With the Homestead act, people could claim their own land if they only lived there for five years and payed a small fee. The prairies had good weather in the 1870s, making for easy farming. Many people found farming profitable with the use of mechanized harvesting tools that sped up the process. All of these elements made for cheaper living. With about ten percent of all the government held property up for grabs, even for freed slaves, lots of people took a chance.
Most people felt that the land provided by the Homestead act was too small to make a large profit. With the introduction of machinery to the agricultural world, steam engines made farming fast. Because farming was so efficient, people could afford to have more land, called Bonanza farming. Immigrants, mainly from Mexico, were willing to work inexpensively. Unfortunately, Bonanza farming met it’s end because it couldn’t handle the fluctuating conditions. By the 20th century, most of the West had gone back to small farms.
Most people felt that the land provided by the Homestead act was too small to make a large profit. With the introduction of machinery to the agricultural world, steam engines made farming fast. Because farming was so efficient, people could afford to have more land, called Bonanza farming. Immigrants, mainly from Mexico, were willing to work inexpensively. Unfortunately, Bonanza farming met it’s end because it couldn’t handle the fluctuating conditions. By the 20th century, most of the West had gone back to small farms.