6.2 Westward Expansion

Government promotes settlement

Federal policy encouraged westward migration through laws like the Homestead Act (1862), which granted free land to settlers who farmed it, and the transcontinental railroad, subsidized by government land grants. Railroads opened markets, moved settlers and goods, and connected the West to national and world economies, fueling rapid population growth on the Great Plains.

Clash of cultures on the Plains

Settlers, ranchers, and miners moved into lands long inhabited by Native Americans, sparking conflict over resources like land and buffalo. The U.S. government pursued assimilation policies, notably the Dawes Act (1887), which broke up tribal lands into individual allotments to weaken communal culture and promote farming, undermining Native sovereignty and traditions.

Economic development and debate

Western expansion boosted mining, cattle ranching, and commercial farming, integrating the region into a national market economy. Farmers faced debt, falling crop prices, and dependence on railroads, leading to organizing efforts like the Grange and Populist Party. Debates emerged over natural resource use, land conservation, and the environmental impact of overfarming and overgrazing.

Key terms

Homestead Act (1862)

Law granting 160 acres of free land to settlers who farmed it for five years, encouraging westward migration.

Dawes Act (1887)

Federal law that broke up tribal lands into individual allotments to promote assimilation and weaken Native communal culture.

Transcontinental railroad

Railroad connecting the East and West, subsidized by government land grants, that boosted settlement and economic integration.

The Grange

Farmers' organization formed to address economic hardships like debt and unfair railroad rates.

Populist Party

Political party formed by farmers and laborers in the late 1800s to advocate for economic reforms benefiting rural America.

Try an AP-style question

The Dawes Act (1887) aimed to…

1. stop all further westward settlement
2. protect Native reservations from settlers
3. give Native nations their own statehood
4. break up tribal land into individual plots