Final answer:
The first thing settlers had to do when they arrived on the homesteads was to improve the land by cultivating fields and building homes and utility buildings.
Step-by-step explanation:
When settlers arrived on the homesteads, the first thing they had to do was improve the land. This meant clearing fields, building homes and utility buildings, and cultivating crops. The Homestead Act of 1862 granted sections of federal lands to settlers, but they were required to meet certain conditions, including improving the land.