Homesteader - GCSE History Definition
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What was a Homesteader?
In GCSE History, a homesteader was a person who created a homestead - a family house with enough land to support the family. Homesteaders were vital for the development of the American West.
The Homestead Act
The US government wanted to encourage people to settle in the West. In 1862, the government developed the Homestead Act. This gave settlers 160-acre homesteads for a $10 fee to file the claim. Homesteaders could then 'prove up' their claim for $30 if they had lived on the land for 5 years, built a house and planted crops on five acres.
The Range Wars
Homesteaders came into conflict with cattle ranchers over land. Cattle ranchers needed large amounts of land to graze their cattle on. However, homesteaders did not like cattle eating or walking on their crops. Cattle ranchers accused homesteaders of cattle rustling, becoming a major cause for the Johnson County War in 1892.
Homesteader Revision Resources to Ace Your Exams
Explore our revision notes for Edexcel GCSE and AQA GCSE to see where homesteaders fit into the revision notes for those specifications.
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