North American Frontier: Beginning and End

In the early 1800's, a vast amount of unexplored land and untouched natural resources drove American pioneers towards the West. Ranchers, traders, farmers, and miners led the movement with business men not far behind. Wealth, adventure and political power were the main course of motivations. The settlers by the thousands moved over the Appalachian Mountains into new states and territories. They flocked into Texas, California, and other western lands belonging to Mexico.
The free-homestead policy of 1862 did it's job at defeating land monopolies. Many farmers, however, lacked the economic means to move West and manage a farm.But it was covered in corruption my speculators adn corporate investments. The Homestead Act's biggest weakness however, was not taking into account conditions on the frontier. …