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The Declaration of Independence is signed, declaring that "all men are created equal" and have certain "unalienable rights," including "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness -
The Naturalization Act of 1790 is passed, which limits citizenship to free white persons of "good character" who have been living in the United States for at least two years. -
The California Gold Rush begins, attracting millions of immigrants to the United States, including Chinese, Mexican, and Irish immigrants. -
The Dred Scott decision is issued, ruling that African Americans are not citizens and have no rights under the Constitution -
The 14th Amendment is ratified, which grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including African Americans. -
The 15th Amendment is ratified, which prohibits the denial of voting rights on the basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. -
The Chinese Exclusion Act is passed, banning all Chinese immigration for 10 years. -
The United States Census Bureau declares that the "Great American Melting Pot" has been achieved, as the country's population becomes increasingly diverse. -
The National Origins Act is passed, which establishes a national quotas system for immigration that favors immigrants from Northern and Western Europe. -
The Magnuson Act is passed, repealing the Chinese Exclusion Act and allowing limited Chinese immigration. -
The Immigration and Nationality Act is passed, which eliminates race as a bar to immigration or citizenship. -
The Hart-Celler Act is passed, abolishing the national origins quota system and replacing it with a preference system that focuses on immigrants' skills and family relationships with citizens or U.S. residents. -
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 is passed, granting amnesty to millions of undocumented immigrants who entered the country before January 1, 1982. -
The Immigration Act of 1990 is passed, increasing the number of visas available to immigrants from Asia and Latin America.
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The USA Patriot Act is passed, which expands the government's powers to detain and deport immigrants suspected of terrorism. -
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is created, which allows certain undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and to be eligible for a work permit. -
The Trump administration announces that it will end the DACA program