may 20, 1862 - Homestead Act

Description:

The Homestead Act of 1862 granted 160 acres of land to anyone who would pay a fee, live on the land for 5 years, and improve the land they lived on. Technologies used by people living on the land included the new Mechanical Reaper, which reduced manual labor in farming, and new barbed wire, which would protect the land. Eventually, many people abandoned the land due to harsh conditions. This event impacted the outcome of the war as it helped develop agriculture and the economy in those areas. This event was significant as it helped develop agriculture and the economy, and many immigrants and African Americans flocked to the lands in hopes of gaining new lands.

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