1. The Homestead Act

2. Homestead Act (May 20, 1862) Passed by Lincoln in 1862
program of public land grants to small farmers
160 acres
21 years old or head of house
House at least 12 x 14 ft
Fee of $1.25 a month for 6 months
Farm 5 years
1.6 million individual claims
420,000 square miles of territory
Soddie – home made from sod

3. The Homestead Act
The purpose of the Homestead Act of 1862 was to shape the future of the Western regions of the United States by taming the region by populating the area with farmers.
The effects of the Homestead Act of 1862 produced unexpected results and destroyed much of the purpose of the law.
Unscrupulous speculators used bribery and corruption to obtain the best lands
The law was particularly exploited by the railroads
Large corporations, many operating the timber industries, acquired a large proportion of the lands
Many of the 'Homesteaders' failed in their attempts to farm the land they had been allocated due to dry, barren soil and insufficient rainfall.
The Homesteaders also found it difficult to endure the harsh living conditions
The Homestead Act remained in effect for more than 100 years. The final claim, for 80 acres in southeastern Alaska, was approved in 1988

4. Oklahoma Land Rush Sooners Boomers
At high noon on April 22, 1889, settlers furiously dashed across the Oklahoma plains to stake their claims to nearly two million acres put up for grabs by the U.S. government.
estimated 50,000 “boomers” and “sooners”
Called the greatest horse race in American history
In 1890, the Unassigned Lands became the Oklahoma Territory, which united with the Indian Territory in 1907 to form the 46th state of the Union
Sooners
Boomers
Settlers who illegally claimed land by sneaking past the government officials
Settlers who ran in land races to claim land