Lincoln signs the Department of Agriculture and Homestead Act into law (1862)

In May 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed two significant legislative acts. On May 15, he established the Department of Agriculture as an independent bureau headed by a commissioner without cabinet status. On May 20, he signed the Homestead Act, which opened millions of acres for settlement. These actions occurred during the 37th Congress, following the secession of Southern states which had previously blocked homestead legislation.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. A homestead bill passed Congress in 1860 but was vetoed by President James Buchanan, a Democrat. After the Southern states seceded in 1861 and their delegates left Congress, Republicans and supporters from the upper South passed a homestead act that Lincoln signed on May 20, 1862. The 37th Congress met in Washington, D.C., from March 4, 1861, to March 4, 1863, during the first two years of Lincoln's presidency.

Department of Agriculture. On May 15, 1862, Lincoln established the independent Department of Agriculture through the Morrill Act. The new entity was headed by a commissioner without Cabinet status. This act, cited as Sess. 2, ch. 72, 12 Stat. 387, created a distinct federal agency for agricultural oversight.

Homestead Act. The Homestead Act of 1862 was signed on May 20, 1862, and went into effect on January 1, 1863. It aimed to reduce the cost of homesteading under the Preemption Act. The act opened up millions of acres of government-held land in the West for purchase at low cost.

People involved

Sources

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