Curated OER
The Homestead Act of 1862
Students, in groups, study the Homestead Act. Each group studies a region of the country in the 1840s: the North, the South, and the West. Ask each group to research and write their region's position on the homestead issue.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
The Homestead Act
To understand how the Homestead Act of 1862 changed the US and the lives of the people during that time, class members examine primary source materials including letters, broadsides, and images. They then assume the voice of a...
Curated OER
Women and the Homestead Act: Creating a Place for Themselves In the West
Eighth graders examine basic elements of the Homestead Act, describe gender make-up of the West before and after the Homestead Act, connect the Homestead Act with women's suffrage, and create a modern day business propaganda pamphlet.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
What Brought Settlers to the Midwest?
Drawn by promises of fertile land, thousands of settlers poured West because of the Homestead Act of 1862. By examining images of the ads that drew them westward, learners consider the motivations for movement. They also consider how the...
Curated OER
Free Land
Students investigate the impact of the passage of the Homestead Act. In this Westward Expansion lesson, students visit selected websites to examine the lives of Americans who settled the American frontier.
Curated OER
Uncle Sam is Rich Enough to Give Us All a Farm:
Young scholars examine websites and video clips to become familiar with tenets of the Homestead Act, challenges faced by settlers and misconceptions about settlers. They role-play colonists on the Planet XR-38 and make choices similar to...
Curated OER
The Homestead Act of 1682
In this American West learning exercise, students read about the Homestead Act of 1682. Students read 8 paragraphs and complete the 3 activities for the learning exercise.
Curated OER
Busting the Prairie: Planning a Homestead Community
Students research, design and advertise a homestead community. This is an extensive lesson with a variety of ativities and learning experiences.
Curated OER
Western Expansion or Eastern Invasion?
Fifth graders read from their textbook a story about the pioneer settlement of the Western Frontier. They review the pioneer standpoint, but also discuss how the Homestead Act of 1862 affected Native Americans. They write another story...
Curated OER
Manifest Destiny
In these manifest destiny worksheets, students read the definition for manifest destiny and its appearance in America in the 1840s. Students learn about the Homestead Act and study a painting of a depiction of manifest destiny.
Curated OER
Homesteaders Push and Pull
In this American West learning exercise, learners review the factors that made the homesteaders leave their homes in the East to live in the plains. Students sort the factors into push and pull factor categories.
Curated OER
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HOMESTEADERS
Students analyze the factors that inhibited and fostered African American attempts to improve their lives during Reconstruction, the role of class, race, gender, and religion in western communities, and the challenges diverse people...
Curated OER
The Frontier
Young scholars, given certain background information, list hardships that Laura Ingalls Wilder and other people that lived during the same time period went through. They interview someone who grew up in a different era than them.
Curated OER
Movement of Native American Tribes 1830-1890
Students examine the movement of Native American tribes during the mid 1800's. In this American History lesson, students study two Native American tribes that live in the United States and complete a comparison/analyze project. Students...
Curated OER
Native American's Of the Great Plains
In this social studies learning exercise, students find the words that are related to the Great Plains Indians and the answers are found at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
The American West-Knowledge Test
In this American West worksheet, students complete a 24 questions test about the American West. Answers are included beneath questions on worksheet.
US National Archives
Nara: Teaching With Documents: The Homestead Act of 1862
A lesson plan about the Homestead Act of 1862 with much background information about previous land grants made by the U.S. government,
PBS
Pbs the West: The Homestead Act May 20, 1862
The critically acclaimed PBS series, "The West," provides the text of the Homestead Act of 1862.
Ohio State University
Osu History Teaching Institute: Homestead Act of 1862
Through the use of primary sources, 4th graders will understand the main concepts of the Homestead Act and use that information to write a letter to a relative explaining why they moved to Ohio.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: The Homestead Acts
This collection uses primary sources to explore the Homestead Acts.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: The Homestead Act Went Into Effect
This 4-page article discusses the Homestead Act of 1862 and its effects.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Ap Us History: 1865 1898: The Homestead Act and the Exodusters
Explains what the Homestead Act of 1862 was and what it meant for settlers, as well as the Exodus of 1879 when many African Americans became exodusters and left the South. Includes questions for students at end.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1865 1898: The Homestead Act and the Exodusters
The Homestead Act of 1862 gave free land to Americans willing to improve it, regardless of race, sex, or nation of origin.
Other
Direct Line Software: The Homestead Act of 1862
This resource provides information on the Homesteaders and how to locate Homestead records. Visit to learn about the Homestead Act of 1862.