The Close of the Frontier Homesteaders

Homestead Act (1862) Act passed by Congress which made public land available to citizens for a minimal cost ($1.25 an acre) 160 Acres in return you had to agree to work the land for 5 years 400,000 families took advantage of the deal

Oklahoma Land Grants Oklahoma had been reserved as “Indian Territory” Government opened this territory to settlers on April 22, 1889 2 million acres were claimed in one day “Sooners” - some people cheated and claimed land early

Exodusters African- Americans who left the South for a new life on the frontier Led by Pap Singleton wanted to escape segregation in the South

The Life of Homesteader- Housing Very little wood available for construction Sod Houses Used “bricks” of grass and dirt Provided insulation from heat and cold Very leaky Dug Outs Dug homes into the sides of hill Covered the front with sod bricks

Dugout

Inventions which helped Farmers Barbed Wire (1874) J. Glidden Protected farmland from being trampled by Cattle Joseph Glidden

Inventions which helped Farmers Steel Plow John Deere Helped farmers break up the hard soil on the plains

An 1859 picture of John Deere's Plow Factory in Moline, Illinois. John Deere's Factory in Moline, in the 1880's.

Inventions which helped Farmers The Reaper McCormick Threshed wheat * While this first machine required only 2 people for operation (a person to ride the horse and a man to rake the cut grain from the platform), it cut as much grain in one day as 4-5 men with cradles or 12-16 men with reaping hooks

Extreme Weather and Natural Disasters Blizzards in the Winter Firestorms Droughts “Tornado Alley” Locust Plagues

Emotional and Economic Pressures Neighbors were not close by Flat lands Cabin Fever in the winter Farming took up all time in the summer months Crops and animals could be lost at any time due to weather Railroads charged large fees to transport goods to and from eastern markets Many farmers borrowed money from banks --- could not pay debts if they had a bad harvest

Frontier Settlements: 1870-1890