Homestead Act Research Paper

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After the end of the American Civil War, the three reforms, consisting of the Homestead Act; Pacific Railway Act; and the Land-Grant Act, began to take affect strongly throughout the nation. Along with these acts came with the Industrial Revolution that took root throughout the nation, propelling the U.S. to the world stage with Great Britain, France, and the North German Confederation. With this rapid development in technology came the demand for cheap labor to operate it, and impoverished populations of unstable countries in Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Ireland became enthralled by the prospect of a better life offered in the U.S., hoping to provide for their families, and accepted the opportunity to fill the void in the American …show more content…
However, even before the Homestead Act, many Germans immigrated to the United States after the the failed Revolutions of 1848 that plagued Europe, especially in present day Germany. During this revolution, many poor and middle class citizens rebelled against the stronghold of the aristocracy that rooted itself amongst the masses, demanding liberties and improvements to social and personal life. The aristocracy, who held dear to conservative values of Status Quo, were too powerful and squashed the rebellion, expelling those with, at the time, radical thinking. These exiled individuals were primarily farmers and craftsman, and have ultimately brought their customs with them. The first, new wave of German immigrants to the U.S. called present-day Minnesota their home, as its rich soil, temperatures. and landscape reminded many of their former homes of kingdoms such as Bavaria or Eastern Prussia. After the Civil War, many wrote to back to their family at home, describing their content lives and the incentives offered by the U.S. government to promote western development. This sense of “advertising” encouraged many to join their American counterparts and, as a result, led to many German settlements in Iowa and North Dakota as …show more content…
There was a unique contrast between Italians and Germans; while many Italians only stayed to provide income to their families at home, only to return later, many Germans had no choice but to leave the various central European kingdoms due to their differing views from others. When one looks at a ethnic demographic map, they can infer many Germans were not afraid the call the United States “home”, as they settled across the west, taking advantage of the incentives that were unheard of in Europe. Italians most likely had a sense of belonging still to Italy, even with its unfriendly environment, which explains why they are predominant in only the New England states. Of course, Nativists, those who were against newcomers to the United States, were found everyone, but mostly likely found alignment in the South, instilling values that were unfriendly to prospective citizens, causing them to avert the area almost

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