American Citizenship

By shortmom1

  • Declaration of Independence

    protests England's limiting naturalization of foreigners in the colonies.

  • Native Americans

    Reservations are established for Native Americans. Policies were also created with how to handle each tribe as an independent nation.

  • Article I of the Constitution

    " to establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization"

  • Naturalization Act of 1790

    Established the first law of US Citizenship. Allows any free white person of "good character" who has been living in the United States for 2 years or longer, to apply for citizenship.

  • Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

    provides citizenship to every inhabitant living in the territory annexed to the Unites States following the Mexican War.

  • Dred Scott Decision

    Supreme Court declares blacks are not citizens of the United States in Dred Scott v. Sanford

  • Thirteenth Amendment

    abolished slavery, still does not grant citizenship to formerly enslaved people the full rights of citizenship

  • 14th Amendment

    All persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens and are guaranteed "equal protection of the laws".

  • Naturalization Act of 1870

    naturalization rights are extended to former African slaves not born in the United States. However, Asian immigrants are excluded from citizenship

  • United States v. Wong Kim Ark

    any children born in the United Staes regardless of the race or the citizenship of their parents, is an American citizen.

  • "Gentlemens Agreement"

    Japan would limit emigration to a certain category of business and professional men. United States in return desegrated Japanese students from white students in San Franciso Schools.

  • Jones-Shafroth Act

    Citizenship is granted to inhabitants of Puerto Rico.

  • Ozawa v. United States

    first generation Japanese are ineligible for citizenship subsequently they cannot apply for naturalization.

  • Native American Citizenship

    A bill is signed by President Calvin Coolidge that Native Americans have full citizenship.

  • Magnuson Act of 1943

    Repeals the previous Exclusion Act of 1882, establishing a quota for Chinese immigrants and makes it so they are now eligible for U.S. citizenship.

  • Immigration and Nationality Act

    every individual, regardless of race, is eligible for naturalization.