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Westward Expansion Of The Gold Rush And The Homestead Act

466 Words2 Pages

The west was an expansion area which had a lot of resources and many opportunities for all type of people, they saw the west as the place you could do whatever you want and be whoever you want. The Gold Rush and the Homestead Act were two things that really impacted the way of how the US were formed changing the structure of the country and the point of view about expansion and the distribution of lands. The Gold Rush of 1849 was the most important event because it concentrated almost all of the attention of one nation in one objective. “When gold was discovered in west of the US, thousands of prospective miners traveled by sea or by land to San-Francisco” (History.com). Basically, lots of people traveled there to get rich and a prospective …show more content…

Basically, the reason why the Gold Rush of 1849 was the most important event in the Westward Expansion was because gold was discovered in California, consequently this brought too many people to there. The Homestead Act set in motion a program of public land grants to small farmers and any adult citizen or who want to become a citizen. “The Homestead Act opened up settlement in the western US, allowing any american to put a claim for up to 160 acres of land” (History.com). When the Homestead Act was signed, anyone including freed slaves, could have their own lands, this cat also helped small farmers. “The Homestead Act provided that any adult citizen or person who wanted the become a citizen who headed a family, could qualify for a grant of 160 acres of public land by paying small registration fee and living there for 5 years” (History.com). The Homestead Act also helped people who are not citizen, and people who headed a family, with the condition of 5 years living there and by paying a small fee. Basically, the Homestead Act helped many people by providing land for

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The Homestead Act and Pacific Railway Act were both implemented by the government in hopes of igniting Westward expansion. The Homestead Act was finalized in 1862, it allowed “any head of a family or anyone older than 21 could have 160 acres of public land on the payment of small fees” (W&R,133). In short, the Homestead Act allowed the expansion towards the West to be affordable and later (with the introduction of railways) it would prove profitable. The Pacific Railway Act was also passed in 1862 and it “granted a charter of incorporation to the Union Pacific Railroad, which was authorized to build a line from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to the western boundary of Nevada. The Central Pacific, incorporated under the laws of California in 1861, was

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What Role Did The Natural Environment Play In The Development Of The West Dbq

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Westward Expansion During The California Gold Rush

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Effects Of Western Expansion

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In conclusion, the westward expansion was one of the most important times in American history but one of the hardest for those who made the journey. The settlers had to go through a lot of hardships to get a new life in the west. The Gold Rush helped bring people to the west and populate California so it became a state. People such as Sacagawea helped Lewis and Clark helped explore the new terrain and make maps so people could live there. Even though the pioneers got diseases, had conflicts with the Native Americans, and had to travel for long periods of time in a ship or covered wagon, they never gave up hope.

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