Despite its success, the Act had its pitfalls. Donate or volunteer today! As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons in math, Students listen to a variety of books based on significant historical events in America. Discrimination was prevalent among many immigrants. 479 quizzes, {{courseNav.course.topics.length}} chapters | FOIA plays an important role in keeping government transparent and accountable, and has been used to expose a read more. Drawn by promises of fertile land, thousands of settlers poured West because of the Homestead Act of 1862. Students divide into 6 groups, each of which is responsible for researching Students research pertinent information based on historical facts and is supported by quotations from primary sources in order to prepare for a class debate about land ownership in the 19th century. The acts main purpose was not to raise revenue from the colonies but to bail out read more, In July 1892, a dispute between Carnegie Steel and the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers exploded into violence at a steel plant owned by Andrew Carnegie in Homestead, Pennsylvania. If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website. The Homestead Act of 1862 Facts & Worksheets, Download The Homestead Act of 1862 Worksheets, Add a header to begin generating the table of contents, Significance of the Civil War and postwar reconstruction, Reasons for passing the Homestead Act of 1862, Key features and significance of the Homestead Act of 1862. Create your account to access this entire worksheet, A Premium account gives you access to all lesson, practice exams, quizzes & worksheets, Manifest Destiny (1806-1855): Help and Review. Click any of the example images below to view a larger version.

To prevent the spreading of Mexican influence, To promote the concept of Westward expansion. Perfect for both the classroom and homeschooling! All Rights Reserved. The first sight often viewed by the immigrants arriving in New York Harbor was the Statue of Liberty. In this American West instructional activity, students read about the Homestead Act of 1682. Union soldiers could shave off time served in the Civil War from the five-year residency requirement. Home By 1876, more than six million acres of land was claimed. Teacher Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Resources, Sign up for the Lesson Planet Monthly Newsletter, Search reviewed educational resources by keyword, subject, grade, type, and more, Manage saved and uploaded resources and folders, Browse educational resources by subject and topic, Timely and inspiring teaching ideas that you can apply in your classroom. Homesteading was still allowed for another decade in Alaska, until 1986. For ordinary families, this was still very expensive. They use documents, timelines, and Go West, young man! For my student teaching seminar, we were required to share a web site that we have found helpful with the class. Uncle Sam is Rich Enough to Give Us All a Farm. It also promoted settlement, as well as development of the American West. Additional requirements included five years of continuous residence on the land, building a home on it, farming the land and making improvements. They incorporate photographic, newspaper, video, and primary source evidence into their posters, artwork, and written Eighth graders analyze the Native American's viewpoint of the Homestead Act. A shortage of investigators also allowed false claims to be approved. Fun Fact: 40% of the Fortune 500 companies, which account for two-thirds of the US gross domestic product, were founded directly by immigrants or their children. The Homestead Act was successful in terms of the number of people who claimed land, migrated and permanently settled in the Great Plains. Perhaps the most vicious of discrimination occurred toward African Americans and the Chinese. Use these tools to assess your knowledge of: Learn more about settling the western frontier and the history of land ownership in the U.S. by reviewing the lesson, What is the Homestead Act of 1862? Did Western settlers receiving free land from the Homestead Act realize it wasn't really free at all? Fifth graders investigate the significant events in America's history. They also participate in a simulation about the American West. THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE IN OHIO: Prior to his July 1861 speech, President Lincoln said that the passage of the [Homestead] act was a worthy consideration since people would have the opportunity to benefit from it. President Abraham Lincolns signing of the Homestead Act on May 20, 1862 granted Americans 160-acre plots of public land for the price a small filing fee. Each group studies a region of the country in the 1840s: the North, the South, and the West. They role-play colonists on the Planet XR-38 and make choices similar to Students read about and discuss the geography and statehood of Utah. He followed through with the passage of the Homestead Act, which remained active for 124 years until it was repealed in 1976, and resulted in 10 percent of U.S. landor 270 million acresto be claimed and settled. An all-in-one learning object repository and curriculum management platform that combines Lesson Planets library of educator-reviews to open educational resources with district materials and district-licensed publisher content. During a speech made in Ohio in February 1861, Lincoln said the act was worthy of consideration, and that the wild lands of the country should be distributed so that every man should have the means and opportunity of benefiting his condition.". https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/homestead-act. Our worksheet bundle includes a fact file and printable worksheets and student activities. But with improvements in rail lines and growing populations, new towns and states were created. The act, which imposed a tax on all paper documents in the colonies, came at a time when the British Empire was deep in debt from theSeven Years' War(1756-63) and read more, The Alien and Sedition Acts were a series of four laws passed by the U.S. Congress in 1798 amid widespread fear that war with France was imminent. These worksheets explore some of them. The Homestead Act of 1862 permitted a person to acquire 160 acres of land in exchange for five years of farming. Enhance your American literature unit with this resource, in which readers access the Nebraska Studies website and read about "Railroads and Settlement." Topics include specific groups, various reasons for immigrating, events and discoveries that drove immigration, and more. 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, DocsTeach: Our Online Tool for Teaching with Documents, Education Programs at Presidential Libraries, The Impact of Westward Expansion on Native American Communities on DocsTeach. This discovery led to a powerful stampede of people looking for gold! First proposed by read more, The Equal Pay Act is a labor law that prohibits gender-based wage discrimination in the United States. Educators earn digital badges that certify knowledge, skill, and experience. The four lawswhich remain controversial to this dayrestricted the activities of foreign residents in the country and limited read more, The Townshend Acts were a series of measures, passed by the British Parliament in 1767, that taxed goods imported to the American colonies. Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. English, science, history, and more. They search for a photograph of some aspect of the railroad from the Prairie Students examine websites and video clips to become familiar with tenets of the Homestead Act, challenges faced by settlers and misconceptions about settlers. Quickly check your understanding of facts from the lesson on the Homestead Act of 1862 with the questions on this quiz/worksheet. Young scholars investigate the impact of the Transcontinental Railroad. In this Homestead Act lesson, students read the Homestead Act and discuss its effects. It aimed to convince migrants to settle in the West so that land would not be owned primarily by the rich, and more taxes could be collected from smaller farms owned by many families. Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness.

THE RISE OF TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD: At the time the Act was receiving Presidential assent, the transcontinental railroad received Congressional approval. Your school or district can sign up for Lesson Planet with no cost to teachers, Find Homestead Act lesson plans and worksheets. People immigrate to the United States for many different reasons. Sutter's Mill located in California was the location gold was discovered. The following collection of worksheets will teach your students about the different groups that have immigrated to North America (the United States in particular), from thousands of years ago through current times. The 1862 Homestead Act accelerated settlement of U.S. western territory by allowing any American, including freed slaves, to put in a claim for up to 160 free acres of federal land. Most of the land went to speculators, cattlemen, miners, lumbermen, and railroads.. Ask each group to research and write their region's position on the homestead issue. A huge influx of immigrants arrived from Europe between 1880&1920. Thats where Daniel Freeman, deemed the first homesteader to file a claim (on Jan. 1, 1863) by the Department of the Interior, established his homestead site. Please update the form below to suggest a new category. Many were drawn to the New World in hopes of a better life. In 1976, the Homestead Act was repealed with the passage of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, which stated public lands be retained in Federal ownership. The act authorized the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to manage federal lands. In these manifest destiny worksheets, students read the definition for manifest destiny and its appearance in America in the 1840s. A family pose with their wagon in Loup Valley, Nebraska, on their way to their new homestead, circa 1886. A total of almost 270 million acres (109 million hectares) of land were distributed under this law. The Homestead Act of 1862 was signed by US President Abraham Lincoln on the 20th of May, 1862. In this westward expansion lesson, students create broadside posters based on the Homestead Act primary sources they research. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. In this Westward Expansion lesson, students visit selected websites to examine the lives of Americans who settled the American frontier. Native Americans were forced from their lands and onto reservations to make way for homesteaders. For my student teaching seminar, we were required to share a web site that we have found helpful with the class. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. It is very easy to quickly search a topic and get ideas from some of the lesson plans. To understand how the Homestead Act of 1862 changed the US and the lives of the people during that time, class members examine primary source materials including letters, broadsides, and images. It allowed families to buy 160 acres of land (known as homesteads) for $10 on the condition that it would be used to build a home and establish a farm. Why the tiny midwest town? Our mission is to provide a free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere. Experts discuss the history of homesteading while actual letters written by female landowners detail their hardships and perseverance experiencedon their Just how long was the Long Drive? For example, even if more land was claimed, 60% of the homesteads did not meet the conditions set out by the Act due to poor farming conditions in the Plains. >

The idea of owing this parcel of land was very attractive to many Europeans, especially those with an agricultural background. - Definition & Summary. Life in the great, wide-open spaces of the West! Social Studies Worksheets > Immigration. It granted African-Americans a 160-acre plot of public land for a small filing fee. They also consider how the Take a closer look into the American movement to the wild west during the late nineteenth century and the drastic consequences this had for native populations. We provide high-quality teaching and revision materials for UK and international history curriculum. What is the Homestead Act of 1862? Scholars investigate the impact Western expansion had on Native American culture in the mid-1800s. Choose an answer and hit 'next'. This census provides only a ballpark figure of the number of people living in the U.S. In what would be one of the deadliest labor-management conflicts in the nations read more, The Stamp Act of 1765 was the first internal tax levied directly on American colonists by the British Parliament. Students analyze a precipitation map and work in pairs to answer discussion Young scholars examine primary sources regarding American movement to the west. Former slaves, women, and even immigrants were allowed to become landowners as a result of this landmark legislation. "One hundred years ago the Congress passed the Homestead Act, President John F. Kennedy said in his message on conservation, sent to Congress in 1962, probably the single greatest stimulus to national development ever enacted.". In a July 4, 1861 speech, Lincoln told the nation the purpose of Americas government was "to elevate the condition of men, to lift artificial burdens from all shoulders and to give everyone an unfettered start and a fair chance in the race of life." You will receive your score and answers at the end. Illegal immigration exists and this can skew the outcome of the census. Do you want to save dozens of hours in time? Other loopholes, according to the National Archives, included building the required 12-by-14 dwelling in inches, rather than feet, since the exact measurement wasnt specified. To make a claim, homesteaders paid a filing fee of $18$10 to make a temporary claim on the land, $2 for commission to the land agent and an additional $6 final payment to receive an official patent on the land. The Act did not include the Plains Indians. Scholars analyze the reasons behind the vast movement to the Great Plains after the passing of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Homestead Act. INTENSIFYING WARS IN THE REGION: The Act had a negative impact on the Plains Indians and it further intensified wars between them and the white settlers in the region. 479 quizzes. After fulfilling all the requirements of the act and living and working on the land for over a decade, Deardorff received his patent in May 1988. Get your evenings and weekends back? The Homestead Act of 1862 gave free land to Americans willing to improve it, regardless of race, sex, or nation of origin. Scholars investigate the impact of African American settlers moving to the Nebraska territory, following the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in the mid 1800s. By examining images of the ads that drew them westward, learners consider the motivations for movement.

When the act was passed in Congress in May 1862, it provided families with a different mechanism for them to afford land. In the end, most of those who purchased land under the act came from areas quite close to their new homesteads (Iowans moved to Nebraska, Minnesotans to South Dakota, and so on), the agency states. They review the pioneer standpoint, but also discuss how the Homestead Act of 1862 affected Native Americans. Toward the late 1800s many immigrants arrived in Minnesota from Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. The first immigrants to this vast land known as the United States of America arrived close to 12,000 years ago from Asia. Homesteading virtually came to a screeching halt with the enactment of the Taylor Grazing Act, signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934, which regulated grazing on federal public lands and authorized the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to apportion grazing districts.

Homesteaders, who had to be the head of a household or 21 years of age and had to certify they had never borne arms against the U.S., also needed two neighbors or friends to attest to the government that they had fulfilled the requirements. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration The acts official title is, Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism, or read more, The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, is considered one of the crowning legislative achievements of the civil rights movement. In addition, some landowners veered away from the aims of the Act. Using primary sources, timelines, maps, and A brief video examines the lives of single womenduring the 1862 Homestead Act. Montana, followed by North Dakota, Colorado and Nebraska had the most successful claims. Learners analyze maps, personal accounts, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, songs, and video clips to uncover life under the Homestead Act.

It also enabled further settlements to the West by easing transportation of people and goods to the region by replacing caravans, wagons and other forms of long-distance travelling options. School History is the largest library of history teaching and study resources on the internet. The Tea Act of 1773 was one of several measures imposed on the American colonists by the heavily indebted British government in the decade leading up to the American Revolutionary War (1775-83). The Civil War-era act, considered one of the United States most important pieces of legislation, led to Western expansion and allowed citizens of all walks of lifeincluding former slaves, women and immigrantsto become landowners. - Story & Facts Quiz, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, First Contacts (28,000 BCE-1821 CE): Help and Review, Settling North America (1497-1732): Help and Review, The Road to Revolution (1700-1774): Help and Review, The American Revolution (1775-1783): Help and Review, The Making of a New Nation (1776-1800): Help and Review, The Virginia Dynasty (1801--1825): Help and Review, Jacksonian Democracy (1825 -- 1850): Help and Review, Life in Antebellum America (1807-1861): Help and Review, Sectional Crisis (1850-1861): Help and Review, American Civil War (1861-1865): Help and Review, Reconstruction (1865-1877): Help and Review, Industrialization and Urbanization (1870-1900): Help and Review, The Progressive Era (1900-1917): Help and Review, American Imperialism (1890-1919): Help and Review, The Roaring 20s (1920-1929): Help and Review, The Great Depression (1929-1940): Help and Review, The US in World War II (1941-1945): Help and Review, The World During WWII (1941-1945): Help and Review, Post-War World (1946-1959): Help and Review, The Cold War (1950-1973): Help and Review, Protests & Civil Disobedience (1954-1973): Help & Review, The Rise of Political Conservatism (1980-1992): Help and Review, Contemporary America (1992-2013): Help and Review, Changes in the Modern United States: Help and Review, AP U.S. History: Test-Taking Skills and Prep: Help and Review, How to Write a Good Essay on Your AP Exam: Help and Review, Developing and Writing Your AP Exam Essay: Help and Review, Critical Thinking Skills for AP US History: Help and Review, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community, Number of acres settled under the Homestead Act, Settlers' commitments to the land received, Amount of land individuals could obtain under the Act, Identify the purpose of the Homestead Act, Understand the historical background that preceded the Act, Name the federal land policy of the 1800s, Recognize the challenges the settlers faced. So important that 1.5 million people depended solely on the potato. Eighth graders examine basic elements of the Homestead Act, describe gender make-up of the West before and after the Homestead Act, connect the Homestead Act with women's suffrage, and create a modern day business propaganda pamphlet. copyright 2003-2022 Study.com. Today, theHomestead National Historical Parkoutside Beatrice, Nebraska, commemorates the Homestead Act. Save time lesson planning by exploring our library of educator reviews to over 550,000 open educational resources (OER). A comprehensive online edtech PD solution for schools and districts. But American colonists, who had no representation in Parliament, saw the Acts as an abuse of power. Copyright All Rights Reserved - EasyTeacherWorksheets.com. Be able to teach The Homestead Act of 1862 to your students? The British sent troops to America to read more, The Patriot Act is legislation passed in 2001 to improve the abilities of U.S. law enforcement to detect and deter terrorism. - Definition & Summary, The Oregon Trail: Westward Migration to the Pacific Ocean Quiz, Manifest Destiny's Texas Annexation Problem Quiz, President John Tyler: American Expansion and Sectional Concerns Quiz, President James K. Polk's Accomplishments in the Lower 48 States Quiz, The Mexican-American War, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo & the Wilmot Proviso Quiz, Election of 1848 and the California Gold Rush Quiz, President Fillmore and the Compromise of 1850 Quiz, President Franklin Pierce's Politics and Economics Quiz, 54-40 or Fight: Slogan History & Significance Quiz, General Lewis Cass: History & Biography Quiz, Slaves in the Middle Passage: Definition, Facts & Summary, Slaves in the Middle Passage: Definition, Facts & Summary Quiz, What is the Homestead Act of 1862? It is very easy to quickly search a topic and get ideas from some of the lesson plans. Of course, there were those who took advantage of homesteading. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Significance of the Homestead Act of 1862. LINCOLNS PRONOUNCEMENT: In a speech, US President Abraham Lincoln highlighted the governments desire to improve human conditions, easing their burdens, and giving fair chances to people from all walks of life. - Definition & Summary Quiz, Bear Flag Revolt: Definition & Overview Quiz, The Oregon Treaty of 1846: Definition & Summary Quiz, Who Was Johnny Appleseed? Using their new skills, class members role Students, in groups, study the Homestead Act.

Learners investigate the movement of cattle in the Great Plains during the mid-1800s. Unfortunately, the act was framed so ambiguously that it seemed to invite fraud, and early modifications by Congress only compounded the problem. In 1974, a Vietnam veteran and native Californian named Kenneth Deardorff filed a homestead claim on 80 acres of land on the Stony River in southwestern Alaska. They then assume the voice of a Students investigate the impact of the passage of the Homestead Act. 1850-1874 Homestead Act Signed: The Challenges of The Plains, Women and the Homestead Act: Creating a Place for Themselves In the West, The Railroads and Settlement of the Great Plains.

He was the last person to receive the title to land claimed under the Civil War-era act. They either sold their claims to others for profit or filed claims and were forced to turn it over to rich landowners, which was clearly a violation of the Homestead Act. They also explore the Homestead Act of 1862 and the Pacific Railway Act of 1862. They write another story Eleventh graders explain the development of the American West following the Civil War. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Students learn about the Homestead Act and study a painting of a depiction of manifest destiny. Students read 8 paragraphs and complete the 3 activities for the instructional activity. 1850-1874 Homestead Act Signed: Who were the Settlers? And unpredictable weather, water shortages and remoteness led many homesteaders to abandon their claims well before the five-year mark. Based on the law passed, the process was this: an individual would file an application, then he/she improves the land, and files for the patent. Answer keys have been provided for instructors. For thisTranscontinental Railroadlesson, students research Internet and print sources regarding the effect of the railroad on Chinese immigrants and American Fifth graders read from their textbook a story about the pioneer settlement of the Western Frontier.

To ace the quiz, you should know how long settlers were required to stay on the land, as well as other facts related to the Act. With the help of this lesson, you'll be able to: 30 chapters | More than 12 million immigrants arrived in America and were "processed" into the country through Ellis Island. My professors, new and veteran teachers alike were all amazed by the resources provided by Lesson Planet and the ease in which they were obtained. 2022 A&E Television Networks, LLC. Before the Homestead Act of 1862 was implemented, land in the West cost around one dollar ($1) per acre. If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked. To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser. Each worksheet contains a brief reading passage and a number of questions (true/false, multiple choice, fill in the blank) about the information. Land titles could also be purchased from the government for $1.25 per acre following six months of proven residency. However, Native Americans lost much of their land because of this law. All rights reserved.

If a person was older than 21 years, they could file a claim (also called buying a homestead) and work on the land on their own. Using photographic, document, map, video, and Start a whole new life in a land known as the Wild Wild West! Chinese immigrants and Mexican Americans in the age of westward expansion, The Indian Wars and the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Westward expansion: social and cultural development, Middle school Earth and space science beta - NGSS, World History Project - Origins to the Present, World History Project - 1750 to the Present. The incentive to move and settled on western territory was open to all U.S. citizens, or intended citizens, and resulted in 4 million homestead claims, although 1.6 million deeds in 30 states were actually officially obtained. The potato was an important crop in Ireland. This is completed every ten years.

Furthermore, development of towns and job creation also attracted people to settle in the region. According to the National Archives, a limited number of farmers and laborers could afford to build a farm, which included access to tools, crops, livestock and more. Signed by President Kennedy in 1963 as an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act, the law mandates equal pay for equal work by forbidding employers from paying men and women read more, The Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966, giving the public the right to access records from any federal agency. DEVELOPMENT OF SETTLEMENTS IN THE WEST: The Homestead Act of 1862 further opened up the West to more settlement and development, which resulted in a greater increase in agricultural activities, as well as the discovery and exploitation of natural resources. Also, not all the land in the West was conducive for farming, which resulted in hunger and abandonment of land by Homesteaders during the early implementation of the law.