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Period: Jan 1, 1500 to
A History of Immigration in the United States
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European Colonization and British Settlement (1607-1700)
While the Spanish Conquistadors were technically some of the first foreigners to visit America in the 1500's, the British settlers were America's first true immigrants, as they arrived in America and established the first permanent European settlement, Jamestown, in 1607. European settlements continued to be established along the East Coast all throughout the 1600's. Reference:
Vatz, S. (Designer). (2013, May 05). History of Immigration in America: A Turbulent Timeline [Web Graphic]. Retrieved -
The African Slave Trade in the United States
1619 marks the beginning of the African slave trade in the U.S., where thousands of African slaves will be forcibly immigrated to the United States. Reference:
Vatz, S. (Designer). (2013, May 05). History of Immigration in America: A Turbulent Timeline [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2013/05/05/u-s-immigration-policy-timeline-a-long-history-of-dealing-with-newcomers/ -
The Conclusion of the American Revolution
This date marks the end of the American Revolutionary War and America's victory over the British. Photo Reference:
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_leadership_in_the_American_Revolutionary_War -
Independence Day
The Declaration of Independence is signed and America officially declares its independence from Britain. Photo Reference:
Trumbull, J. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/trumbull.htm -
The Naturalization Act
The Naturalization Act outlined America's first set of standards and requirements for becoming a citizen, which essentially concluded that citizens should only be "free white persons" of "good moral character."
Reference:
Vatz, S. (Designer). (2013, May 05). History of Immigration in America: A Turbulent Timeline [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2013/05/05/u-s-immigration-policy-timeline-a-long-history-of-dealing-with-newcomers/ -
The End of the Slave Trade
The official congressional legislation that outlawed the importation, or forcible immigration, of slaves into the United States, although slavery itself wouldn't be outlawed until the conclusion of hte Civil War. Reference:
Vatz, S. (Designer). (2013, May 05). History of Immigration in America: A Turbulent Timeline [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2013/05/05/u-s-immigration-policy-timeline-a-long-history-of-dealing-with-newcomers/ -
Wave of German and Irish Immigrants
More than 7 million Irish and German people immigrated to the United States between 1820 and 1870 to find work and escape the famines plaguing their homelands. Many of the Irish immigrants were met with hostility by American citizens, who felt threatened by the Irish working class. Reference:
Vatz, S. (Designer). (2013, May 05). History of Immigration in America: A Turbulent Timeline [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2013/05/05/u-s-immigration-policy-timeline-a-long-hi -
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
As a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo established at the conclusion of the Mexican-American War, America gained 525,000 square miles of territory from Mexico, including California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada. America also granted citizenship to the 80,000 Mexicans living in these regions as well. Reference:
Vatz, S. (Designer). (2013, May 05). History of Immigration in America: A Turbulent Timeline [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2013/05/05/u-s-immigrat -
The Fourteenth Amendment
The Fourteenth Amendment is established in 1868. The Amendment includes the Citizenship Clause, which essentially grants citizenship to individuals born on U.S. soil. Reference:
Vatz, S. (Designer). (2013, May 05). History of Immigration in America: A Turbulent Timeline [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2013/05/05/u-s-immigration-policy-timeline-a-long-history-of-dealing-with-newcomers/ -
Second Wave of European Immigration
From the years 1880-1920, more than 24 million immigrants pour into the United States, including Jews escaping religious persecution, Catholics, and many Asian immigrants arriving between 1910 and 1940. Reference:
Vatz, S. (Designer). (2013, May 05). History of Immigration in America: A Turbulent Timeline [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2013/05/05/u-s-immigration-policy-timeline-a-long-history-of-dealing-with-newcomers/ -
Immigrant Act
1917 marks the passing of the U.S. Immigration Act, the nation's first set of immigration rules. The law prohibits "undesirables" from immigrating into the United States. The law specifically prohibited immigrants from most Asian and Pacific Island nations. Reference:
Vatz, S. (Designer). (2013, May 05). History of Immigration in America: A Turbulent Timeline [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2013/05/05/u-s-immigration-policy-timeline-a-long-history-of-dealing-with-new -
The Emergency Quota Act and the Johnson-Reed Act
The Emergency Quota Act and the Johnson-Reed Act restricts annual immigration rates to only a certain percentage of foreign-born of each nationality of all people already living in the United States. As a result, immigration rates plummet, dropping more than 50 percent the following year. Reference:
Vatz, S. (Designer). (2013, May 05). History of Immigration in America: A Turbulent Timeline [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2013/05/05/u-s-immigration-policy-timeline-a -
U.S. Border Patrol Established
Congress established the United States Border Patrol in 1924. -
The Immigration Reform and Control Act
The Immigration Reform and Control Act (also referred to as the "1986 amnesty"), gave undocumented immigrants the ability to become citizens if they met certain requirements. As a result, about 3 million undocumented immigrants were able to gain legal citizenship. Reference:
Vatz, S. (Designer). (2013, May 05). History of Immigration in America: A Turbulent Timeline [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2013/05/05/u-s-immigration-policy-timeline-a-long-history-of- -
Arizona Senate Bill 1070
The AZ SB1070 is an incredibly controversial federal law that requires all aliens over the age of 14 who will be in the United States for longer than 30 days to register with the U.S. government and to have their proof of registration on their person at all times. Reference:
Kavoussi, B. (2013). Arizona immigration law costing the state millions every year: Report. The Huffington Post, Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/02/arizona-immigration-law_n_2397547.html -
Supreme Court Upholds Arizona's SB 1070
In Arizona vs. the United States, Senate Bill 1070, certain sections of S. B. 1070 were preempted by federal law due to issues with the idea that some sections of SB1070 diregarded the federal government's authority in regards to immigration. One of these preempted sections included the penalizing of employers of illegal immigrants. Reference:
Brewer, G. J., Coyle, M., Ifill, G., Kobach, K., & Gonzales, S. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/jan-june12/immigration_06-25.html
