"Proving up" was a term used during the Homestead Act of 1862 to refer to the process of fulfilling the requirements necessary to gain ownership of a homestead. Homesteaders had to live on and improve the land for a specified period of time, usually five years, before they could receive the title deed to the property. This process demonstrated that the homesteader was capable of making productive use of the land and was committed to settling and developing it.
