This 1862 act gave 160 acres of free land to anyone who had lived on it & improved it for 5 years
... (
which had opposed free distribution of land), the Federal Homestead Act, .... not 
to exceed 160 acres of public lands after he had resided upon and improved the
... [DOC] [TLE] HOMESTEAD HISTORY Unit Two - National Park Service [PAR] Homestead History.