Pioneers, Frontier Life for Kids and Teachers Illustration

Pioneers, Frontier Life for Kids and Teachers

The first thing the settlers did when they arrived at their destination on the frontier was to claim or buy land. In the 1830s and 40s, land was about $2 an acre around the Great Lakes and in Oregon and California. The Homestead Act, which offered 160 acres for free (with certain requirements), made settlement on the prairies most attractive. Some people loved their life as a pioneer. Others found life too harsh and headed home.