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Political Factoid
The Homestead Act of 1862*
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took millions of acres
of land from Native
Americans and gave it
to white Americans.
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The Homestead Act, enacted during the
Civil War in 1862, provided that any adult
citizen, or intended citizen, who had never
borne arms against the U.S. government
could claim 160 acres of surveyed
government land. Claimants were required
to "improve" the plot by building a dwelling
and cultivating the land.
But the act specifically excluded two
occupations: agricultural workers and
domestic servants, who were predominately
African American, Mexican, and Asian.
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One of many white nationalism acts
through the history of the United States.
"of, for, and by white Americans"
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