Early Settlement on the Plains

In the 1840s and 1850s, increasing numbers of white Americans began to settle on the Great Plains — a vast grassland previously considered the "Great American Desert" and unsuitable for farming. This lesson examines the early settlers, their motivations, and the challenges they faced. This is a key topic for the AQA GCSE History specification.

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Why Were the Plains Considered Unsuitable?

Before the 1840s, most Americans viewed the Great Plains as an uninhabitable wasteland. Major Stephen Long explored the region in 1820 and labelled it the "Great American Desert" on his maps. Reasons included:

• Lack of trees — no timber for building or fuel.
• Extreme weather — bitterly cold winters, scorching summers, tornadoes, and droughts.
• Lack of water — few rivers and very low rainfall.
• Tough soil — the thick prairie grass had dense, tangled roots that ordinary ploughs could not break.

Exam Tip: The phrase "Great American Desert" is important. It explains why settlers initially bypassed the Plains and headed to Oregon and California instead. Early settlers only stopped on the Plains when push factors became strong enough or new technology made farming possible.

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The Mormons: A Case Study in Early Settlement

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) provide one of the most important case studies for early settlement on the Plains and the West.

Why Did the Mormons Move West?

Date	Event
1830	Joseph Smith founded the Mormon Church in New York
1831–1838	Mormons moved to Ohio, then Missouri, then Illinois, facing persecution at each location
1844	Joseph Smith was murdered by a mob in Carthage, Illinois
1846	Brigham Young led the Mormons west to escape persecution
1847	Mormons arrived at the Great Salt Lake in present-day Utah

The Mormons were persecuted because:

• They practised polygamy (having more than one wife).
• They were seen as a threat to existing communities because they voted as a block.
• They were economically successful, creating jealousy.
• Their beliefs were considered blasphemous by other Christians.

How Did the Mormons Succeed?

Brigham Young was an exceptional leader. Under his guidance, the Mormon settlement at Salt Lake City thrived because of:

• Strict organisation — Young controlled the allocation of land and resources.
• Irrigation — They diverted streams to water the dry land, turning the desert into productive farmland.
• Collective effort — Everyone worked together for the good of the community.
• Perpetual Emigrating Fund — This fund helped new converts travel to Salt Lake City.
• Self-sufficiency — They built their own mills, factories, and roads.

Exam Tip: The Mormons are a favourite exam topic. Be prepared to explain both why they moved (persecution, murder of Joseph Smith) and why they succeeded (Brigham Young's leadership, organisation, irrigation, collective effort).

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The Donation Land Act (1850) and the Homestead Act (1862)

The US government actively encouraged settlement of the West through a series of laws.

Law	Date	Key Provisions
Donation Land Act	1850	Gave 320 acres of free land to white male settlers in Oregon who had arrived before 1850; 160 acres to those arriving 1850–1855
Homestead Act	1862	Any US citizen (including freed slaves and women) could claim 160 acres of land for free, provided they farmed it for 5 years
Timber Culture Act	1873	Settlers could claim an extra 160 acres if they planted trees on 40 acres of it

The Homestead Act was particularly significant because it opened up the Plains to mass settlement. However, it also created problems:

• 160 acres was often not enough land to farm profitably on the dry Plains.
• Many claims were made by speculators and railroad companies, not genuine farmers.
• The 5-year requirement was very difficult to meet given the harsh conditions.

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Challenges Faced by Early Settlers

Life on the Plains was extremely hard for the early settlers, often called homesteaders or sodbusters.

Challenge	Detail
Building materials	No trees meant no timber; settlers built sod houses (soddies) cut from the prairie turf
Fuel	With no wood, settlers burned buffalo chips (dried dung) or twisted hay
Water	Scarce; settlers had to dig deep wells or rely on windmills
Farming the land	The tough prairie sod was almost impossible to plough with ordinary equipment
Extreme weather	Blizzards, droughts, tornadoes, and hailstorms destroyed crops and killed livestock
Pests	Grasshopper plagues (especially 1874) devastated crops across the Plains
Isolation	Nearest neighbours could be miles away; loneliness was a major problem, especially for women
Conflict	Tensions with Native Americans and cattle ranchers over land use

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Technological Solutions

Over time, new technologies helped settlers overcome the challenges of the Plains.

Technology	How It Helped
Steel plough (John Deere, 1837)	Could cut through the tough prairie sod
Windmill	Pumped water from deep underground
Barbed wire (Joseph Glidden, 1874)	Allowed farmers to fence off land without timber
Dry farming techniques	Conserved moisture in the soil during droughts
Railroad	Brought supplies, took crops to market, and brought new settlers

Exam Tip: Technology is a key factor in explaining how the Plains were settled. A common question asks you to evaluate the most important factor in the settlement of the Plains. Consider technology alongside government policy, the railroad, individual determination, and events like the Gold Rush.

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Expanded Specific Detail: Legislation, Leaders, and Numbers

AQA top-band responses on Plains settlement depend on precise detail. Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Fayette, New York, in April 1830, publishing the Book of Mormon the same year. After persecution in Ohio and Missouri, the Mormons built the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, which by 1844 rivalled Chicago in population. Smith was shot dead by a mob at Carthage jail, Illinois, on 27 June 1844. Under Brigham Young, the Mormons left Nauvoo in February 1846 and the advance party reached the Great Salt Lake on 24 July 1847 — still celebrated as Pioneer Day in Utah. The Perpetual Emigrating Fund (established 1849) assisted some 26,000 converts, many from Britain and Scandinavia, to reach Utah between 1849 and 1887. The Homestead Act of 20 May 1862 granted 160 acres to any citizen (or intending citizen) aged 21 or head of household, requiring them to live on and improve the land for five years before receiving full title ("proving up"); filing fees were $18. Between 1862 and 1900, approximately 372,000 homestead claims were patented. The Timber Culture Act (1873) offered a further 160 acres if 40 (later 10) were planted with trees. Technological milestones include John Deere's steel plough (1837), Joseph Glidden's patented barbed wire (24 November 1874) at DeKalb, Illinois, and the proliferation of windmills adapted to deep Plains wells. The grasshopper plagues of 1874–1877 (Rocky Mountain locust) devastated farms from Minnesota to Texas; the 1874 swarm was estimated at 12.5 trillion insects.

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Extended Worked Paragraph: Level 4/5 Model Response

Question: Explain the significance of the Homestead Act (1862) for the settlement of the Plains (8 marks).