Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2016
Last exams 2025
The Homestead Act, 1862 (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Why was There a Need for the Homestead Act? - Summary
The Homestead Act was a solution to affordable and successful settlement of the West. The US government believed that offering cheap land to settlers could encourage people to move westward. Establishing new farms and communities would fulfil Manifest Destiny and expand the USA.
The Act promoted economic growth. The Homestead Act had specific terms that rewarded the cultivation of the land. The government hoped that this would increase the nation's food supply. This was particularly important during the 1850s. The USA was experiencing rapid population growth through immigration.
The government wanted to assert its authority and control over the western territories. After wars with Mexico and the Confederacy, the US government wanted to establish a strong presence in the West. Another consideration was the threat of indigenous tribes. The Homestead Act focused on farming land in the Plains. The US government wanted the Plains to become more hospitable to reduce the power of indigenous peoples.
Aims of the Homestead Act
The Homestead Act aimed to:
Increase settlement in the West
After the American Civil War, the US government wanted settlers to settle and rebuild the USA
Make farming more affordable
Before 1862, the government sold public land in sections of 640 acres for $1 an acre
Most ordinary settlers could not afford to buy land at these prices
The Terms of the Homestead Act
Size of plot | How much did a plot cost? | Who could claim? | How could someone own the homestead? |
|---|---|---|---|
Homesteads were 160 acres, enough for a house and land to support the family | It cost $10 to claim a homestead plot or 'file a claim' | Any of the following people could make a claim:
| A person had a limited amount of claims. They had to live on and work the land to gain the plot. After five years, a person could pay $30 to 'prove up' or own their homestead if they had:
|
Examiner Tips and Tricks
This section has some specific terminology like 'filing a claim' and 'proving up'. The American West exam assesses you on your knowledge of the period. Including these specific terms in your exam answers will show the examiner that you have a more in-depth knowledge of the period.
How did the Homestead Act Affect the Development of the West?
Achievements | Limitations |
|---|---|
By 1876, the government had turned six million acres of land into homesteads | Only 40% of claims were 'proved up' due to the difficulties of farming on the Plains |
Homesteads changed the landscape of the Plains. For example, half of all land in Nebraska was homestead land. It became a state in 1867 | The government sold more land to railway companies and cattle ranchers than they did to homesteaders |
The Act encouraged immigration from Europe to the West | Cattle ranchers made their employees file homestead claims and give them the land for the ranch |
Many people bought land from railway companies. Through a form of squatting, they were able to 'prove up' their claim through the Homestead Act. This undermined the purpose of the Act | |
The government allowed people to buy their claim for $1.25 per acre if they had lived on the land for six months and ploughed one acre. Many people did this and then sold the land for a profit |
Worked Example
Explain one consequence of the Homestead Act (1862)
4 marks
Answer:
One consequence of the Homestead Act is how it impacted the population of the Plains. By 1876, the government had turned six million acres of land into homesteads. This changed the population of the Plains as more US citizens settled and farmed the area. As a result, places like Nebraska had such a boost in population that it became a state in 1867. Therefore, the Homestead Act allowed more US citizens to settle in the Plains than ever before.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
This question has previously asked you to explain two consequences. In the American West exam paper for 2025, this question will ask you to explain one consequence. However, there will be two different "Explain one consequence of" questions each, worth four marks.
Students sometimes struggle with questions that ask about the consequences of an event. Students mistakenly believe that consequences are always negative effects. However, consequences are something that happens as a result of an event. They can be positive or negative. It also depends on the perspective that you are examining. What was good for white settlers was not positive for Indigenous people.
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