Find Out How Well You Know The Legends Of The Old West With This Rootin’ Tootin’ Quiz!
Why was the Homestead Act of 1862 enacted?
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According to the National Archives, existing homestead legislation largely handled property line disputes, but the process for homesteading needed some reform due to rising food costs and prevalent westward expansion. However, both manufacturers in the North and plantations in the South saw their own reasons to undermine any new homestead legislation. But once the Civil War broke out, passage of the Homestead Act was finally possible since the plantations were aligned with the Confederacy anyway.
Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images
Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images
Why was the Homestead Act of 1862 enacted?
- To resolve land claim disputes
- To fulfill Manifest Destiny
- To protect smaller farmers from being squeezed out
- To put the Union in an advantageous position during the Civil War
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