American citizens and immigrants who had applied to become citizens could acquire land directly from the government through the

American citizens and immigrants who had applied to become citizens could acquire land directly from the government through the "Homestead Act." It was in the best interest of both the people and the government to occupy this land. 

The Homestead Acts constituted numerousl laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a "homestead.”

as general terms,  indian territory,  the indian territories, or  indian country  describe an evolving land area set aside by the  united states government  for the relocation of  native americans  who held  aboriginal title  to their land. in general, the tribes ceded land they occupied in exchange for  land grants  in 1803. the concept of an indian territory was an outcome of the 18th- and 19th-century policy of  indian removal. after the  civil war(1861–1865), the policy of the government was one of  assimilation.