Homestead Act

_____________________ signed the Homestead Act on May 20, 1862.

• Abraham Lincoln

• Thomas Jefferson

• Meriwether Lewis

• William Clark

The law gave settlers the chance to get __________ acres of free land from the federal government

• 100

• 120

• 140

• 160

Even for those who afford all of the supplies needed to farm the land, farming was NOT easy.

• true

• false

Why did the government support homesteading?

• to encourage trade with Canada

• to encourage settlers to farm the western land

Why did homesteaders want to live near the railroad?

• to make it easy to transport their crops to market

• to take vacations in the open space in the West

The Homestead Act:

• Encouraged westward settlement

• Granted 160 acres to every head of household

• Created Native Tension

• was an act which granted land to Natives

An individual had to be at least _____ years old to claim land.

• 18

• 20

• 21

• 30

A person who migrated to the West to take advantage of the Homestead Act

• migrant

• drought

• homesteader

Select the two correct criteria you had to meet to buy land.

• 18 years old or older

• 21 years old or older

• Must own cattle

• Head of the household

Could women secure a grant in their own names?

• Yes, women could own land.

• No, women could not own land.