https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/homestead-act https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/homestead-... Presumably part of the reason w

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/homestead-act https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/homestead-... Presumably part of the reason was to create more states without a history of slavery, to avoid another Civil War. And also at the same time, to have more settlements to control the natives. Lincoln said the Homestead Act was to "elevate the condition of men." By which the ex-Indian warrior meant "except Indians." Not surprisingly, it also included freed slaves, because moving west would be less uncomfortable than moving north, Lincoln having a history of that racism, too. And the railroads didn't want to give away land. They were busy reclaiming it via eminent domain for their own profits. The abuses of railroads and banks who could not properly insure savings turned folks like Jesse and Frank James into folk heroes.