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1492
Landing of Columbus
When Christopher Columbus first landed in the New World he originally thought he was in the East Indies and titled Native Americans as "Indians" due to this. This misnomer has led to the mistreatment of Native Americans and improper recognition of their culture and heritage. However, not only did the naming of these indigenous people cause mistreatment, the introduction of Eastern diseases had immense harm and caused many deaths. The two groups involved were Native Americans and White colonists. -
Slave Codes
The passage of the Virginia slave codes allowed any foreign Non-Christians to be enslaved and considered property. The introduction of this law was the beginning of a systemic system of racism and slavery in the United States. By allowing these people to be considered property it introduced a racist system that would haunt America for centuries and lead to mistreatment of African Americans. The most important groups in this event were slave owners, slaves and the government making this choice. -
Indian Boarding Schools
These schools are one of the greatest examples of forced assimilation to the dominant white culture. In these schools the government would take Native American children and force their values and beliefs on them. Here, children were unable to reflect any of their native culture including speaking their native tongue in hopes of fast assimilation and the forgetting of all native traditions. By removing children from their land, schools played a role in the loss of respect for native culture. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act forced Native American tribes to relocate from east of the Mississippi River to the west. While a few tribes peacefully went, many resisted to follow the orders of this new oppression. Other than having to completely relocate and start a new life the consequences of this relocation have been seen through decades by allowing a power dynamic to continuously oppress Natives. Andrew Jackson signed this into law with the support of colonists, affecting Natives and their land. -
Transcontinental Railway
While the Transcontinental Railway was being built the government hired many Asian and Chinese immigrants to labor on its construction. However, since these immigrants were struggling to survive and needed work the government was able to control them through an extremely low salary. This set a standard in the country that those who come from an immigrant background have no place in higher-paying jobs and rather belong in these low-paying manual jobs, harming the economic system. -
Indian Appropriation Act
This Act added onto the removal of Natives from their land but then additionally declared that no Indian tribe could be seen as an independent nation or tribe. This lead to the government being able to steal Native land even easier and with less push backs and harmed their ability to hunt and fish in their traditional ways. The major individuals involved were the Natives, President Grant who signed it into law and those who funded this removal. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
This Act stopped the immigration of Chinese immigrants to America in hopes of boosting the economy and restoring "taken jobs" and was the first ever Act to do something like this. Since the resulting Chinese were unable to return home they were forced to stay in segregated cities. This painted a story that all Chinese were unwelcome and could not play a valuable role in America, which has been integrated through society. President Author was the one to implement this law causing immense harm. -
California Alien Land Law
This law prohibited any Asian immigrants from having land ownership and deemed them ineligible for citizenship. By limiting their rights and ability to make a life in America the government impacted the success of Asian, Chinese and Japanese immigrants for decades. Rather than promoting an idea of equality the government emplaced a system where Whites saw them as less still impacting today. The governor who implemented this law was Hiram Johnson and it majorly impacted many immigrants. -
National Origins Act
This Act was implemented in hopes of keeping the ethnic stock in the U.S. as undiluted as possible and allowed for the government to choose which immigrants they welcomed and which ones they did not. Rather than setting the standard that America was a welcome place for everyone, this Act controlled whether you were permitted based on your national origin and created a space of prejudice and bias. It was nicknamed the Johnson-Reed Act and was implemented by the 68th US Congress. -
Redlining
Redlining refers to the practice of trying to keep a certain racial group (African Americans) out of an area through denying them rights and ability to live there. By doing things such as creating red zones and denying black families credit, the government was able to block the interaction between white and black Americans. This has led to a generational decrease in wealth for black families and an idea of physical segregation that still occurs in many of Americas cities harming our country. -
Citations
Slave Codes:
“Africans in America/Part 1/Virginia’s Slave Codes.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p268.html#:~:text Accessed 27 July 2024. Indian Removal:
“Research Guides: Indian Removal Act: Primary Documents in American History: Introduction.” Introduction - Indian Removal Act: Primary Documents in American History - Research Guides at Library of Congress, guides.loc.gov/indian-removal-. Accessed 27 July 2024. -
Citations Pt.2
Chinese Exclusion:
“Chinese Exclusion Act (1882).” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/chinese-exclusion-act#:~:text=It%20was%20the%20first%20significant,immigrating%20to%20the%20United%20States. Accessed 27 July 2024. Land Laws:
Madeo. “May 3, 1913: California’s Alien Land Law.” Calendar.Eji.Org, calendar.eji.org/racial-injustice/may/3#:~:text Accessed 27 July 2024. -
Citations Pt.3
Redlining:
2, ished June. “Redlining.” Federal Reserve History, www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/redlining#:~:text=The%20FHA%20began%20redlining%20at,20%2Dyear%20loans%20they%20were. Accessed 27 July 2024. Origin Act:
“Immigration Act.” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, history.state.gov/milestones/1921-1936/immigration-act. Accessed 27 July 2024.