Actually the Homestead Act was a little more complicated that someone just claiming land. They had to prove it up (in other words homestead and start putting in crops), and there were some other requirements as well. And as far as the original settlers being Hippies...that looks cute in retrospect but the reality on the ground was far different and very harsh.
I could go on about Frontier history, but that's diverting the thread as Ken pointed out.
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