Original text (and transcription) of the 1862 Homestead Act, which granted land for a five-year residence for minimal fees. Accompanied by an overview of the act, including how it both helped and hindered farmers.

An extensive site that covers many aspects of the Homestead Act, including biographies, charts, and the text of the act. From the National Park Service.

A lesson plan about the Homestead Act of 1862 with much background information about previous land grants made by the U.S. government,

U.S. History is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of most introductory courses. The text provides a balanced approach to U.S. history, considering the people, events, and ideas that have shaped the United States from both the top down (politics, economics, diplomacy) and bottom up (eyewitness accounts, lived experience). U.S. History covers key forces that form the American experience, with particular attention to issues of race, class, and gender.Senior Contributing AuthorsP. Scott Corbett, Ventura CollegeVolker Janssen, California State University, FullertonJohn M. Lund, Keene State CollegeTodd Pfannestiel, Clarion UniversityPaul Vickery, Oral Roberts UniversitySylvie Waskiewicz

The Westward Spirit
Homesteading: Dreams and Realities
Making a Living in Gold and Cattle
The Loss of American Indian Life and Culture
The Impact of Expansion on Chinese Immigrants and Hispanic Citizens

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Explain the evolution of American views about westward migration in the mid-nineteenth century
Analyze the ways in which the federal government facilitated Americans’ westward migration in the mid-nineteenth century

The critically acclaimed PBS series, "The West," provides the text of the Homestead Act of 1862.