National Citizenry

By JDunn
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    National Citizenry

  • The Naturalization Act

    This allowed free white people to become citizens after living in the country for two years, showing "good moral character", and swearing allegiance to the constitution. This excluded all non-white people and white immigrants from becoming citizens.

  • 14th Amendment passed

    This grants citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the United States. This includes former slaves but excludes immigrants and Native Americans.

  • Naturalization Act of 1870

    This extends naturalization to people of African descent but excludes immigrants, mainly from Asia.

  • Chinese Exclusion Act

    This restricted chinese immigration and prevented the naturalization of Chinese people.

  • United States v. Wong Kim Ark

    This gave citizenship to all people born in the United States regardless of parental citizenship.

  • Indian Citizenship Act

    Granted citizenship to Native Americans that were born in the United States.

  • Magnuson Act

    Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed but limited Chinese Naturalization. Established a quota for Chinese immigration.

  • McCarran-Walter Act

    Racial restriction for naturalization is ended but quotas based on nationality remain. This allowed Asian people to become citizens but people from western and northern Europe were favored.

  • Immigration and Nationality Act (Hart-Celler Act)

    Abolished quotas and allowed a pathway to citizenship for all people. Limits for how many people that could immigrate were set.

  • Immigration Reform and Control Act

    Allows a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants and provided them amnesty.
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    Onging debate

    Debate continues on whether certain groups such as illegal and undocumented immigrants should receive citizenship.

  • Child Citizenship Act

    Gave automatic citizenship to all children adopted from foreign nations.