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First Immigrants of America
The year the first immigrants (English Settlers) of America arrived in the New World. -
Slave importation begins
Slaves began to be imported to America -
The Pilgrim Fathers
Establishment of Plymouth Bay Colony in Massachusetts by the religious immigrants known as the Pilgrims -
First Native American Reservation
The U.S. establishes first Native American reservation and policy of dealing with each tribe as an independent nation. -
Two Year Residency Rule
The federal gov't requires two years of residency before being allowed to become citizens -
US Law For "Aliens"
US law makes aliens "liable to be apprehended, restrained and removed as alien enemies" -
Prohibition of importing slaves
Congress prohibits importation of slaves -
The Potato Famine
Potato crop fails in Ireland which sparks the Potato Famine, killing one million and 500,000 immigrate to America -
California Gold Rush
The California gold rush sparks the first mass immigration from China -
Native Americans cannot vote
A clause in the 14th Amendment “excluding Indians not taxed” prevents Native-American men from receiving the right to vote -
Italian Immigration
Due to Italy's troubled economy, the start of mass immigration begins with four million Italians arriving in the US -
The Jones Act
Congress establishes a civil government in Puerto Rico and the Jones Act grants U.S. citizenship to island inhabitants. U.S. citizens can travel freely between the mainland and the island without a passport. -
USA enters WWI
The U.S. enters World War I and anti-German sentiment swells at home as the names of schools, foods, streets, , and some families, are changed to sound less Germanic. -
Immigration Act of 1924
Immigration Act of 1924 establishes fixed quotas of national origin and eliminates Far East immigration. -
Immigration Act of 1965
The Immigration Act of 1965 abolishes quota system in favor of quota systems with 20,000 per country limits. Preference is given to immediate families of immigrants and skilled workers.