The first of the acts, the homestead act of 1862, opened up millions of acres. Western guidebooks described the plains area as a place with little water or firewood. The homestead act of 1862 was not the first landgrant legislation in us history. Not only did the 1862 homestead act help settle the western lands, the creation of the national park service in 1916 helped to preserve special lands for all to enjoy. It was the governments first attempt to record property ownership. Our documents highresolution pdfs of homestead act 1862. Claimants were required to improve the plot by building a dwelling and cultivating the land.
The terms of this act allowed people to purchase 160 acres of plains land at a very small price. This act was passed by the united states congress, but was ultimately vetoed by president james buchanan. Over the years, the taylor grazing act founded in 1934 would considerably decrease the amount of land that was available to homesteaders. Learn the homestead act of 1862 with free interactive flashcards.
The notion that the united states government should give free land titles to settlers to encourage westward expansion became popular in the 1850s. Landmark laws such as the civil rights act of 1964 and the g. Homestead act of 1862 be it enacted, that any person who is the head of a family, or who has arrived at the age of twentyone years, and is a citizen of the united states, or who shall have filed his declaration of intention to become such, as required by the naturalization laws of the united states, and who. For a number of years before the civil war, there had been interest in allocating public lands in the transmississippi west to individual settlers, but for a variety of reasons, including arguments over the status of slavery in the territories and concerns by northern business interests that making cheap public. Facts about homestead act of 1862 archives american. Passed on may 20, 1862, the homestead act accelerated the settlement of the western territory by granting adult heads of families 160 acres of surveyed public land for a minimal filing fee and 5 years of continuous residence on that land. The homestead act may 20, 1862 gilder lehrman institute. A selection of articles related to the homestead act includes. The major goal of the homestead act in 1862, which took effect on january 1, 1863, was to encourage settlement of the west.
The homestead act of 1862 was largely irrelevant in the midwest, where most of the land had been bought and paid for before the act was passed. In fact, the practice of governments awarding free land to settlers dates back to. Bill claimed spots, as did social security and the interstate highway system. Passed on may 20, 1862, the homestead act accelerated the settlement of the. Homestead act, homestead act of 1862 map homesteader history. Homestead act of 1862 summary the homestead act of 1862 was passed by the u. The provisions of the homestead act of 1862 pocketsense. The pacific railway act granted land to the union pacific and central pacific railroads to build a transcontinental railway along the 32nd parallel. Statement the homestead act of 1862 made surveyed lands obtainable to homesteaders. Eyes on the economy, national council on economic education, new york, n. The homestead acts were several laws in the united states by which an applicant could. Homestead actan act of congress passed on may 20, 1862, which assigned ownership of us public lands freeofcharge to the homesteader if they met three criteria. The homestead act of 1862 enabled thousands to claim land in montana.
This act allowed any head of household who was a citizen or in the process of becoming one, including freed slaves, to claim 160 acres of unoccupied and surveyed federal land for a small filing fee. The worksheet can be printed for offline study, or used to. Homestead act 1862 the encyclopedia of oklahoma history and. An act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the missouri river to the pacific. My family and i were curious as to what the homestead act actually entailed so we did some research. Another amended act, the national stockraising homestead act, was passed in 1916 and granted 640 acres 260 ha for ranching purposes. This lesson plan is from the national council on economic. The 1862 homestead act accelerated settlement of u. Much of the eastern midwest was purchased during the land boom of the 1830s, and most of iowa and wisconsin during the land boom of the 1850s, when the minimal purchase unit was only 40 acres.
National womens history museum alexandria, va, united states. It offered homesteaders free title to a quarter section 160 acres of public land if they built a home and. The purpose of the homestead act of 1862 was to sold tarifffree in the united states. The homestead act of 1862 everything you need to know. An amendment to the homestead act of 1862, the enlarged homestead act, was passed in 1909 and doubled the allotted acreage from 160 to 320 acres 65 to 129 ha in marginal areas. But when the homestead act of 1862 was declared, even these dire descriptions. House of representatives passed numerous homestead bills but southern opposition in the senate prevented enactment. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america in congress assembled, that any person who is the head of a. An independent country, growth in america, the midtolate 1800s. And be it further enacted, that the person applying for the benefit of this act shall, upon application to the register of the land office in which he or she is about to make such entry. Summary of the homestead act of 1862 background with the secession of southern states from the union and therefore removal of the slavery issue, in 1862, the homestead act was passed and signed into law. Introduction history the homestead act of 1862 provided ownership of 160 acres of land in the west to anyone who lived on and developed the land. If you were brave enough to take the plunge, you could go west, young man, and get your homestead on.
The homestead act of 1860 in the united states would have made land available for 25 cents per acre. The 1862 act register contains records of land and property in england and wales, registered under the land registry act 1862. The homestead act, enacted during the civil war in 1862, provided that any adult citizen, or intended citizen, who had never borne arms against the u. Today marks the 157th anniversary of the homestead act becoming law. Be it enacted, that any person who is the head of a family, or who has arrived at the age of twentyone years, and. The homestead act of 1862 flashcards and study sets quizlet.
The homestead act of 1862 landed at number three, beaten only by the louisiana purchase and the kansasnebraska act. The 1862 homestead act provided free land conditional on five. It was notable for the opportunity it gave african americans to own land. The homestead act of 1862 is one of the landmark laws in. For landowners, the homestead act of 1862 was considered to be one of the most important steps in united states history for land distribution. President abraham lincoln signed the homestead act on may 20, 1862. Today marks the 150th anniversary of the homestead actone of the most significant influences on the growth of the western united states in history. Us president lincoln signed the homestead act into law in may of 1862, one year after the civil war had started. The new law established a threefold homestead acquisition process.
On january 1, 1863, daniel freeman made the first claim under the. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america in congress assembled, that any person who is the head of a family, or who has arrived at the age of twentyone. The act regulated land distribution and motivated millions of people to move into the sparsely inhabited. The homestead act of 1862 37th congress session ii 1862 chapter lxxv. Homestead act 1862 united states acts of congress and u. During this time, the claims for homesteads would sharply decline. Department of the interior homestead national monument of america, nebraska. The act stated that men and women over the age of 21, unmarried women who were head of households and married men under the age of 21, who did not own over 160 acres of land anywhere, were citizens or intended on becoming citizens. Per the law that was signed into effect by then president lincoln in may of 1862, the homestead act was designed to encourage people to migrate west in exchange for 160 acres of public land. Choose from 290 different sets of the homestead act of 1862 flashcards on quizlet.
The homestead act may 20, 1862 an act to secure homesteads to actual settlers on the public domain. The images contained within the pdf files available below are of publication quality and will print out at up to 300dpi on standard 812 x 11 paper. The late 19th century and early 20th century were a time of violent conflict over land use in the american west. The purpose of the homestead act of 1862 was to encourage settlers to settle in the west which at the time was severely underpopulated. An act to secure homesteads to actual settlers on the public domain. The purpose of the homestead act of 1862, which provided. A popular movement for distributing free land in the west had begun in the 1850s and resulted in the passage of the homestead act in may 1862.
The homestead act and the exodusters article khan academy. After 5 years of permanent residence the individual would then own the land. For multipage documents such as this one, we offer the first and last pages for download below. It did this by offering land to people for a very small fee if they were ready to settle in the west of united states.
Pamphlet advertising montana free homestead land published by the great. After 5 years on the land, the original filer was entitled to the property, free and. The homestead act of 1862 was an important piece of united states legislation that provided free frontier land to anyone who maintained a farm for five years. The homestead act was an act of congress that allowed individuals over 21men, women, or freed slavesto claim 160 acres in the public domain at no cost. It provided for the transfer of 160 acres 65 hectares of unoccupied public land to each homesteader on payment of a nominal fee after five years of residence. The homestead act of 1862, signed into law by abraham lincoln, is literally one of the landmark laws in american history in more than one way. In 1890, the us congress passed the, which removed tariffs on all foreign sugar imports. In a bid to encourage more people to move from the overcrowded eastern states onto the plains, the us government passed another homestead act in. Make sure you are familiar with the homestead act of 1862 using this interactive quiz. The law was signed into effect by president abraham lincoln as part of his effort to expand the union into the american west. Passed by congress on may 20, 1862, the homestead act allowed an individual to acquire 160 acres of government owned land in the western territory given he served as the head of the household, improved the land, and paid a modest registration fee. Settlers were able to claim 320 or 640 acres to 260 ha of land for free. Homesteada piece of public land that was transferred by the us government to a settler to develop into a farm. The homestead act granted land to individuals who were jonesing for getting a slice of the american west pie.
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