Week 1
Lesson 1
The Homestead Act of 1862
In this class, we'll discuss the Homestead Act, why it was created and what it entailed, why families chose to take advantage of it, what hurdles they faced once they reached their plot of land, the successes and failures of the Act, how speculators took advantage of it, and what damage the move west caused, particularly to the Native Americans who were already settled on the land.
 Week 2
Lesson 2
Single Pioneer Women in the American West
In this class we'll discuss the reasons women moved west, the hardships they faced, their triumph over the pioneer hazards they found, and the overall impact of pioneer life on women and girls. We'll discuss several pioneer women and their lives on the frontier, including Elinore Pruitt Stewart, one of the most well-known single pioneer women.
 Week 3
Lesson 3
Exodusters: African American Pioneers in Kansas
In this class we will discuss the way in which the Homestead Act impacted African Americans, what led up to the Exodus to Kansas, what life on the frontier was like for these new pioneers, how their mass migration impacted both the South and Kansas, what led them to pick Kansas as their destination and what John Brown had to do with it, and how the Exodusters fared in their new surroundings. 
 Week 4
Lesson 4
Chinese Immigrants and Westward Expansion
In this class we will discuss how Chinese Immigrants came to live on the west coast of California during the Gold Rush, what life was like for them during this time, their role in the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, how they played a part in frontier life in the mid-western states, what impact the Homestead Act had on them, and what kept them from returning home. We will also discuss the Chinese Exclusion Act and how this impacted the lives of Chinese Immigrants.