Settlement of the Great Plains after the American Civil War

By Tomlimai124

  • 1862

    The United States enacted the Homestead Act, which provided vast tracts of land for those willing to settle in the Great Plains
  • Period: to

    Settlement of the Great Plains after the American Civil War

  • 1869

    1869

    The United States completed the first transcontinental Railroad (Union Pacific Railroad) connecting the East and West coasts, which made it easier to settle the Great Plains.
  • 1870

    1870

    Settlement in the Great Plains increased rapidly with the extension of rail lines and advances in agricultural technology. The traditional cattle industry grew, as did agriculture, and towns and communities were formed.
  • 1889

    1889

    The United States government declared the Oklahoma Territory open for mass settlement, attracting a large number of immigrants and settlers.

  • 1907

    Oklahoma Territory officially became the 46th state.