LESSON 2 SUMMARY
Farming the Plains
1. DRAWING CONCLUSIONS
What do you think the United
States government gained by
enacting the Homestead Act
of 1862?
SS.912.A.1.3, SS.912.A.1.4, SS.912.A.3.1, SS.912.A.3.4, SS.912.A.3.13
Beginnings of American
Settlement
The construction and development of railroads during the late 1800s
provided new incentives to bring settlers to the Great Plains.
Railroad companies sold land along the rail lines at low prices and
provided credit to prospective settlers.
Pamphlets and posters spread the news across Europe and America
that cheap land could be claimed by anyone willing to move. The
environment, however, gave settlers who came to this region many
challenges.
The United States government passed the Homestead Act of 1862
to encourage settlement on the Great Plains. For a small registration
fee, an individual could file for a homestead, which was a tract of
public land available for settlement.
A homesteader could claim up to 160 acres of land and receive title
to it after living there for five years. With a legal means to acquire a
title to property and with railroads delivering needed supplies for
settlement, people began moving to the Great Plains in large
numbers.
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