Which 1862 act granted 160 acres of public land to settlers who would farm for five years?

• A. Morrill Act
• B. Dawes Act
• C. Pacific Railway Act
• D. Homestead Act

Answer: (D)

This question tests how the government used land policy to spur settlement and farming in the West. In 1862, a law offered 160 acres of public land to settlers who would move onto the land, improve it, and farm it for five years. If they met those conditions, they could claim ownership. This approach aimed to populate new territories and develop agriculture, especially on the plains, by giving families a path to ownership through sustained farming.

Other acts did different things: one supported the creation of land‑grant colleges, another reshaped tribal land ownership, and another promoted railroad expansion by gifting land to companies. The 160‑acre, five‑year farming provision fits this description exactly.