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1866
African Americans were brought to this country as slaves and Native Americans were already on the land, yet they did not become citizens until Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866. It declared that all persons born or naturalized in the United States were citizens of the United States and the state in which they lived, thereby affirming a rule of citizenship by birth that did not depend on race. Two exceptions to the rule: Any subject to a foreign power and Indians not taxed. -
1868
The Fourteenth Amendment did not explicitly deal with citizenship, however, the Senate added the first sentence which grants both national and state citizenship. -
1870
Immigrants from GREAT BRITAIN, IRELAND, SCANDINAVIA, GERMANY, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, POLAND, arrived in 1870. They came because of widespread starvation in their areas due to agricultural problems, being poor, and looking for jobs. -
1880
A small number of Immigrants from RUSSIA and ITALY arrived in 1880, bringing with them their religion and culture. . -
1887
NATIVE AMERICANS were already on American soil, however, the Dawes Severality Act was passed which was intended to break up Indian reservations to create individual farms. -
1890
An increase of all of the aforementioned countries continued to steadily migrate to the United States. In 1894, increasing numbers from southern and eastern EUROPE, CANADA, ASIA, and LATIN AMERICA arrived in the United States. -
1894
Economic, political, religious, and racist strains converged in demands that the Federal Government restrict immigration from Europe. -
1900
IMMIGRANTS totaled around 9 million in 1900. The United States was now a "melting pot" of different ethnicities from many countries around the world. Some came to escape religious, racial, and political persecution, poverty, and famine and looked for economic opportunities and hope in the new country. Citizenship has evolved over time with immigrants being full-fledged citizens today. -
1914
After 1914, immigration dropped off because of the war, -
1920
Immigration decreased because of immigration restrictions imposed in the 1920s.