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GCSE History · key term
An 1862 US law allowing settlers to claim 160 acres of public land and gain ownership after living on and improving it for five years, subject to fees.
Used by AQA and OCR
Paper 1
Revise: Settlement of the WestThe federal government wanted settlers to occupy western territory and consolidate US control. Its most important incentive was the Homestead Act of 1862. Settlers could claim 160 acres, live on the land and improve it by building a home and cultivating crops.
Paper 3
A US law signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862 that allowed settlers to claim 160 acres of public land and gain ownership after living on and improving it for five years.
Revise: HomesteadersPresident Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act in 1862. It offered settlers 160 acres of public land for a small fee, with ownership available after they had lived on and improved the land for five years. Railway companies advertised the opportunities, encouraging people to move west.
The Homestead Act offered land subject to conditions, not a completely cost-free farm. Settlers still needed money for fees, equipment, supplies and buildings.
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