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The Articles of Confederation allowed states to determine citizenship.
States could determine how a person becomes a citizen. -
Naturalization Act
Excluded non-white people from naturalizing. -
"Black laws"
Limited travel in and out of states for African-Americans and required supervision from white people. -
U.S. declared war on Britain
United States government asserted the ability to naturalize immigrants. -
Black-led immigration movements
American colonization society aimed to send free African-Americans to West Africa. -
First Mass Black Protest
Reject America's idea to send free African-Americans to West Africa. -
Missouri Compromise
Missouri passed black laws that restricted free African-Americans from migrated to the state. -
Indian Removal Act
This act denied U.S. citizenship to indigenous Americans and forcibly relocated them. -
First Legal Treatise on the Rights of Free African-Americans
This treatise proclaimed that free African-Americans could not be removed from their state or the United States -
Expedited Naturalization for German and Irish Immigrants
Local courts would expedite the naturalization process for white Germans and Irish immigrants -
Voting Rights in the West
In an attempt to grow immigration in the West, states gave immigrants who intended on becoming citizens voting rights. -
U.S.-Mexican War
100,000 Mexicans became U.S. citizens after the U.S. took 55% of Mexico in the war. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
The United States supreme court ruled that African-Americans were not U.S. citizens. -
Civil Rights Act
This act gave birthright citizenship to everyone except Indigenous Americans. -
Naturalization Act
This act allowed African-Americans to be naturalized. -
U.S. Citizenship Extended to Some Indigenous Americans
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BINA Act
Puerto Ricans could become United States citizens by moving to U.S. mainland and applying for citizenship. -
Jones Act
Congress gave citizenship to citizens of Puerto Rico -
19th Amendment
U.S. Women gained the right to vote through the 19th Amendment -
Alien Veteran Naturalization Act
Permitted Asian WW1 veterans to apply for U.S. citizenship. -
Congress Allowed Indian and Filipino Immigrants to Apply for U.S. Citizenship
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Immigration Reform and Control Act
Provided a pathway for nearly three million immigrants.