Why was 160 acres considered insufficient for a family trying to make a living on the plains and how did the government react?

Answer 1

160 acres was considered insufficient for a family trying to make a living on the plains due to the challenging environmental conditions, such as drought, poor soil quality, and the need for larger tracts of land to sustain crops and livestock. The Homestead Act of 1862 granted this amount of land, but many settlers quickly realized it was inadequate for successful farming. In response to these challenges, the government later amended the original act to allow for larger homesteads, and programs were introduced to encourage irrigation and improve land management practices.