Final answer:
The government program that facilitated the transfer of property to the buyer through land contracts is known as the Homestead Act of 1862. This act provided settlers with land grants to encourage westward expansion and was a major factor in shaping American land ownership and development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The government program that makes use of land contracts to transfer property to the buyer being assisted is known as the Homestead Act. Passed by Congress in 1862, this act was instrumental in aiding settlers in their westward expansion by providing them with land grants. Settlers were given the opportunity to claim and improve upon parcels of land by building homes and cultivating the soil.
In addition to the Homestead Act, other initiatives and laws such as the Land Law of 1796, the Land Law of 1800, and land acts during periods of economic depression also played a vital role in land privatization and sales.
Further historical context reveals that land grants were essential in the United States' settlement process, both to incentivize migration and economic development through supporting infrastructure projects, and to assist individuals such as former slaves post-Civil War under General Sherman's Special Field Order No. 15. Throughout these instances, the federal government's role was central in dictating the terms and conditions under which lands were allocated or sold.