Homestead Act The expansion of the United States is a vital part of American history, yet some often forget how it all came about. Many thriving settlers were given an extraordinary opportunity starting 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 in for a student learning about 1860s land law. However, think about all the people affected by the Homestead Act of 1862. There was a lot of pressure on the original settlers to make good use of their new land, the government was giving up land that wasn't exactly theirs, and the Native Americans were going to have it stolen some of their rights. It wasn't very easy for the original landowners. The United States will expand as they intended. Land division had been a growing problem since the Revolutionary War. Two of the major 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 had made many different attempts to convince people to want to expand westward. They just didn't really know what the right way to proceed was. The attempt to sell the acres was unsuccessful, considering the price seemed excessive for what they were getting. It was very difficult to start working on pristine land and be successful right from the start, which caused some problems with people who didn't want to buy the land (Weiser 1). So, once again, a different political group tried a different approach. A political group called the Free Soil Party in 1852 called for free farms. Legends of America states: “In 1854 the first free farm bill was introduced… halfway through the document… to ensure the success of the United States. Foner, Eric and John A. Garraty. “Homestead Act.” The reader's companion to American history. 1 December 1991: np SIRS Issues Researcher. Network. February 06, 2014. I used this source to provide me with some background information on the Homestead Act and a quote. Potter, Lee Ann and Wynell Schamel. “The Homestead Act of 1862.” National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Web. February 4, 2014. I used this source for a citation and to learn most 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. 06 February 2014. I have used this source for many quotes and for much of my information on the Homestead Act itself.