Homestead Act

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Civil war significance
Changed America and led to new settlement in West.
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What was the homestead act?
The Homestead Act + incentives for people to take up unclaimed land in West and build new life.
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What happened to southern states before civil war? What did they want to do?
They blocked family size farm plots in West + wanted to promote large plantation farms for slavery.
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Aims of homestead act?
-Wanted to encourage settlement of the west by individual farmers
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Why was this?
Did not want rich landowners buying up all the land in the west
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Reasons for this?
-Land was available and cheap -Most american citizens could file claim for land -Homesteaders to prove lived on land and improved it
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Homestead act achievements?
-6 million acres of federal land was homesteaded 1876 -Promise of free land was important pull factor for immigration to USA
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Homestead Limitations?
-High dropout in homesteading: 60% of claims were never proved up because problems farming Plains. Plots too small for dry plains
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Homestead Limitations?
-Goverment gave 300 million acres to railroad companies, them sold to settlers
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What was the homestead act?

Back

The Homestead Act + incentives for people to take up unclaimed land in West and build new life.

Card 3

Front

What happened to southern states before civil war? What did they want to do?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Aims of homestead act?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Why was this?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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