The Homestead Act, passed in 1862, allowed settlers to claim 160 acres of land for free. Another important factor was completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869; the railroad led to much more rapid western migration and also facilitated economic development. The movement westward brought many problems including the great suffering as the Natives lost their land. The Natives were forced out of their home to Oklahoma. The movement also leads to an end to slavery. African Americans were free and became citizens.