Homestead Act of 1860

There was much concern about the free land idea. Southerners, who were very pro-slavery, worried that this would result in the West becoming populated with free-soilers. This in turn would create many new anti-slavery states, creating an imbalance in the Senate, destroying the South's control. This was the main reason for Buchanan's veto; he consistently did what the South wanted. Another group who opposed this idea was the Eastern industrialists. They feared employees would be drained into the West for free land.

• Homestead Act (1862)