The signing of the Homestead Act in 1862 by President Lincoln brought over 4 million settlers to the American West. After the acquisition of the Oregon Territory in 1846 and the Mexican Cession in 1848, the size of the United States had increased by more than one-third. The Homestead Act was passed to accelerate the settlement of these western territories. 

In this lesson, you will learn about the Homestead Act, who moved west, what challenges western settlers faced, and how they tried to overcome these challenges. At the end of the lesson, you will be asked to answer the essential question.