What did the Homestead Act encourage in the Great Plains?

The Homestead Act, passed in 1862, significantly encouraged agricultural settlement in the Great Plains by providing individuals with the opportunity to claim and occupy land. Under this act, any adult citizen or intended citizen could claim 160 acres of public land, provided they improved the land by building a dwelling and cultivating crops over a period of five years. This legislative measure aimed to promote westward expansion and encourage farming as a means to develop the region, which was predominantly seen as a vast expanse of unsettled land with the potential for agriculture. Due to the promise of land ownership, many families and individuals migrated to the Great Plains, leading to the establishment of farms and the spread of agricultural practices in an area that would become crucial to the nation's food supply and economic growth.