Serena Foko Evolution of the national citizenry Timeline

By Renanoire5
  • Period: 1526 to

    Transatlantic Slave Trade

    This event brought many goods to the U.S including enslaved African Americans to be the labor force. The slaves were seen as property to be used, not as citizens with any rights as the white man.

  • Naturalization Act of 1790

    National Citizenship is being given just to "Free white people" with this law. During this time, the only people considered citizens were white people.

  • Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

    The territory the U.S gained after the Mexican war had residents living there. They were granted U.S Citizenship.

  • Dred Scott Decision

    Scott was a slave who argued to the Supreme Court that he was free as his owner took him to free territory. The Court deemed him not a citizen. The case sparked outrage as man-free Blacks and states considered themselves citizens. It seems that Black still wasn't deemed citizens at this time

  • 13 amendment

    This abolished slavery for the blacks, but they didn't obtain all rights of citizenship. They couldn't do things such as vote even if they were legally free

  • The 14th Amendment

    This law allowed it to be that any person born in America, no matter the race or ethnicity, was granted citizenship. That allowed blacks, who were now legally free, and other races to be legal citizens and obtain the same rights as white citizens.
  • Period: to

    Chinese Exclusion Act

    This act was made in place to ban immigration and prevent more foreigners, the Chinese from obtaining citizenship. It was later appealed in 1943, so these races could enter the U.S and work towards Naturalization.

  • United States v. Wong Kim Ark

    A Supreme Court case that deems that U.S citizenship belongs to anyone born in America, regardless of race or parental citizenship status. Wong Kim Ark and many others like him could be considered citizens for being born in American.
  • Period: to

    Indian Citizenship Act

    The law granted citizenship to Native Americans, except for voting. The Natives were clearly discriminated against and didn't obtain the same rights as other citizens.

  • Immigration and Nationality Act

    With this act, Race is no longer a factor preventing immigration or citizenship. To be a citizen, race doesn't matter anymore in the U.S.

  • Jones-Shafroth Act

    Puerto Rico residents can obtain U.S citizenships with this law being put in place and obtaining the same rights and other citizens