Final answer:
The Homestead Act was a law encouraging Western migration by granting federal lands to settlers who met certain conditions, such as improving the land. It aimed to spread a "free soil" mentality across the West and increase agricultural output for the war effort.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Homestead Act was a law encouraging Western migration by granting sections of federal lands that were west of the Mississippi River to settlers. To qualify for this land, settlers had to meet certain conditions such as improving the land by cultivating fields and building homes and utility buildings. This act aimed to promote the expansion of a "free soil" mentality across the West and increase agricultural output for the war effort.