The primary focus of the Homestead Act of 1862 was encouraging westward expansion.

This landmark legislation aimed to promote settlement in the American West by providing 160 acres of public land to settlers for a small fee, provided they improved the land by building a dwelling and cultivating crops. The Act was designed to attract farmers and families to develop the frontier, facilitating economic growth and expansion. Over the years, millions of acres were claimed under the Act, significantly shaping the demographic and agricultural landscape of the United States.