Did the benefits of the immigration boom in the late 1800s outweigh the drawbacks? During the 1800s, many people migrated to urban areas because they wanted jobs and land. Many people thought that migrating to urban areas would be like a perfect dream, however they were disappointed when they realized that the benefits of migration did not outweigh the drawbacks. During the late 1800s, millions of immigrants were coming to the United States. Most of the immigrants came from Europe. Immigration increased during this time for many reasons: one reason was the hope for a better life, for instance economic opportunities and getting away from oppressive governments. Another reason was for religious freedom, for example the Jewish …show more content…
The homestead act helped make this happen, it seemed good at first but after a while the immigrants realized the negatives of the land that they gained outweighed the benefits. The homestead act was passed by congress on May 20,1862. This act was supposed to get people to move to the Great Plains. This act stated that “any citizen of the U.S could claim 160 acres of government land”, however they had to pay a small fee. After paying the homesteaders had to improve their land by living on the land, building a home, and planting crops. If the settlers did those things and stayed on their land for five years, the land became their property. With the homestead act about 270 million acres of land was available for people to live on. That must sound great cheap land that comes with 160 acres, that exactly what the immigrants thought, but they soon realized the negatives of having the land. Even though the requirements of the homestead act seemed simple, many people still had problems. Many people who owned the land had little farming experience. Most of the land in the Great Plains was not good for farming because the land was dry and was not good for
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Show MoreCongress passed the Dawes Allotment Act in 1887, its purpose was to teach the Natives the farming methods and the American values of individualism as well as private property rather than collectively owned land in order to assimilate the Natives. This act is seen as the most assimilative and ruined tribal functions culturally and economically with the entire allotment process (O’Brien 77). The act divided reservation lands amongst individual people and families in order for them to farm and raise livestock. Each head of a household would obtain about 160 acres and individuals who were over the age of eighteen would get 80 acres, while all others would receive 40 acres of land, but any surplus land would go to settlers.
With that kind of control, limiting the production of farmed goods makes it difficult for one to get enough food for one's family. With this act being established it was followed by the Subsistence Homestead program which granted families housing on land where they are able to produce a good portion of their own food. This was to help initiate independence and to help
As America continued to grow and prosper, the only logical place to continue was westward where over 200 million acres of land was ripe for progress and growth on the other side of the Mississippi. The government at that time had many miles of federal land and was of the mindset that they could grow the country and bring some money back into central government by selling these parcels of land off to Americans. The distribution of Government lands had been chaotic since the Revolutionary War: overlapping claims and border disputes were commonplace. The Homestead Act of 1862 and Desert Lands Act of 1877 helped to promote ownership for homesteaders and spur westward expansion.
Another 80 acres would go to each unmarried recipients. It was stipulated that the land could not be alienated for 25 years. Any Indian that received land automatically became citizens of the U.S. They were obligated to state, federal and local laws. All of the supporters of this act
The years from 1901 to 1930 were rainy years. So, that encouraged the farmers to plow more and more acres. The Great Plowup encouraged more people to settle in the Great
The changes that were seen after the act was put into law included the end of the communal holding of property by the Native Americans. They would fractionated into individual plots of property, which caused more than half of their lands to be sold off. Women were not given any land under this act, and had to be married to receive the full 160 acres offered. While the Act was supposed to help the Indians, many resisted the changes that came with individual property ownership. They thought that becoming ranchers and farmers was distasteful.
The Homestead Act was signed in May 1862. The Homestead Act allowed all Americans, including slaves, to claim 160 acres of land. About 1.6 million homesteads were granted and 270,000,000 acres of land was distributed. By 1934, most of the good land was claimed, but the law continued until 1976 on the continent, and 1986 in Alaska.
Migrants came to the Great Plains from all types of situations, such as the great potato famine of Ireland that caused many Irish to emigrate to the United States and primarily the Great Plains, where they could begin their lives again. The Homestead Act also provided a way for the immigrants to gain citizenship and own land in the Great Plains. The Homestead Act encouraged western migration by providing settlers 160 acres of public land. In exchange, homesteaders paid a small filing fee and were required to complete five years of continuous residence before receiving ownership of the land. This gave immigrants an easy route into citizenship; if they could maintain the land for five years they could become a citizen.
After the Civil War, the African Americans were living very uncomfortably because they were still being treated cruel and unfair. They had no money, no education, and they just felt out of place. This made then want to migrate toward the West were they could be free. Not only were they wanting to leave, but with the help of the Homestead Act, they were able to get their land free. It said that 160 acres of land will be provided to anyone who lives on the plot and farms it for 5 years.
America has an identity that comes from the freedom and potential that each individual wakes up with each morning. From the beginning, immigrants approached the east coast of America. With torture on sea, starvation, sickness, each person, fresh off the boat comes with determination.
After the Civil War ended many people were in hope of finding land since population was increasing. Since the West was underdeveloped and uncivilized, many decided to expand the land. First the Louisiana Purchase increased the opportunity of expansion. Then industrialization and the Homestead Act also caused many companies encouraged to move West due to the low cost of land and that the transportation was provided through the railroads. In order to complete such goals, something had to be done with the Natives since it conflicted with their home area.
The U.S had gained a lot of land, or frontiers in the West from Mexico. The land was undeveloped, therefore the U.S had to find a way to develop the land. The U.S would come up with the Homestead Act. The Homestead Acts states that any citizen or anyone planning to become a citizen is eligible to gain 160 acres of land, typically to form farms. The plan was intended to make the people stay in that land and create a
First of all, Native Americans were settled on a hotbed of natural resources which included oil and precious metals such as silver and gold. There was also much fertile land that would entice farmers and frontiersmen to move out west. On this land there was so much potential economic opportunity for farmers, cattle drivers, miners and many other occupations. The government developed the popular public misconception that the indians were misusing the land and that Americans had the right to take advantage of the opportunities that lie in the west. These ideas led to the Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 which authorized encroachment of Indian lands by the US government in order to divide up reservations and control Indian activity.
The migration of immigrants back then, were mainly because they wanted to find a better work experience. Some would even move to seek a new and improved religion. In the 1800-1880s, one of the main reasons immigrants moved, was because of the rising of taxes in their area which made them want to escape from that. Today, in modern day America, we still move in search for better jobs. Because the world has changed in so many ways, we constantly move, however, one of the main reasons is because of natural disasters that may have occurred in a particular area, which causes groups of families to move out of their old homes into a new location.
The document of the Homestead Act was one of the first factors towards development in our nation. This act offered free or cheap land to anyone who would live and improve the Great Plains area. The people taking part got 160 acres of land, had to build a house on it, and live on it for 5 years. The act encouraged immigrants and freedman to travel out west. This act gave opportunities to many individuals that would not be given before.