may 20, 1862 - The Homestead Act was passed
Description:
The Homestead Act offered 160 acre plots of public land to virtually anyone. The law was essential in the settling of the Western frontier. Westward expansion was one of the biggest sources of revenue for the United States government and some factory workers in the North saw an opportunity to industrialize the West. A large percentage of the West's land also went towards railroads.Added to timeline:
Date:
may 20, 1862
Now
~ 163 years ago