Settling In
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- Congress passed the Homestead Act, which gave government owned land to small farmers. One hundred sixty acres was given to any U.S. adult citizen or someone that planed to become one. In return farmers paid a small registration fee. That family also promised they would stay there for at least five years.
- The Morrill Act gave over seventeen million acres of government owned land to the states. This act was place so that the state could sell the land for money to pay for colleges.
- A lot of this "government" owned land was the indians home and many indians were forced to leave.
- People from all over the country and some from other parts of the world came to join in this country full of new life and resources.
- The government also granted unmarried women land. This was necessary because the government was trying to start families in the West.
- This land drew many exodusters "or Southern African Americans" because they didn't like the way they were treated in the south.
- Many immigrants came to earn money for their families then send it back to them through letters.
- The Morrill Act gave over seventeen million acres of government owned land to the states. This act was place so that the state could sell the land for money to pay for colleges.
- A lot of this "government" owned land was the indians home and many indians were forced to leave.
- People from all over the country and some from other parts of the world came to join in this country full of new life and resources.
- The government also granted unmarried women land. This was necessary because the government was trying to start families in the West.
- This land drew many exodusters "or Southern African Americans" because they didn't like the way they were treated in the south.
- Many immigrants came to earn money for their families then send it back to them through letters.
Improvement in the West
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- Many of the settlers found that that land was tough and the weather was harsh too. This meant that they could not grow the same types of crops grown in the East.
- Famers started making tools to survive all the challenges that was faced in this new area. Many farmers built their land out of sod or dirt.
- Manufacturer John Deere's deep steel plow could get through the tough sod with out breaking tools. With hard work the farmers could break the hard soil and that how they got the name sodbusters.
- Another method they used was dry farming. This focused from water dependent drops to crops that need a lot less water.
- Cyrus McCormick was business man who made his money from selling tools to farmers in the West. His machinery would help many farmers succeed in plant large crops.
- Famers started making tools to survive all the challenges that was faced in this new area. Many farmers built their land out of sod or dirt.
- Manufacturer John Deere's deep steel plow could get through the tough sod with out breaking tools. With hard work the farmers could break the hard soil and that how they got the name sodbusters.
- Another method they used was dry farming. This focused from water dependent drops to crops that need a lot less water.
- Cyrus McCormick was business man who made his money from selling tools to farmers in the West. His machinery would help many farmers succeed in plant large crops.
The Hardships of Being a Farmer
![Picture](/uploads/1/7/2/8/17288334/4438982_orig.jpeg)
- When families would build houses and get started on the farm, the house weren't very nice. They had little to make the house out of and even then the house would be made out of dirt and it would leak a lot.
- Usually families made their items such as making their own cloths and making their own soap. Many women washed the cloths by hand, cooked and cleaned.
- Outside chores would be raising livestock, working in the fields, plowing, and planting. Children often helped with the chores so farm families were often very big.
- As farms were set up and people started to settle in communities started to form. Usually communities will set up schools or Churches first. The town would raise money for school to be built. Many children went to school for part of the year, because the rest of the year they would help their families with the farm.
- Usually families made their items such as making their own cloths and making their own soap. Many women washed the cloths by hand, cooked and cleaned.
- Outside chores would be raising livestock, working in the fields, plowing, and planting. Children often helped with the chores so farm families were often very big.
- As farms were set up and people started to settle in communities started to form. Usually communities will set up schools or Churches first. The town would raise money for school to be built. Many children went to school for part of the year, because the rest of the year they would help their families with the farm.