The Homestead Act of 1862 was an act that U.S. citizens and immigrants opportunities to own their own land and start over in life. This act offered 160 acres of land to settlers that were willing to settle on open land west of the Mississippi River. Once the Homestead Act was passed, many people started to settle the western United States. These settlers were able to change the frontier into a large domain of farmland. The U.S. was able to protect their proprietary claims in what was known as the “Indian Territories.” However, not everyone could buy land without meeting certain criteria. The government wanted pioneers to settle west to help the U.S., but they had to take precautions. They allowed anyone who had not fought the Union to file
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Most pioneers did exactly what the government wanted them to do: they claimed more land for them and the eastern states became less populated. Eventually, the government started giving land to the general public. Former slaves were able to gain land and so were immigrants. For immigrants, they had to take an extra step and become U.S. citizens before they were able to receive land. Yet whether the settlers were U.S citizens, former slaves, or immigrants, they all faced the same …show more content…
Farms could have been destroyed from blizzards, prairie fires, tornadoes or even insect infestations. Hygiene also played a role in being another obstacle and some of it was due to the lack of proper medical care. Settlers could easily become sick and if they did not treat illnesses as soon as possible, the settlers could die. Unfortunately, the nearest doctor could have been a hundred miles away so it could have taken days for someone to be treated.
Despite all the troubles homesteaders faced, many of them were determined to surcome the challenges and own the land they were given. Surprisingly, most settlers preferred living in the plains with all the challenges than being a poor city dweller. Many American settlers were proud to be farming the plains and accomplishing challenges. Not only were there Americans who were settling in the plains, but there were also Europeans.
Not much is known about how the Europeans reacted to the Homestead Act of 1862. Yet the Europeans were important in making America the way it is now. Some Europeans came to America just for the fact that they could own free land. For professionals in Europe, they might have taken interest in American affairs. As for politicians, they saw emigration as a national problem and wanted to try their own ways stop emigration, yet some still went to
Most pioneers did exactly what the government wanted them to do: they claimed more land for them and the eastern states became less populated. Eventually, the government started giving land to the general public. Former slaves were able to gain land and so were immigrants. For immigrants, they had to take an extra step and become U.S. citizens before they were able to receive land. Yet whether the settlers were U.S citizens, former slaves, or immigrants, they all faced the same …show more content…
Farms could have been destroyed from blizzards, prairie fires, tornadoes or even insect infestations. Hygiene also played a role in being another obstacle and some of it was due to the lack of proper medical care. Settlers could easily become sick and if they did not treat illnesses as soon as possible, the settlers could die. Unfortunately, the nearest doctor could have been a hundred miles away so it could have taken days for someone to be treated.
Despite all the troubles homesteaders faced, many of them were determined to surcome the challenges and own the land they were given. Surprisingly, most settlers preferred living in the plains with all the challenges than being a poor city dweller. Many American settlers were proud to be farming the plains and accomplishing challenges. Not only were there Americans who were settling in the plains, but there were also Europeans.
Not much is known about how the Europeans reacted to the Homestead Act of 1862. Yet the Europeans were important in making America the way it is now. Some Europeans came to America just for the fact that they could own free land. For professionals in Europe, they might have taken interest in American affairs. As for politicians, they saw emigration as a national problem and wanted to try their own ways stop emigration, yet some still went to