Homestead Act
Morrill Act
Pacific Railroad Act

Which of the following titles appropriately labels the above group of legislation?

A. Major Radical Republican Reconstruction legislation
Incorrect. While all of the above laws were approved by a Republican administration, they occurred during the Civil War and not during the Radical Republican era of Reconstruction. Each of these bills accomplished their objectives at least in part through the distribution of federal land.

B. Major 1862 Civil Rights legislation
Incorrect. While the Homestead Act and Morrill Act improved the lives of some minority groups, none of the bills were aimed at civil rights. In fact, the civil rights of groups working on the railroads were consistently violated. Each of these bills accomplished their objectives in part through the distribution of federal land.

C. Major Transportation legislation
Incorrect. Only the Pacific Railway Act directly involves transportation. Each of these bills accomplished their objectives in part through the distribution of federal land.

D. Major Land Distribution legislation
Correct! Each of these bills accomplished their objectives in part through the distribution of federal land, including the Railroad Act, which gave the railroad companies federal land for each mile of track they laid.

Uncle Sam’s Farm

Of all the mighty nations in the East or in the West,
O this glorious Yankee nation is the greatest and the best.
We have room for all creation and our banner is unfurled,
Here's a general invitation to the people of the world.

Then come along, come along, make no delay;
Come from every nation, come from every way.
Our lands, they are broad enough - don't be alarmed,
For Uncle Sam is rich enough to give us all a farm.

The above 1870s camp song, written by Jesse Hutchinson, Jr., references what legislation?

A. Immigration Act of 1872
Incorrect. The above song, which has Uncle Sam giving away farms, references the Homestead Act of 1862, from which people could receive land from the federal government for farming. There was no major immigration act in 1872.

B. Homestead Act of 1862
Correct! The above song, which has Uncle Sam giving away farms, references the Homestead Act of 1862, from which people could receive land from the federal government for farming.

C. Pacific Railroad Act of 1862
Incorrect. The above song, which has Uncle Sam giving away farms, references the Homestead Act of 1862, from which people could receive land from the federal government for farming. The Pacific Railroad Act involved the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad.

D. Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862
Incorrect. The above song, which has Uncle Sam giving away farms, references the Homestead Act of 1862, from which people could receive land from the federal government for farming. The Morrill Land Grant Act gave land to states for the construction of colleges.

The construction of the Transcontinental Railroad —

A. led to colleges and universities opening up throughout the West
Incorrect. The Transcontinental Railroad opened up the West for economic development. The Morrill Act produced colleges and universities throughout the country.

B. produced an exodus of African Americans from the Deep South to more tolerant states like Kansas
Incorrect. The Transcontinental Railroad opened up the West for economic development. The Homestead Act sparked an exodus of African Americans to more tolerant states.

C. opened up the West for economic development
Correct! The Transcontinental Railroad opened up the West for economic development.

D. was one of the rare times in the 19th century Chinese and Irish immigrants were treated equally because they worked so hard
Incorrect. The Transcontinental Railroad opened up the West for economic development. Despite how hard the Chinese and Irish worked on the railroads, they were victims of discrimination, especially the Chinese.

Which of the regions above had the most states with high percentages (over 30%) of its total acreage distributed through the Homestead Act?

A. Region A
Incorrect. The Far West had a fair amount of land distributed through the Homestead Act, but the Great Plains covered in Region B (Nebraska, Oklahoma and the Dakotas) had the greatest percentage of their acreage distributed through the Homestead Act.

B. Region B
Correct! The Great Plains covered in Region B (Nebraska, Oklahoma and the Dakotas) had the greatest percentage of their acreage distributed through the Homestead Act.

C. Region C
Incorrect. While the land in the Ohio River Valley and the Mississippi River Valley was somewhat distributed via the Homestead Act, most of it had already been settled by the time the Act was passed. The Great Plains covered in Region B (Nebraska, Oklahoma and the Dakotas) had the greatest percentage of their acreage distributed through the Homestead Act.

D. Region D
Incorrect. Region D covers the 13 original colonies which were fully settled by 1862. The Great Plains covered in Region B (Nebraska, Oklahoma and the Dakotas) had the greatest percentage of their acreage distributed through the Homestead Act.

Which of the following laws most directly contributed to the founding of Texas A&M?

A. Pacific Railroad Act
Incorrect. The Morrill Act provided land to states to fund the creation of colleges, including Texas A&M.

B. Higher Education Act
Incorrect. The Morrill Act provided land to states to fund the creation of colleges, including Texas A&M.

C. Homestead Act
Incorrect. The Morrill Act provided land to states to fund the creation of colleges, including Texas A&M.

D. Morrill Act
Correct! The Morrill Act provided land to states to fund the creation of colleges, including Texas A&M.