Willa Cather entwines the historical dimension of the Homestead Act throughout her novel O Pioneers. Alexandra Bergson and her family must overcome many obstacles to accomplish successful farming in the Middle West. Cather uses the main character, Alexandra, to portray the great feat taken in order to continually learn how to cultivate the rugged land and make it into flourishing farmland. Alexandra followed her father’s wishes in taking care of the farm— a task that was uncertain to be accomplished. Willa Cather’s detailed story about the Bergson family—favoring the main character, Alexandra— describes a great depiction of what life was like for the pioneers that mastered cultivating the land and creating civilization. The Homestead act was passed as a law in 1862 by former President Abraham Lincoln (“The Homestead…” p.n. 1). The act was put into action in order to cultivate the Western Plains and create communities and build farm land. Former President Lincoln wanted to build civilization by passing the Homestead act. The meaning of
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In Section two in the Homestead Act, it says that the land would be “for the purpose of actual settlement and cultivation” (“Homestead…” p.n. 1). Each citizen had to use the land they bought and create farmland in order to keep it. There was a second requirement that said anyone who claimed land would need to have “two credible witnesses that... have resided upon or cultivated the same [land] for the term of five years immediately succeeding the time of filing [for the land]” (“The Homestead…” p.n. 1). Each homesteader had to have a witness that would vouch for them by saying they cultivated the land for the five years they had it. If the requirements were met, then the citizen that purchased the land would be able to keep it after the five years required to build a
In Section two in the Homestead Act, it says that the land would be “for the purpose of actual settlement and cultivation” (“Homestead…” p.n. 1). Each citizen had to use the land they bought and create farmland in order to keep it. There was a second requirement that said anyone who claimed land would need to have “two credible witnesses that... have resided upon or cultivated the same [land] for the term of five years immediately succeeding the time of filing [for the land]” (“The Homestead…” p.n. 1). Each homesteader had to have a witness that would vouch for them by saying they cultivated the land for the five years they had it. If the requirements were met, then the citizen that purchased the land would be able to keep it after the five years required to build a