Discusses the history of the Homestead Act, what states were involved, how people lived and crossed the land to open the Western United States.

"Homesteading the Plains offers a bold new look at the history of homesteading, overturning what for decades has been the orthodox scholarly view. The authors b

“The year was 1873 and all about was the evidence of boom and bust, shattered dreams, foolish ambition, depredation, shame, greed, and cruelty . . .” Onto t

Our Documents is a collection of 100 documents that the staff of the National Archives has judged most important to the development of the United States. The en