They included immigrants, farmers without land of their own, single women, and formerly enslaved people. The Act was open to immigrants desiring to be American Citizens as well as former slaves.The homestead act helped americans buy their way into the american dream and independently build up wealth through land ownership. This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register. An individual is entitled to a homestead exemption consisting of property in this state in an amount not exceeding: About 160 million acres were given away in the 1862 Homestead Act. That was 10 percent of all US land.