Settling of the Great PlainsSettling of the Great Plains

• Homestead ActHomestead Act

• ExodusterExoduster

• SoddySoddy

• Morrill ActMorrill Act

• Bonanza FarmBonanza Farm

Homestead ActHomestead Act

• RR companies began to expand RR companies began to expand westwardwestward– Build by immigrantsBuild by immigrants

•ChineseChinese

• IrishIrish

•MexicanMexican

•Former SlavesFormer Slaves

• RR Companies sold some land for farmsRR Companies sold some land for farms– Bought mostly by immigrants Bought mostly by immigrants

Homestead Act cont.Homestead Act cont.

• 18621862

• Offered 160 acres free to any citizen Offered 160 acres free to any citizen who was a head of householdwho was a head of household

• Land was largely claimed by Land was largely claimed by companies and private speculatorscompanies and private speculators

• 10% was settled by families10% was settled by families– Some land wasn’t as fertile as othersSome land wasn’t as fertile as others

•Required more land to turn a profitRequired more land to turn a profit

Homestead Act cont.Homestead Act cont.

• 1889 Act was strengthened1889 Act was strengthened

• Land rush in Oklahoma (Sooner State)Land rush in Oklahoma (Sooner State)

• 2 million acres were claimed in less 2 million acres were claimed in less than a daythan a day

• By 1890 19 million acres of gov’t land By 1890 19 million acres of gov’t land was soldwas sold– End of the frontierEnd of the frontier

ExodustersExodusters

• 1862-1900 600,000 former slaves 1862-1900 600,000 former slaves take advantage of homestead take advantage of homestead opportunities in Kansasopportunities in Kansas

SoddySoddy

• Many people lived in caves, dugouts Many people lived in caves, dugouts or soddys or soddys – Stacks of prairie sod built as walls Stacks of prairie sod built as walls

•Warm in the winterWarm in the winter

•Cool in the summerCool in the summer

•Little lightLittle light

•Dirt floorDirt floor

•bugsbugs

Morrill ActMorrill Act

• 1862 and 18901862 and 1890

• Gave federal land to help finance Gave federal land to help finance agricultural collegesagricultural colleges

• Worked with the Hatch ActWorked with the Hatch Act– Established agricultural experiment stations Established agricultural experiment stations

to inform farmers about new farming to inform farmers about new farming techniquestechniques

• Both helped the Midwest to become the Both helped the Midwest to become the nation’s “breadbasket”nation’s “breadbasket”

Bonanza FarmsBonanza Farms

• Farms that focused on a single, enormous cropFarms that focused on a single, enormous crop– 15,000-50,000 acres15,000-50,000 acres

• Not flexibleNot flexible• Large drought 1885-1890Large drought 1885-1890• Bonanza farms were not flexible enough to Bonanza farms were not flexible enough to

survivesurvive• Many went bankruptMany went bankrupt• Many farmers were impacted by falling cost of Many farmers were impacted by falling cost of

grain, rising taxes, and railroad companiesgrain, rising taxes, and railroad companies• Farmers would become an important political Farmers would become an important political

machinemachine