Handout
Other

Direct Line Software: The Homestead Act of 1862

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides information on the Homesteaders and how to locate Homestead records. Visit to learn about the Homestead Act of 1862.
Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: The Homestead Act Went Into Effect

For Students 3rd - 8th
This 4-page article discusses the Homestead Act of 1862 and its effects.
Handout
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Ap Us History: 1865 1898: The Homestead Act and the Exodusters

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains what the Homestead Act of 1862 was and what it meant for settlers, as well as the Exodus of 1879 when many African Americans became exodusters and left the South. Includes questions for students at end.
Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: Today in History: May 20: The Homestead Act

For Students 9th - 10th
Gives facts about the Homestead Act and quotes from some homesteaders. Includes many links to additional resources within the Library of Congress site.
Handout
Other

Digital Revolution: Homestead National Monument of America

For Students 9th - 10th
This information about the Homestead Act and homesteaders has been garnered from the National Park Service. Use the links at the bottom to find out about the history of the Act, the lives of the homesteaders, and what a tall grass...
Handout
Legends of America

Legends of Kansas: Exodusters of Kansas

For Students 9th - 10th
A look at the exodusters and the reasons the blacks left the South and migrated to Kansas after the Civil War.
Handout
Country Studies US

Countyr Studies: United States History: The Last Frontier

For Students 9th - 10th
This site describes the settlement of the West happened quickly with the passage of the Homestead Act of 1862 and the push for the Transcontinental Railroad. With the explosion of the mining and ranching industries, the West was all but...
Handout
The History Cat

The History Cat: The Great American Dust Bowl

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the causes and the events of the Great American Dust Bowl, when farmland was destroyed through misguided practices, famine set in, and dust storms drove people to desperation.