How did the Homestead Act contribute to the development of America’s natural resources?
a. The act allowed people to develop those resources.
b. The act allowed people to invest money in those resources.
c. The act allowed people to identify those resources.
d. The act allowed people to locate those resources.

a. The act allowed people to develop those resources.

Explanation:

The Homestead Act was passed in 1862 during the Civil War in order to facilitate westward settling and expansion. It allowed citizens to have free land to the west as long as they agreed to settle on it and cultivate crops. It was a surprisingly well-thought-out move on the government's part!

A is correct because the natural resources mentioned in the question are America's fertile land to the west; settlers did not invest money, identify, or locate that land. They knew it was there, they just had to go settle on it and plant crops.

b) a state law could be declared illegal if it contradicted the constitution.

explanation:

the conflict of this case originated when james w. mcculloch, a cashier of the baltimore branch of the second bank of the united states that the congress had chartered in 1816, refused to pay a tax imposed by the maryland state.

in the case, the state of maryland appealed that the establishment of a second bank was unconstitutional since the constitution didn't say anything about granting that power to congress. however, the case determined that even if such right wasn't specifically stated in the constitution, it was part of the "implied powers" of the government enunciated in article i, section 8.

the case also eliminated maryland's legislation to impose taxes to a national bank, asserting that even though the states retained the power of taxation, the constitution's laws are supreme and can not be controlled by the states, therefore, if a state law contradicts the constitution, it should be declared illegal.

explanation: