From the lede in a Wall Street Journal article we have this:
One hundred and fifty years ago, on May 20, 1862, Abraham Lincoln signed a bill that transformed the country. The Homestead Act offered 160 acres of free public land to settlers who would build a home on it and farm it for at least five years. Anyone 21 years old who was either a citizen or declared the intention to become one could stake a claim.Two things pop out at me about this.
- This act was passed and signed in the middle of a big war, when we were drafting men to go fight, and,
- You didn't have to actually be a citizen as long as you had declared the intention of becoming a citizen.
And, there is some upper limit to the number of immigrants we can absorb at any one moment. We should be aware of that.
Congratulations to the Republicans of 1862.
Regards — Cliff
♠ I do think that we should change our laws so that those who become US Citizens are asked to renounce their previous allegiences. Today dual citizenship is allowed. I don't think it makes sense.
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