Homestead Act 1862
The Homestead Act was a United States Federal law that gave freehold title to 160 acres (one quarter section or about 65 hectares) of undeveloped land in the American West. The person to whom title was granted had to be at least 21 years of age, white, and free, to have built
on the section, and to have farmed on it for 5 years, and to have a house on
it that was at least 12 by 14 feet (3.6 x 4.3 m) in size. The Act was signed
into law by President Abraham Lincoln on May 20, 1862. Eventually 1.6 million homesteads were granted and 270 million acres was privatized between 1862
and 1964. A total of 10% of all lands in the United States.