The term "common people" refers to the majority of the population who are not part of the elite or upper class. They typically include working-class individuals and families with average incomes.
Related terms
Homestead Act: This legislation provided an opportunity for common people to acquire land in the western territories by offering them affordable prices and certain requirements such as building a dwelling and cultivating the land.
Land Grants: These were parcels of land given to individuals or groups, often settlers, by the government as a means to encourage settlement and development in specific regions.
Manifest Destiny: This belief held by many Americans in the 1800s emphasized that it was their destiny to expand westward and settle new territories, which directly impacted common people's aspirations for land ownership.