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... > social science subjects > criminology and criminal justice > criminology > social history of crime > documents and acts shaping the American system of criminal justice > Homestead Act of 1862

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Homestead Act of 1862  

Definition

  • The Homestead Act of 1862 established one of the most influential models for disposing of public land in American history. Signed by President Abraham Lincoln on May 20, 1862, the Homestead Act entitled settlers to enter a quarter section of undeveloped federal land (160 acres), resulting in the eventual transfer of some 285 million acres of the public domain to private citizens over the course of nearly 125 years. [Source: The Social History of Crime and Punishment in America: An Encylopedia; Homestead Act of 1862]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/Homestead_Act_of_1862

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