-
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848
Gave citizenship to all Mexicans that were living in U.S. territories in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War. -
Foreign Miners License Tax
The passed law required all non-native born immigrants to pay a fee of $20 per month in order to mine in America (Immigration and Relocation, 2022). Immigration and Relocation in the U.S. The Library of Congress. (2022). Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/african/emancipation-and-reconstruction/ -
1857 Dred Scott v. Sanford
Dred Scott, who was a former slave brought into unconquered territory by his master, asserted to the Supreme Court that he had become a free citizen because of it. The Court found him not to be a citizen of any state because the "...Constitution limited citizenship on racial grounds, especially for African Americans" (Amar & Harrison, 2022). -
Abraham Lincoln's Administration 1860
Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election in 1860 and the Republican Party took over the White House. Lincoln's administration supported the notion of making freed African Americans citizens of the U.S. (Amar & Harrison, 2022). -
Civil Rights Act 1866
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 stated that "...all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. were citizens of the country and the state in which they lived, no matter their race" (Amar & Harrison, 2022). However, the were exceptions for citizenship for Native Americans who weren't being taxed. -
Discrimination Against Chinese Immigrants
Chinese immigrants were highly restricted from displaying cultural customs in public in the U.S., while they also were barred from working in federal or state governments, testifying in court, and couldn't enroll their children in schools (Immigration and Relocation, 2022). Immigration and Relocation in the U.S. The Library of Congress. (2022). Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/african/emancipation-and-reconstruction/ -
The 15th Amendment
The passage of the 15th Amendment guaranteed all males in America the right to vote, no matter their race, color, or if they were previously enslaved. -
Naturalization Act 1870
The U.S. government prohibited the Chinese from becoming citizens and immigration into the country, even if individuals had American martial partners (University of California, 2022).
References
University of California Regents. (2022). Timeline of Chinese Immigration to the United States 1884-1944. The Bancroft Library. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://bancroft.berkeley.edu/collections/chinese-immigration-to-the-united-states-1884-1944/timeline.html -
Lingering Confederate Ideals in the South
In the aftermath of the Civil War, many political leaders in the South wanted to bring back the slavery system and didn't respect additions to the Constitution that gave freed slaves rights, such as the 14th and 15th Amendment, along with the Civil Rights Act. Confederate sympathizers "...enacted grandfather clauses that rescinded African American voting rights, prohibited them from enrolling in school, travel, or disobey orders" (Immigration and Relocation, 2022). -
Chinese Exclusion Act 1882
The law barred all immigration to the U.S. by Chinese workers for a decade. -
Immigration Act of 1924
The act implemented severe restrictions on all immigration to the U.S. from non-European countries. (Immigration and Relocation, 2022). Immigration and Relocation in the U.S. The Library of Congress. (2022). Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/african/emancipation-and-reconstruction/ -
Congress Repeals Exclusion Laws
The U.S. government repeals all laws involving the exclusion or discrimination of Chinese people, which enabled them to become American citizens and to migrate into the country (University of California, 2022).
University of California Regents. (2022). Timeline of Chinese Immigration to the United States 1884-1944. The Bancroft Library. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://bancroft.berkeley.edu/collections/chinese-immigration-to-the-united-states-1884-1944/timeline.html