The Homesteaders Flashcards
when was the homestead act?
1862
what did the homestead act do?
families were given 160 acres of land for free providing that they lived on it and farmed it for 5 years
what was proving up?
after 5 years the family could purchase the land for $30
when was the timber culture act?
1873
what did the timber culture act do?
settlers were given another 160 acres of land for free if they agreed to plant 40 acres of the land with trees
when was the desert land act?
1877
what was the desert land act?
settlers who wanted more land could buy 640 acres of land cheaply in areas where lack of rainfall was a problem
why did many ex soldiers and slaves become homesteaders?
they were looking for a new life
how did railroad companies encourage people to buy homesteads?
they were selling land cheaply on either side of the railroad so people could travel easier
what were the pull factors for homesteaders?
offer of free land
chance of a new start
advertising by railroad companies
letters home from those who had already gone west
what were the push factors for homesteaders?
poverty and unemployment
escaping religious persecution
ex soldiers saw lack of opportunity when they returned home
what were the enabling factors for homesteaders?
railroad
indians confined to reservations
what problems did the homesteaders face?
water shortages, extreme weather, lack of fuel, lack of building materials, disease and natural hazards
how did the homesteaders overcome water shortages?
windmills were used to pump water from underground
dry farming
how did the homesteaders over come extreme weather?
dry farming was used to overcome drought
how did the homesteaders overcome lack of fuel?
buffalo and cow dung was used
how did homesteaders overcome disease?
women used natural herbal remedies
how did homesteaders overcome lack of building materials?
blocks of earth were cut and used as bricks to build sod houses
how did homesteaders overcome natural hazards?
they didn’t
what did female homesteaders do?
make and wash clothes
prepare food for family
make household items
what problems did female homesteaders face?
no social life
mental health problems
contact with hostile indians
how did location of land determine success of homesteaders?
some parts of the plains were more fertile than others
how did adaptability determine the success of homesteaders?
they had to adapt to farming techniques - those who did not failed
how did weather determine the success of homesteaders?
severe droughts in 1870’s and 80’s forced thousands into bankruptcy
