One of the Important reasons for the 1836 Specie Circular was the uncontrolled land speculation in the West. Real estate speculation was funded by increased availability of credit from the Second Bank of the United States and new, reckless frontier banks
The 1862 Homestead Act accelerated settlement of U.S. western territory by allowing any American, including freed slaves, to put in a claim for up to 160 free acres of federal land.
Creating large armies, creating armies and navies, creating new weapons, and threatening to or invading other countries.
