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Pilgrims settle in Massachusetts
Established an early form of citizenship for the pilgrim men with the signing of the Mayflower Compact. This budding citizenship gave these men the right to vote for their own governor and provided a social contract for the pilgrims to live by in the colony. -
The Constitution
The rules of the constitution showed through its words that an individual could be both a citizen of a specific state as well as the U.S. itself. Unfortunately, the document did not define citizenship at either the state or federal level. -
Dred Scott Decision
Approaching the Civil War, the question of what makes a state or federal citizen has never been more complicated and confusing. The Dred Scott decision ruled in favor of non-citizenship for people of African descent. This initial setback for black citizenship, however, resulted in scrutiny of the decision (as free black people had been considered citizens in some states for years) and increased conversation on the black citizenship issue. -
Lincoln Administration
The Republican Party strongly opposed the Dred Scott decision, so when the Lincoln administration took power, their position was that free black people were indeed citizens. -
Civil Rights Act
Politically dominated by white racists, southern states passed freedom-restrictive "Black Codes." In response, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866. This particular action was so significant because it defined for the first time what made someone a state or federal citizen. All people born or naturalized in the U.S. were citizens of the state they lived in, as well as citizens of the United States, and all had the same basic civil rights. -
14th Amendment
Restates the Civil Rights Act. Granted citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the U.S., including formerly enslaved people. Most people agreed that voting was a right that should be kept separate from citizenship; not all citizens would be able to vote. For example, children are U.S. citizens but cannot vote. -
15th Amendment
States any citizen of the U.S. has the right to vote regardless of their color. -
19th Amendment
Grants the right for any citizen to vote, regardless of sex. Traditionally, America has attempted to keep voting and citizenship separate, but I would argue that becoming eligible to vote might make you feel like a truly independent citizen for the first time. For this reason, I have included instances of infringed groups attaining suffrage in my citizenry timeline.