c) Homestead Act

The Homestead Act of 1862 famously offered free land to pioneers venturing west. This landmark legislation allowed any American, including freed slaves, to put in a claim for up to 160 acres of federal land. Applicants had to improve the land by building a dwelling and cultivating the land. This act was instrumental in the expansion of the United States across the Great Plains, leading to the establishment of homesteads, farms, and communities. It played a key role in the settlement of the American West and the shaping of the American character.