The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed people to claim land by living on and cultivating it for five years. It encouraged westward expansion and was opposed by Southern states due to fears of more free states. The act allowed for up to 160 acres to be claimed for a small fee, and was taken advantage of by farmers, freed slaves, and Civil War veterans. The goal was to bring immigrants and urban poor Americans into the countryside to farm. The act was repealed in 1976 and the last property deed was delivered in 1988. Many claimed areas are now farmed by large corporations.
The Homestead Act was a piece of legislation passed by the United States Congress and signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862. Under the law, people could legitimately lay claim to a certain amount of land if they lived on it for five years and at the same time cultivating it. At one point, an estimated 10% of land in the United States was owned by farm claims, and the deed contributed significantly to westward expansion into North America, encouraging people to establish footholds well outside the original 13 colonies.
Several attempts were made before 1862 to write and pass a settlement act, but these attempts were vigorously resisted by Southern states. These states feared that homesteading would create more free states and territories, creating a voting bloc that could be used to outlaw or severely curtail the practice of slavery in the American South. These early attempts were also confused by a debate about land use and land rights. After the South seceded in 1861, however, the path was cleared.
Under the Homestead Act, the householder could claim up to 160 acres (65 ha). He didn’t need to be a citizen; the only requirement was that they could pay a small entry fee and occupy the land for the required length of time. For those in a hurry, the land could be purchased for 1.25 US dollars (USD) per acre after six months. Many freed and escaped slaves took advantage of the law, as did Civil War veterans.
The act’s goal was to bring immigrants and the urban poor Americans into the countryside to farm and expand the country. Most of the people making land claims under the Homestead Act were farmers and their children, however, because they had the skills needed to improve the land, while immigrants flocked to the cities to exercise the skills they already possessed. Some claims were also false, used to control things like water and timber rights for a profit.
In 1976, the Homestead Act was repealed in the continental United States; Alaska followed suit a decade later. The last property deed delivered to anyone under the law was dated 1988, bringing about the end of an era in American history. Many of the claimed areas continue to be farmed today, albeit as part of large corporations, rather than small family businesses.
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