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The Articles of Confederation
Empowered states to determine citizenship and naturalization (gcir, 2023). -
Naturalization Act of 1790
Citizenship was limited to free whites, who had resided in the U.S for at least 2 years. They had to be of good moral character (gcir, 2023) -
Naturalization Act of 1795
Congress increased the residency period for citizenship from two years to five years (gcir, 2023) -
The Indian Removal Act
Denied U.S citizenship to Indigenous Americans (gcir, 2023) -
Naturalizations of German and Irish Immigrants
Judges would expedite free naturalization documents for German and Irish immigrants in exchange for votes (gcir, 2023) -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalogo
Mexicans in the claimed states were given U.S citizenship if they chose to stay. Approximately 100,000 Mexicans became U.S citizens but they didn't have all of the same rights as white citizens (gcir, 2023) -
Dred Scott V. Sandford
The Supreme Court ruled that a former slave was not a U.S citizen. Therefore, African Americans were not U.S citizens. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
Established birthright citizenship and made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, except Indigenous Americans (gcir, 2023) -
14th Amendment
Citizenship to everyone who was born in the U.S, except Indigenous Americans. Also, it did not protect the right to vote, sit on juries, hold office, or equal rights (gcir, 2023) -
Natualization Act of 1870
Extended naturalization rights to people of African descent. It denied these rights to other minorities, especially Asians (gcir, 2023) -
Chinese Exclusion Act
Made individuals from Chinese descent ineligible for U.S citizenship (gcir, 2023) -
Dawes Severalty Act
U.S citizenship for Indigenous Americans who received land through this act (gcir, 2023). -
Indigenous women and marriage to white U.S Citizens
Most indigenous women who married white U.S citizens were granted U.S citizenship (gcir, 2023). -
Birthright Citizenship
Any child born in the U.S is a citizen regardless of their parents' citizen status (gcir, 2023) -
Treaty of Paris
At the end of the Spanish- American war, Filipinos, Guamanians, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans were given natural status, which is a status between citizen and non-citizen (gcir, 2023). -
Expatriation Act
U.S born women could lose their citizenship if they married a non-citizen (gcir, 2023). -
Jones-Shafroth Act
Granted limited U.S citizenship to Puerto Ricans (gcir, 2023). -
Citizenship Act of 1919
Indigenous WWI veterans could become citizens (gcir, 2023). -
U.S v. Bhagat Thind
The U.S government revoke the citizenship of individuals of Indian descent. They also revoked the citizenship of felons, traitors, war criminals and alleged communists (gcir, 2023). -
Indian Citizenship Act
Native Americans were given U.S citizenship, however some states did not give them the right to vote (gcir, 2023). -
Virgin Islanders Citizenship
All Virgin Islanders obtained U.S citizenship, but they did not gain the right to vote (gcir, 2023). -
Children of U.S Citizen Mothers
Children born outside of the U.S to U.S citizen mothers could claim U.S citizenship (gcir, 2023). -
Women's Citizenship Fully Restored
Women couldn't lose their citizenship based on who they married (gcir, 2023). -
Guam Organic Act
Gave U.S citizenship to Guamanians, but they couldn't vote (gcir, 2023). -
Immigration and Naturalization Act
Asians could now become naturalized citizens. Race is no longer a factor (gcir, 2023). -
Immigration Reform and Control Act
Anyone who resided in the U.S before Jan. 1, 1982, was given U.S citizenship (gcir, 2023).