Teacher's Notes

Theme:
Throughout our history, the sale and leasing of public lands has been controversial.

Sub-theme:
After decades of debate, the Homestead Act offered opportunities of for the landless.

Concepts:

• public domain
• westward migration
• homestead movement
• land grants
• land reform

Performance objectives -- this lesson focuses on developing skills at:

• Analyzing a piece of propaganda dealing with free land write an editorial on the pros and cons of the Homestead Act
• Filling out an application as required under the Homestead Act
• Comparing a teenage life then and now

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