Homesteaders: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when referring to people who acquire land to live on and farm, usually in the context of the American West during the 19th and early 20th centuries. These people often received land through government acts like the Homestead Act.

• The homesteaders faced many challenges in building their new homes.
• Homesteaders constructed log cabins and planted crops to sustain themselves.

Use generally to describe people who establish a home in a new area. This term is more neutral and can be applied to many contexts, including the settling of new lands within or outside of the homelands.

• Early settlers in the region contributed to the growth of the town.
• Settlers often developed close-knit communities in frontier areas.

Refers to the first people who explore and settle a new area, often going into unknown or less developed regions. They are known for their adventurous spirit and bravery in facing unknown challenges.

• The pioneers crossed the plains in covered wagons.
• Pioneers often relied on their resourcefulness and determination despite the hardships they faced.

Use when talking about people who settle in a new territory while still being subjects of their home country. This term is often used in the context of European countries establishing colonies in the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

• The British colonists established Jamestown in 1607.
• Colonists in the New World faced unfamiliar climates and indigenous peoples.