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Nationality Act of 1790
This was a law that defined US citizenship as for only "free white persons." It also established the procedures to follow for immigrants looking for US citizenship. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
After gaining more than half of Mexico's territory, from the Mexican-American War, the US conferred citizenship on Mexicans choosing to remain in the territory. -
People v. Hall
It was decided that Chinese, Native Americans, and African Americans were not allowed to testify against white people. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
This was a court ruling that stated free African Americans and slaves had no rights and were not US citizens. -
Emancipation Proclamation
An act issued by President Abraham Lincoln stated people held as slaves were free which only states that seceded from the US and did not include the bordering states and parts of the confederacy. -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment was amended to give African Americans birthright citizenship. -
Naturalization Act of 1870
This act gave naturalization rights to African Americans however, it denied naturalization rights to other groups of non-whites such as Asians. -
United States v. Wong Kim Ark
This Supreme Court case established the precedent that any person born in the United States is a citizen by birth regardless of race or parents' status. -
Expatriation Act of 1907
Under the principle that women assumed the citizenship of their husbands, this act stripped citizenship from U.S.-born women when they married noncitizen immigrant men. -
Alien Land Laws in California
The western states accepted laws that banned foreigners ineligible for citizenship from owning or leasing land. -
Jones-Shafroth Act
Puerto Ricans were given U.S. citizenship after the United States acquired the island. -
Cable Act
Congress swiftly enacted this law to restore citizenship to U.S.-born women who had married noncitizen husbands and thereby lost their citizenship under the Expatriation Act of 1907. -
Indian Citizenship Act
All Native Americans born in the United States were automatically citizens by birth.