Exodusters

• What was the starting year of the Exoduster movement?

  1879
• What significant event occurred in 1863 related to enslaved Americans?

  President Abraham Lincoln freed enslaved Americans across the United States
• When did the Civil War end?

  1865
• What was the condition of former slaves by 1879?

  They were often still in their slave shacks working for their former masters
• What motivated the Exoduster movement?

  The promise of land and farms in Kansas
• Who was Benjamin Papp Singleton?

  He set up a settlement in Kansas in 1873 under the Homestead Act
• What act allowed people to claim land in Kansas?

  The Homestead Act
• How much land could people claim under the Homestead Act?

  160 acres
• What was the administration fee to claim land under the Homestead Act?

  10 dollars
• Why were the migrants called "Exodusters"?

  They were named after the Exodus of Moses and the dusty conditions in the West
• What religious motivation did the Exodusters have?

  They felt they were echoing the journey of Moses and his people
• Who else besides Benjamin Singleton promoted migration to Kansas?

  Henry Adams
• What was the condition of Kansas when the Exodusters moved there?

  Kansas had joined the Union as a free state in 1861
• What was the impact of the Exoduster movement on black Americans?

  Many struggled to make ends meet as the best land had already been taken
• How did white Americans respond to the Exodusters?

  Southern states opposed them and demanded their return
• What support did the Kansas government provide to the Exodusters?

  The government provided funding and support to help them recover
• By 1880, how many black settlers were in Kansas?

  Over 41,000
• What was one of the settlements founded by the Exodusters?

  Nicodemus
• What happened to the stream of Exodusters by the 1890s?

  The stream of Exodusters had declined
• How did the lives of Exodusters compare to those who stayed in the South?

  They were better off than they would have been had they not left the South
• What were some other states that saw smaller Exoduster movements?

  Nebraska and Oklahoma
• What was the reality of life for Exodusters in Kansas?

  Life was better but still very hard
• What were the main reasons for the Exoduster movement?

  • The promise of land and farms in Kansas
  • False rumors of free land
  • Desire for a better life
  • Support from charities and the Kansas government
• What were the impacts of the Exoduster movement on society?

  • Impact on black Americans: Struggled to make ends meet, charities had to help
  • Response from white Americans: Southern states opposed them, resentment from white settlers
  • Government response: Provided funding and support for sick migrants
  • Settlement growth: Over 41,000 black settlers established communities in Kansas