The Homestead Act of 1862 offered land to settlers willing to develop it for at least five years. The major result of this act was the settlement and development of the western part of the United States by encouraging westward migration. By providing settlers with 160 acres of public land, the Act helped transform the Great Plains into farmland, promoting agricultural expansion and economic growth in the western United States. It also encouraged the development of towns, railroads, and other infrastructure necessary for the settlement and economic development of the western region.
