Apentix/AP US History/Unit 6: Period 6 (1865-1898)/Question
AP US Historymediummcq1 pt

Which of the following best explains why many homesteaders on the Great Plains failed to keep their claims in the decades after 1862?

A.Federal troops regularly expelled settlers from western lands.
B.Arid conditions suited to larger operations, along with competition from speculators and railroad land companies, defeated many small farmers.
C.Native American attacks destroyed most homesteads.
D.The government refused to grant clear title to any claim.

Explanation

Core Concept

The 160-acre model assumed humid eastern farming conditions that the semi-arid Plains did not provide. Speculators and railroad corporations acquired much of the best land, and many homesteaders lacked the capital to survive until their farms paid.

Correct Answer

BArid conditions suited to larger operations, along with competition from speculators and railroad land companies, defeated many small farmers.

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