What was the main purpose of the Homestead Act?

The main purpose of the Homestead Act was to encourage westward migration by offering free land. Enacted in 1862 during the Civil War, the Act aimed to promote the settlement of the American West by providing 160 acres of public land to settlers for a nominal fee, provided they improved the land by building a dwelling and cultivating crops. This legislation was significant in shaping American expansion, as it motivated thousands of families to move westward, contributing to the development of agriculture and communities in previously uninhabited territories. Moreover, it represented the government's effort to populate and develop the frontier, aligning with the 19th-century belief in Manifest Destiny—the idea that Americans were destined to expand across the continent. This historical context solidifies why the option highlighting the encouragement of migration through free land is the correct answer.