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(on Archives.gov) Passed on May 20, 1862, the Homestead Act accelerated the settlement of the western territory by granting adult heads of families 160 acres of surveyed public land for a minimal filing fee and 5 years of continuous residence on that land.
The Homestead Act. Another spike in westward migration came with the Homestead Act of 1862 and similar bills in the 1870s. Beginning on New Year's Day, 1863, individuals could apply for a 160-acre homestead west of the Mississippi River.The land was free, but in order to get the deed, the owner had to build a 12x14' home and grow crops for five years.he Homestead Act of 1862 and other similar legislation encouraged more settlement by giving away free land in the Great Plains to individuals.