Evolution of the National Citizenry

By ellengreback

  • Declaration of Independence

    Protested England’s limiting naturalization of foreigners in the colonies.

  • U.S constitution created

    U.S constitution created as a document of laws regarding government, guaranteed freedom to citizens

  • U.S Constitution update

    Article I of the U.S Constitution says Congress is “to establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization,” eventually giving the federal government the sole authority over immigration.

  • James Madison proposes Bill of Rights

    Gave 10 Amendments to the U.S constitution

  • Bill of Rights Ratified

    Became ratified by all states and congress and came into full effect

  • Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

    granted citizenship to all inhabitants living in the territory annexed to the United States following the Mexican War.

  • Thirteenth Amendment

    abolishes slavery, but did not grant formerly enslaved persons the full rights of citizenship.

  • Fourteenth Amendment

    all persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens and are guaranteed “equal protection of the laws.”

  • Naturalization Act of 1870

    extends naturalization rights to former African slaves not born in the United States; Asian immigrants remain excluded from citizenship.

  • Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

    first U.S. law to ban immigration based on race or nationality

  • United States v. Wong Kim Ark

    U.S. Supreme Court rules that any child born in the United States, regardless of race or parents’ citizenship status, is an American citizen.

  • Jones-Shafroth Act

    grants U.S. citizenship to residents of Puerto Rico.

  • Indian Citizenship Act

    Extends U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans.

  • Alien Registration Act

    Requires all non-citizen adults to register with the government and empowers the president to deport foreigners suspected of espionage or being a security risk.

  • Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 repeal

    allowed 105 Chinese-persons to come in per year

  • Immigration and Nationality Act

    Immigration and Nationality Act eliminates race as a bar to immigration or citizenship.

  • Hart-Celler Act

    Abolishes the national origins quota system, replacing it with a preference system that focuses on immigrants' skills and family relationships with citizens or U.S. residents.

  • Naturalization Act

    provides the first rules to be followed by the United States in granting national citizenship to “free white people.”

  • Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986

    Granted amnesty to millions of individuals living in the United States who entered the country before January 1, 1982.

  • Bring Them Home Alive Act

    Grants Refugee status to foreigners who return from Korean War POWs/MIAs

  • USA Patriot Act

    Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to broaden the scope of aliens ineligible for admission or deportation to include terrorist activities.