What was the Desert Land Act of 1877 designed to promote?

The Desert Land Act of 1877 was specifically designed to promote the irrigation of arid lands for farming. The idea behind the act was to encourage settlement and agricultural development in the arid regions of the western United States, which were largely unproductive without adequate water supply. Under this legislation, individuals could obtain up to 640 acres of land at a low cost, provided they demonstrated an intention to irrigate the land and develop it for farming purposes.

This act played a significant role in promoting agricultural expansion in the West by incentivizing settlers to utilize irrigation techniques to transform arid land into productive farmland. It reflected the broader goals of the U.S. government to encourage settlement in the West, improve the economy, and increase food production during a period of rapid expansion and development in the United States.