Due to the lack of timber on the Great Plains, many homesteaders built their first homes out of:
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Correct answer: Blocks of prairie sod and grass roots
On the treeless prairies, settlers used the thick, matted roots of prairie grass to cut 'bricks' for houses. While 'soddies' were well-insulated against extreme temperatures, they were often damp and prone to pests.
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More Homestead Act questions
- Which technological innovation was most essential for homesteaders to fence their land on the treeless plains?
- The Timber Culture Act of 1873 was an amendment to the Homestead Act that allowed settlers to claim more land if they:
- A major criticism of the Homestead Act's effectiveness was that much of the best land was actually acquired by:
- In the context of the Homestead Act, what was a 'land run'?
- What environmental challenge was most common for homesteaders on the Great Plains west of the 100th meridian?
- The Morill Land-Grant Act of 1862 was passed alongside the Homestead Act to: