Edward Moody McCook (1835–1909) was a prominent lawyer, soldier, and politician who served as the fifth and seventh governor of Colorado Territory (1869–73 and 1874–75). A successful Union cavalry general during the Civil War, McCook became friends with…

Editor's note: This article was updated by CE staff on 5/19/20 to include impact on indigenous people Homesteading was the means by which large amounts of land in the Midwest and western United States came under private ownership after it was…