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History of Immigration to the United States
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Jamestown Settlement
The English established the Jamestown Colony, the first successful colony in what is now the United States. Deemed hostile and unhabitable, the New World provided many challenges to these colonists who were attempting to carve out a new life on a new continent. -
Dutch Arriving in Manhattan
The Dutch successfully settled on what is now Manhattan Island, NY. From here they established a trade network with local Native Americans and profitted. -
Spanish Colonization and Texas
The Dutch and English weren't alone, for colonists sent by Spain had already arrived to Florida nearly half a century before Jamestown. A few colonies were even established in what is now New Mexico around the same time as the Dutch and English had built theirs. But it was in Texas where the Spanish built their lasting colonies. Texas became a colony of Spain for over a century, attracting immigrants from across the New World. -
The French Control the Mississippi and It's Tributaries
The French, who settled later in the 17th Century, placed colonies across the mouth of the Mississippi River and controlled nearly all the land north of the river, eventually heading east to the Atlantic Ocean in what is now Canada. The French would become a major power in the New World, rivalled only by the English by the turn of the century. Even today, France's past colonization and influence can still be seen in the state of Louisiana. -
The Birth of a New Nation
The results of the Revolutionary War between colonists of the Thirteen Colonies and the British Empire changed the demographic map of the New World. With the colonists winning, expansion to lands west could be undertaken, changing the population spread of the nation. -
The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1807
A major development in terms of global trade was the United States prohibiting the import of slaves. Though the law was enacted later than similar laws made in European nations, the stop of importing humans, particularly those from Africa, put a stopper on immigration. The majority of African-Americans slaves would be forced to settle in the Southeastern portion of the United States where the act of slavery was still legal. -
The Great Potato Famine and Irish Immigration
From 1845 to 1852, a famine ravaged Ireland, dimishing yearly crop yields, and forcing a great majority of the population into starvation. In search of salvation, many Irish families emigrated across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States. This was to become the first of many European mass immigration events. -
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The peace treaty signed between the Mexican Republic and the United States to end the Mexican-American War resulted in new lands for the young nation. A boundary was set up, using the Rio Grande River as a physical means to seprate Texas and Mexico. The treaty also rewarded the lands that are known as New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and California. These newly acquired lands now opened up westward expansion to the Pacific Ocean. -
The Page Act of 1875
In an attempt to restrict the immigration flow, Congress passed the Page Act of 1875. This federal law prevented future immigrants from Asia to the United States. -
Emergency Quota Act of 1921
Another law to restrict immigration from countries that the United States felt were "undesirable." In an attempt to limit immigrants from Southern Europe and Russia, this federal law was only supposed to be temporary. -
Immigration Act of 1924
To further extend a ban on immigration from specific regions, the United States passed the Johnson-Reed Act which banned immigrants from Asia and the Middle East while placing severe restrictions on those from Africa. -
Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
Restructuring the quota system for immigrants and how visas were issued, the Hart-Celler Act promoted friendlier terms for immigrants hoping to start a new life in the United States. -
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
Also known as the Simpson–Mazzoli Act, this federal law changed the way in which employers hired illegal immigrants. It also set minimal requirements for legal immigrants, such as having a base knowledge in American history and politics before being hired. -
Arizona's Population Spread
Arizona's population is currently centered around three major cities: Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma. The vast majority of the population lives in the Phoenix Metropolitan. Phoenix is also one of the largest metros in the US, making it a prime destination for new immigrants, especially those of Hispanic and Arabic heritage. -
Arizona and the Future
Immigration control in Arizona is largely supervised by federal law enforcement, such as Border Control. The influx of immigrants from Mexico and countries farther south will always look to this state as a point of entry. Promoting a healthy border with Mexico is a mutually accepted solution to help stop illegal immigration and unnecessary deaths for those crossing between the borderlands.
