Thanks to Owen Lovejoy and the Republicans, the Homestead Bill passed the House of Representatives. The bill provided for any head of family of age with land up to 160 acres under certain conditions. In May 1860, the Senate passed its version and the completed bill emerged from conference committee on June 19, 1860. On June 22, 1860, President Buchanan vetoed the bill. The Homestead Act finally became law in 1862. (By John Osborne)
Source Citation
John Fitch Cleveland and Horace Greeley, A Political Text Book for 1860 .... (New York: The Tribune Association, 1860), 188-192.
Record Data
Date Certainty
Exact
Type
Lawmaking/Litigating
