GlossariesGCSE GlossariesGCSE History GlossaryHomesteader

Homesteader - GCSE History Definition

Reviewed by: Zoe Wade

Last updated

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.

Explore Our GCSE History Revision Resources

Examiner-written GCSE History revision resources that improve your grades 2x

  • Written by expert teachers and examiners
  • Aligned to exam specifications
  • Everything you need to know, and nothing you don’t
GCSE History revision resources

Share this article

Zoe Wade

Reviewer: Zoe Wade

Expertise: History Content Creator

Zoe has worked in education for 10 years as a teaching assistant and a teacher. This has given her an in-depth perspective on how to support all learners to achieve to the best of their ability. She has been the Lead of Key Stage 4 History, showing her expertise in the Edexcel GCSE syllabus and how best to revise. Ever since she was a child, Zoe has been passionate about history. She believes now, more than ever, the study of history is vital to explaining the ever-changing world around us. Zoe’s focus is to create accessible content that breaks down key historical concepts and themes to achieve GCSE success.

The examiner written revision resources that improve your grades 2x.

Join now