Who were the various groups of migrants to the West after the Civil War? Why did they move there?

Various groups of people moved to the West after the Civil War were the Southerners along with Mormons, and Protestants when the government issued an Act called the Homestead Act of 1862. Under this Act, land in the West was opened for thousands of American to settle there. People started to move to the West because of population growth in the eastern states. Availability of fertile land at a cheaper price in the West drove the white American to develop ranch and farm.