What sort of people took advantage of the homestead act

The Homestead acts were a group of laws passed in 1862 in which an individual could legally acquire ownership of a portion of government land. This portion of granted land was called a homestead.

The Homestead acts opened a window of opportunity for members of the population which were previously ineligible, like an adult who had never raised arms against the federal government of the United States, women, and immigrants who were applying for the US citizenship.

the answer to your question is

the treaty of hopewell