Source P I have examined thirty-seven homestead claims in this district and find that while the majority of claimants have fulfilled the legal requirements ...
Question 1 Report
Source P
I have examined thirty-seven homestead claims in this district and find that while the majority of claimants have fulfilled the legal requirements of five years' continuous residence, the quality of their existence raises serious questions about the wisdom of encouraging settlement in this region. The rainfall here averages barely fifteen inches per year, far below what is needed for the cereal crops these settlers attempt to grow. Families live in sod houses dug into the earth, with dirt floors and grass roofs that leak in the few rains we receive. Grasshopper plagues have destroyed entire harvests twice in the past four years. Several families have abandoned their claims and returned east. Those who remain survive on determination and very little else.
From a report by a federal land inspector in western Kansas, 1878.
Use the source to help you answer.
'The Homestead Act of 1862 successfully opened up the American West to ordinary settlers.' How far do you agree? Explain your answer using the sources and your knowledge. [10]
Answer Details
This question asks how useful a source is for understanding why some Americans migrated westward in the mid-nineteenth century. You must evaluate the source's contribution and identify its limitations.
What the source tells us: Brigham Young's letter to church members (December 1847) identifies religious persecution as the driving force behind the Mormon migration. He describes "persecution, mob violence and the murder of our prophet" (Joseph Smith, killed in Carthage, Illinois, in 1844). The Great Salt Lake settlement is presented as a refuge where Mormons can worship freely. Young emphasises self-sufficiency through irrigation and urges followers to bring seeds, tools, and livestock.
Why the source is useful: It provides direct evidence of one important motivation for westward migration: the search for religious freedom. The Mormon migration was distinctive because it was driven by persecution rather than economic opportunity. The source also reveals practical details about pioneer life: the need for irrigation in arid land, the communal organisation of the settlement, and the hardships of the journey.
Limitations: The source represents only one type of migrant. Most Americans who moved west were motivated by economic opportunity: cheap land under the Preemption Act of 1841 or the Homestead Act of 1862, the Gold Rush after 1848, or the ideology of Manifest Destiny. The source is also written by the Mormon leader, who had a clear purpose in encouraging migration to build his community. He presents an optimistic picture, not mentioning potential difficulties such as conflict with Native Americans or the harsh desert environment beyond describing the land as "dry and barren."
Reaching Level 3 (5-6 marks): The best answers recognise that the source is useful for understanding one specific and important motivation for migration but cannot represent the full range of reasons. You should explain both what makes it valuable (firsthand, detailed, from a key historical figure) and what it omits (the majority of migrants' motivations). Identifying the source as "one important but atypical" example shows sophisticated evaluation.
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