What was the purpose of the Homestead Act of 1862?

Question

To force Native Americans west of the Mississippi.
To end cattle drives.
To bring more settlers to western lands.
To make Texas a state.

Answer 1

The purpose of the Homestead Act of 1862 was to bring more settlers to western lands by offering them ownership of a portion of the land for free or at a low cost, with the condition that they improve the land and live on it for a certain period of time. It was intended to encourage westward expansion and promote agriculture and settlement in the frontier areas of the United States.