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United States was Founded
The United States won independence from Britain in 1776. -
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United States was Founded
The United States won independence from Britain in 1776 and according to The National Constitution Center there was no clear restrictions on citizenship and race at the ratification of the Constitution. Citizenship was depended on the state and national level. - No citizenship tests were given to immigrants. all citizenship was overseen by local courts -
Naturalization Bill
The Naturalization Act of 1790 was the first bill to set rules for citizenship. It stated that any free whites who have lived in one jurisdiction for two years and "of good character" would be granted citizenship. -
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The Irish Wave
During these years Irish immigrants were fleeing to America to make a better life in states such as Ohio, Wisconsin, and other parts of the Midwest. As most of the Irish immigrants were cathloic, the know-nothing movement was the first anti-immigrant party and sought to put an end immigration to the United States. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
The Supreme Court case of Scott v. Sandford was a famous American court case involving citizenship. Dred Scott, a slave in nineteenth century America took his former master to court in hopes of becoming free. He argued that since his master moved him to a free state that he was indeed a freed man. However the Supreme Court did not rule in his favor because salves were considered property and did not have the right to sue. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
Lyman Trumbull of Illinois introduced the first Civil Rights Act to congress to make all people born in the United States no matter the race an American Citizen. Giving all citizens the same basic rights -
14th Amendment
With the help of the Civil Rights Act, and the winning and the Civil War the 14 Amendment was passed giving all races who were born in the U.S. even former slaves the right citizenship protected by the Constitution. -
The Chinese Exclusion Act
The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first law passed to restrict immigration according to the National Archives. The law banned from Chinese workers from entering into the United States for 10 years and did not give them the option to become citizens in hopes of stopping them from re-entering. Americans believed that the Chinese people were coming into America to take their jobs and and led to violent hate crimes toward Chinese immigrants. -
Federal Office of Immigration Opens
The first Federal Office of Immigration station opens on Ellis Island in New York -
Naturalization Act of 1906
Added new requirements to the Naturalization bill. Creating the citizenship test, enacted an english language requirement, and made the issue of citizenship a federal process only. -
References
Reed Amar, A., Harrison, J. C. (n.d.). Common Interpretation. Constitutioncenter.org. Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/articles/amendment-xiv/clauses/700 U.S Immigration and Citizenship Services (2020, September 2). Origins of the Naturalization Civics Test. Uscis.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/our-history/stories-from-the-archives/origins-of-the-naturalization-civics-test