What was the Dominion Land Act? What were settlers required to do on the land?
Question
What was the Dominion Land Act? What were settlers required to do on the land?
Solution
The Dominion Land Act was a federal law passed in Canada in 1872. It allowed for lands in western Canada to be given to individuals who paid a small registration fee, essentially to encourage the settlement of the area. This act is often compared to the Homestead Act of 1862 in the United States.
Under the Dominion Land Act, settlers were required to "prove up" their claim to the land. This meant they had to build a dwelling (usually a house) and cultivate a portion of the land within three years. The requirements were specifically:
- The settler must build a permanent dwelling on the land, typically at least 18 by 20 feet in size.
- The settler must cultivate at least 30 acres of the land.
- The settler must live on the homestead for at least six months each year for three years.
If these conditions were met, the settler would then own the land outright. If not, the land would revert back to the Dominion of Canada.
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