USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -As settlers and homesteaders moved westward to improve the land given to them through the Homestead Act, they faced a difficult and often insurmountable challenge. The land was difficult to farm, there were few building materials, and harsh weather, insects, and inexperience led to frequent setbacks.

Detailed explanation-2: -Mountains, rivers, and deserts were potentially deadly barriers to travel. The lack of water in arid regions was a real threat, and wild animals also might prove deadly. Outlaws operated along the western trails and stole from pioneers.

Detailed explanation-3: -The sparsely populated western regions of the continent became folded into a nation with enormous potential for power. The hundreds of thousands of settlers who moved west established new communities. New territories gave the country access to greater natural resources and the Pacific trade.