Answer:
From the 1850s to 1900, government policies significantly impacted agriculture in the United States. Some of the ways that government policies affected agriculture during this time period include the Homestead Act of 1862. This law provided free land to settlers who agreed to live on and farm the land for at least five years. This led to an increase in the number of small farms and helped to settle the western territories. Another act implemented by the government was the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862. This law provided federal land to states to establish colleges that would teach agriculture and the mechanical arts. This led to the creation of many land-grant colleges, including what is now known as the University of California, which helped to improve agricultural education and research. Government policies such as tariffs and subsidies helped to protect and support American farmers by making it more difficult for foreign agricultural products to compete with domestically produced goods. Government funding and land grants helped to build railroads, which improved the transportation of agricultural goods and made it easier for farmers to get their products to market. Finally, with the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the US government forced Native Americans to leave their land, leading to more land for white settlers and farmers. Overall, government policies during the 1850s-1900 significantly impacted agriculture in the United States by supporting and encouraging the development of small farms, improving agricultural education and research, protecting and supporting American farmers, and improving transportation infrastructure.