The Homestea Act was a United States Federal law that gave an applicant freehold title to 160 acres (one quarter section or about 65 hectares) of undeveloped land outside of the original 13 colonies. The new law required three steps: file an application, improve the land, and file for deed of title. Anyone who had never taken up arms against the U.S. Government, including freed slaves, could file an application and improvements to a local land office. The Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on May 20, 1862. Eventually 1.6 million homesteads were granted and 270,000,000 acres (1,100,000 km²) were privatized between 1862 and 1986, a total of 10% of all lands in the United States.