Ah, Donation Land. Our least favorite theme park, boasting attractions such as all-you-can-eat campfire stew and the famous rollercoaster "Only White Dudes Allowed."

Let's break down what is essentially the Homestead Act, only smaller and less equal rights-y.

The Who:

The Donation Land Claim Act only let white males take ownership of land…because the writers were clearly jerks. A married couple could double their land in the name of the wife, but it wasn't the egalitarian premise of the Homestead Act, which allowed single women to own their own land. The earlier law allowed claimants of eighteen years or older, as opposed to the twenty-one year age limit of the Homestead Act.

The What:

The Donation Land Claim Act only included land in the Oregon Territory, while the Homestead Act opened up pretty much the rest of the western territories. The earlier act allowed for 320 acres per white male and up to 640 acres for married couples. The Homestead Act allowed much less with a cap of 160 acres.

The How:

Four years of constant improvement were required by the Donation Land Claim Act, although those could be retroactive to the passing of the law, and claimants were granted immediate ownership. The Homestead Act required five years of constant improvement after the claim, plus a filing fee and two witnesses, and then the title was transferred.

Just like the Homestead Act, a couple of later addendums to the Donation Land Claim Act were passed changing the amount of land and allowing purchase instead of working the land. The Donation Land Claim Act was moot after 1863, however, when the Homestead Act took effect across the whole country. (Source)

Good riddance, Donation Act.