The Homestead Act of 1862 was gender-blind, allowing women to claim 160 acres of land just like men could. As women homesteaders were helping to homestead the west, suffragists fought to secure the right to vote for women across the United States. The Homestead Era and Women's Suffrage movement were intertwined and left a tremendous impact on history.

In this lesson, viewers and a park ranger will explore how women homesteaders and suffragists broke down gender barriers and paved the way for modern women.

With the promise of Free Land, the Homestead Act of 1862 enticed millions to cultivate the frontier. Families, immigrants, women, and formerly enslaved people flooded 10 percent of the nation’s land to chase their American Dream. American Indian cultures and natural environments gave way to diverse settlement, agricultural success, and industrial advancement—building our nation and changing the land forever. Homestead National Monument of America interprets the Homestead Act of 1862 and tells the stories of the homesteading era.

This will be a private presentation for Village members only, hosted by a docent from the Homestead National Historical Park