In May 1862, during our Civil War, Congress took time to pass and Lincoln to sign the Homestead Act. It gave a settler title to 160 acres provided that the settler work the public-domain land for five years (stay on it and make improvements), and pay fees. A homesteader had to be a U.S. citizen or an intending citizen, either the head of a household or over 21, and could be male or female!

It must have been a remarkable Congress! They also passed the Morrill Land Grant Act, which gave each state 30,000 acres per congressman for the establishment of colleges of agriculture and mechanical arts. The states eventually created sixty-nine land-grant colleges on 13 million acres they received from this law. If your state has or had an Aggie college or university, it almost certainly started this way.

But back to homesteaders. By 1890, 375,000 of them had received title to 48 million acres. Of course, the then-fledgling railroads also received 20 million acres. The criminal and the rich always profit. But what a country! What a Congress! To give away land not only to the rulers, but also to any citizen willing to work it!