The most significant factors that contributed to the increased settlement of the Great Plains after 1865 include:
- The Homestead Act of 1862 : This U.S. government law allowed settlers to claim 160 acres of public land for free or at very low cost, provided they improved the land by building and farming it. This act incentivized many Americans and immigrants to move west to own land
- Railroad expansion : After 1870, railroads were built across the Plains, making travel and transport of goods easier and faster. Railroads also sold land at attractive prices and established towns along their routes, which encouraged settlement and economic development
- Immigration and demographic pressures : European immigrants, including Germans, Scandinavians, and Russians, came seeking political or religious freedom and economic opportunity. Younger sons from the crowded eastern states moved west for the chance to own land, which was becoming scarce and expensive in the east
- Economic opportunities and agricultural development : Settlers were drawn by the prospect of farming wheat and raising cattle. New dryland farming techniques and access to large tracts of land made agriculture viable despite the challenging climate. The availability of land suited for both crop farming and livestock grazing supported diverse settlement patterns
- Government security and law enforcement : The U.S. government stationed troops and law enforcement officials on the Plains to protect settlers from conflicts with Indigenous peoples and to maintain order, which reassured settlers about their safety
These combined factors-government policies like the Homestead Act, railroad expansion, immigration, economic opportunity in agriculture, and security-were the primary contributors to the rapid increase in settlement of the Great Plains in the late 19th century
