Final answer:
The Homestead Act granted land to adult US citizens who met certain requirements, such as building a dwelling and cultivating the land. It did not award land to railroad companies but allowed settlers to acquire up to 160 acres of public land. Settlers were required to meet conditions to keep their land.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Homestead Act was a law passed by the United States Congress in 1862. It aimed to encourage settlement in the West by granting land to adult US citizens. It gave land to adult US citizens who met certain requirements, such as building a dwelling and cultivating the land. The act did not award land to railroad companies but rather allowed settlers to acquire up to 160 acres of public land. It required settlers to meet conditions to keep their land, such as living on the land for a specified period of time and making improvements.
Learn more about The Homestead Act