Homesteading is a major theme in the settling of the American West.  

Write a factual essay that: 

(a) explains the major ideas/philosophies that led to homesteading laws and who 

    originated them  

(b) lists how the U.S. was assembled – how was the land acquired and what did 

    each acquisition cost?

(c) lists and briefly discusses three major homesteading laws/bills that disposed of former

    Indian land and transferred them to settlers or resource developers

(d) explains two myths about climate that made people believe they could farm in

    the arid West