Narrative flourish #1 in the Homestead Act is most definitely repetition. And narrative flourish #2 is…um…

Actually, repetition pretty much the only one. We're talking about a legal document here, guys. It ain't a sonnet.

Section 1 lays it out about the requirements to file a claim for a homestead.

[…] That any person who is the head of a family, or who has arrived at the age of twenty-one years, and is a citizen of the United States…and who has never borne arms against the United States Government or given aid and comfort to its enemies, shall, from and after the first January, eighteen hundred and. sixty-three, be entitled to enter one quarter section or a less quantity of unappropriated public lands […]

And Section 2 starts right off with the same info:

[…] That the person applying for the benefit of this act shall, upon application to the register of the land office in which he or she is about to make such entry, make affidavit before the said register or receiver that he or she is the head of a family, or is twenty-one years or more of age, or shall have performed service in the army or navy of the United States, and that he has never borne arms against the Government of the United States or given aid and comfort to its enemies […]

Of course, it continues with new requirements, stating "…and that such application is made for his or her exclusive use and benefit, and that said entry is made for the purpose of actual settlement and cultivation, and not either directly or indirectly for the use or benefit of any other person or persons whomsoever…," but hey: why repeat the original caveats?

After all, the government was trying to prevent fraud and other illicit activities on poorly policed land. (Spoiler alert: they failed.)

But it was a good attempt and the repetition between Sections 1 and 2 make it pretty clear exactly what was required, and that there shouldn’t be any getting around that. Corruption and felonious perjury aside, the Homestead Act was meant to be of benefit for the public. Sure, the government had its demands, but by golly, they were going to make sure they were clear.