The first of the acts, the Homestead Act of 1862, was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on May 20, 1862. Anyone who had never taken up arms against the U.S. government (including freed slaves and women), was 21 years or older, or the head of a family, could file an application to claim a federal land grant.
The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed settlers to claim 160 acres of public land if they met certain eligibility requirements. They had to build a home and live there for five years while making improvements to the land. After completing these conditions, they could gain ownership of the land they claimed.
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