How did the transcontinental railroad and the Homestead Act change the West?
The historic moment created the first transcontinental railroad, enabling travelers to go from coast to coast in a week’s time, making it markedly easier to travel west in search of land for settlement. Desiring quick payment of loans, railroads encouraged these settlers to grow and sell cash crops.
How did the Homestead Act transform the West?
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.
How did the transcontinental railroad affect the westward expansion?
The building of the transcontinental railroad opened up the American West to more rapid development. The railroad also facilitated westward expansion, escalating conflicts between Native American tribes and settlers who now had easier access to new territories.
How did the Homestead Act affect railroads?
Over 9.6 million acres was obtained free of charge under the Homestead Act. The railroads did not abandon settlers after they sold them the land. They supported agricultural improvement programs that would help make farmers more successful. The more the farmers succeeded, the more the railroads succeeded.
What was the main goal of the Homestead Act?
The Homestead Act encouraged western migration by providing settlers with 160 acres of land in exchange for a nominal filing fee. Among its provisions was a five-year requirement of continuous residence before receiving the title to the land and the settlers had to be, or in the process of becoming, U.S. citizens.
What was bad about the Homestead Act?
The conditions out West were harsh as well, which lead to the death of many. Blizzards, intense winds, and tornados occurred often. People were given land that was unfit to be farmed on, which made them suffer from hunger, especially during the colder months.
How did the railroad improve life for homesteaders?
The railroad eased life for many homesteaders, bringing more people, services, and opportunities. Farm goods could be sold and shipped much more easily to the East, and manufactured goods could be purchased and sent west to the eager farmers and their families.
Why was the railroad important to the westward expansion?
Farm goods could be sold and shipped much more easily to the East, and manufactured goods could be purchased and sent west to the eager farmers and their families. However, the railroad also brought in corporations that often managed to wrestle control of the best land, sources of water, and emerging local governments.
How did the Homestead Act help the homesteaders?
After all, the Homestead Act made land in Kansas easy to obtain. Homesteaders just had to live on their claims for five years to receive 160 acres—for free! In 1873, the Timber Culture Act was passed, which gave settlers an additional 160 acres simply for planting trees on 40 acres of the claim. Why pay the railroads four dollars per acre or more?
What did the government do for the transcontinental railroad?
Since the U.S. was busy fighting a war, all the federal government needed to do was authorize two corporations to get the job done – one in the East and one in the West – and provide free land. The railroad companies would use the land for right of way and then sell the remaining parcels to finance the project.