Answer:
C) They saw it as an opportunity for families to own and operate farms without the use of slave labor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passage of the Homestead Act of 1862 encouraged and improved the settlement of people at the western territory. The Act made any interested American to apply to the federal government for homestead, and pay a paltry filing fee. The essence or intent of the Act was to grant land for agriculture, especially the mountain areas, and address the land ownership inequalities.
The Northern Republicans believed it was a privilege for individuals to operate farms as opposed to Southern custom. This reduced slave labor among citizens and encouraged farming.