Answer:
Congress passed the Homestead Act of 1862 , which provided free and cheap land out west, and it was most responsible for the rapid settlement of the Great Plains.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Homestead Act was a law of the United States of America, signed by President Abraham Lincoln on May 20, 1862. It allowed each family who could prove that they had occupied land for 5 years to claim private property, up to a limit of 160 acres (65 hectares). If the family had lived there for at least 6 months, they could also immediately buy the land at a relatively low price of $1.25 per acre.
This law played a prominent role in the conquest of the American West, as it encouraged millions of Europeans to emigrate to the United States. and contributed to the importance of the concept of private property in the American mentality.