide and describe land using a grid system based on principal meridians and baselines. This system was established by the Land Ordinance of 1785 to simplify and standardize land descriptions.
