President Abraham Lincoln signs the Homestead Act into law, providing a large plot of land, typically 160 acres, to eligible American male heads-of-households. The law, passed during the Civil War, ensured that Western lands would be owned and developed by "yeoman farmers", not by slave-owning planters.
For over 75 years, American Heritage has chronicled our nation's history like no other publication. Please support our trusted, non-partisan historical writing and the volunteers that sustain it by donating today. We rely on contributions from readers like you to survive. Donate
