The Homestead Act

Give a cause and effect of the Homestead Act

One cause of this was that later in history it helped spark up the Manifest Destiny, believing that the United States should expand all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Some states in the South were worried about the Northern states opposing slavery, which they did have at that time in the South.

Give a negative effect of the Homestead Act

One negative effect of this act was that as men and women traveled west, they were on unknown land and had little to no help along the way. A large concern of many were the Indians that lived out there and how they would react seeing settlers walk across their land, having been kicked out of it by the U.S. government prior to the law.

Give a positive effect of the Homestead Act

One positive effect of this act was that the government had never offered such a large amount of land and it had never been free. Farmers were able to expand their knowledge, as well as skills, in agriculture and without that opportunity, some crops today would not exist if they had not been discovered back then.

Give the definition of the Homestead Act

an effort to settle the West, 160 acres of land was given for free to those who would farm it for five years