Homestead ActThe expansion of the United States is an essential part of American history, but some often forget how it all happened. Many successful settlers were presented with an extraordinary opportunity beginning on January 1, 1863 that would ultimately lay the foundation for many citizens of the Midwest and West today. The rights and responsibilities of living on and maintaining 160 acres of land may seem like a lot to take on for a student learning about a land law dating back to the 1860s. However, consider all the people affected by the Homestead Act of 1862. It There was a lot of pressure on the early settlers to make good use of their new land, the government was giving away land that wasn't exactly theirs, and the Native Americans were having some of their rights stolen. It was not very easy for the United States to expand as they had in mind. Land sharing had been a growing problem since the Revolutionary War. Two of the main issues at the time of the Articles of Confederation were land pricing and measurement (Potter and Schamel 1). Over the course of more than fifty years, the government made many different attempts to get people to want to expand west. They just didn't really know how to go about it. Attempts to sell the acres did not go well, as the price seemed outrageous for what they were getting. It was very difficult to get established on untouched ground and be successful from the beginning, which caused some problems because people did not want to buy the land (Weiser 1). Once again, a different political group tried a different approach. In 1852, a political group called the Free Soil Party demanded free farms. Legends of America says: "In 1854, the first free property bill was introduced...... middle of paper ......r for the United States to succeed. Foner, Eric and John A. Garraty. “Homestead Law.” The Reader's Companion to American History. December 1, 1991: researcher on np SIRS issues. Internet. February 06, 2014. I used this source to give me background information on the Homestead Act and a citation. Potter, Lee Ann and Wynell Schamel. “The Homestead Act of 1862.” National Archives and Archives Administration. National Records and Archives Administration, nd Web. February 04, 2014. I used this source for a citation and to learn the majority of what I needed to know about the history and effects of the Homestead Act of 1862. Weiser, Kathy. “The Homestead Act – Creating Prosperity in America.” The Homestead Act – Creating Prosperity in America. Np, May 2012. Web. February 06, 2014. I used this source for many quotes and much of my information on the Homestead Act itself..