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U.S Constitution Ratified
The United States Constitution ratified but the original document sought only to account for white males -
Naturalization Act
The Naturalization Act was passed stating only whites were considered citizens of the United States, excluding enslaved people, free blacks, Native Americans, indentured servants, and non-white Asians -
Civil War Begins
The question of slavery and its related events came to a head when Civil War broke out in the United States -
Emancipation Proclamation
The government of the Northern States, led by Abraham Lincoln, passed the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves free, though the war itself continued to rage on for two years more -
US Civil War Ends
The US Civil War ends bringing with it freedom for all slaves. However, freedom left open questions around citizenship and the place in society the newly freed slave had -
Naturalization Act of 1790 revisited
Congress expanded the Naturalization Act of 1790, to include not just white person, but persons of African descent. Discrimination still permeated sections of the country -
Chinese Exclusion Act
As with former slaves, discrimination was an issue with those of Asian descent. Many Asians helped with westward expansion, settling in the frontier and supporting construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, but they were seen as inferior and unwelcome in the county. The Chinese Exclusion Act sought to place barriers to further immigration from those of Asian descent. -
Indian Citizenship Act
Indians finally received the first recognition for inclusion as citizens within the United States with the passage of the Indian Citizenship Act -
McCarran-Walter Act
Individuals of Asian descent were finally recognized as citizens with the passage of the McCarran-Walter Act of 1952. The act put address one of the remaining gaps of the Naturalization Act of 1790 -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, further expanded on the idea of all citizens being created equal and looked to address discrimination inequities still remaining in the country with the basic premise stating discrimination was prohibited on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.... -
Present Day
Some could argue the divide around citizenship continues to this day with immigration, DEI discussion, and debate over racial equity continuing to create division in the country.....