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On March 26, 1790, the US Congress passed the Naturalization Act, requiring a 2-year residency. From the article:
"Naturalization Act of 1790 | Densho Encyclopedia
The first statute in the United States to codify naturalization law. Alternately known as the Nationality Act, the Naturalization Act of 1790 restricted citizenship to "any alien, being a free white person" who had been in the U.S. for two years. In effect, it left out indentured servants, slaves, and most women. This implied that black and, later, Asian immigrants were not eligible to be naturalized, but it said nothing about the citizenship status of non-white persons born on American soil. Subsequent nineteenth-century legislation included a racial requirement for citizenship. It was one of several early immigration laws that shaped the framework and outcome of the Ozawa v. United States case in 1922.[1]
Upon declaring independence from Great Britain, the leaders of the new republic aspired to create a distinct American nationality and minimize the risk of another monarchy. When they drafted the 1787 Constitution, they did not define what they meant by "natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States" and said very little about immigration. As historian Rudolph Vecoli notes, "one became an American by choice, not by descent," through a common commitment to the doctrine of natural rights. Consequently, the only distinction between "natural born" and naturalized citizens it made was that the latter were to be ineligible for the presidency. It did authorize Congress to "establish a uniform Rule of naturalization" and allowed for the "migration or importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit," resulting in a steady flow of slaves until 1808.[2]
The Naturalization Act of 1790 set the criteria for naturalization to two years of residency, proof of good moral character, and an oath to support the Constitution. It also mandated that one must "absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty." Despite its generous terms extending citizenship to all children of citizens, it denied the right to naturalize to "persons whose fathers have never been resident in the United States." The law's use of the phrase, "free white person," also excluded blacks and immigrants of other races from being eligible for citizenship.[3] In 1795, as anti-immigrant feeling began to grow, the necessary period of residence was increased to five years. Without the right to naturalize, immigrants would not be able to vote and would have no political voice or power.
In 1870, Congress created a second racial category. In keeping with the reforms of the Reconstruction era, the new legislation gave "aliens of African nativity and persons of African descent" access to citizenship. Racial barriers to naturalization remained for Asians, but loopholes in citizenship rules and procedures allowed for successful petitions for naturalization through local courts. The Naturalization Act of 1906 standardized the application process with direct bearing on the Ozawa case. This legislation now regulated nonracial requirements such as filing a declaration of intention and appearing before a judge, but the preceding racial limitations were left intact.[4]"
"Naturalization Act of 1790 | Densho Encyclopedia
The first statute in the United States to codify naturalization law. Alternately known as the Nationality Act, the Naturalization Act of 1790 restricted citizenship to "any alien, being a free white person" who had been in the U.S. for two years. In effect, it left out indentured servants, slaves, and most women. This implied that black and, later, Asian immigrants were not eligible to be naturalized, but it said nothing about the citizenship status of non-white persons born on American soil. Subsequent nineteenth-century legislation included a racial requirement for citizenship. It was one of several early immigration laws that shaped the framework and outcome of the Ozawa v. United States case in 1922.[1]
Upon declaring independence from Great Britain, the leaders of the new republic aspired to create a distinct American nationality and minimize the risk of another monarchy. When they drafted the 1787 Constitution, they did not define what they meant by "natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States" and said very little about immigration. As historian Rudolph Vecoli notes, "one became an American by choice, not by descent," through a common commitment to the doctrine of natural rights. Consequently, the only distinction between "natural born" and naturalized citizens it made was that the latter were to be ineligible for the presidency. It did authorize Congress to "establish a uniform Rule of naturalization" and allowed for the "migration or importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit," resulting in a steady flow of slaves until 1808.[2]
The Naturalization Act of 1790 set the criteria for naturalization to two years of residency, proof of good moral character, and an oath to support the Constitution. It also mandated that one must "absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty." Despite its generous terms extending citizenship to all children of citizens, it denied the right to naturalize to "persons whose fathers have never been resident in the United States." The law's use of the phrase, "free white person," also excluded blacks and immigrants of other races from being eligible for citizenship.[3] In 1795, as anti-immigrant feeling began to grow, the necessary period of residence was increased to five years. Without the right to naturalize, immigrants would not be able to vote and would have no political voice or power.
In 1870, Congress created a second racial category. In keeping with the reforms of the Reconstruction era, the new legislation gave "aliens of African nativity and persons of African descent" access to citizenship. Racial barriers to naturalization remained for Asians, but loopholes in citizenship rules and procedures allowed for successful petitions for naturalization through local courts. The Naturalization Act of 1906 standardized the application process with direct bearing on the Ozawa case. This legislation now regulated nonracial requirements such as filing a declaration of intention and appearing before a judge, but the preceding racial limitations were left intact.[4]"
Naturalization Act of 1790 | Densho Encyclopedia
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Immigration
Citizenship
World History
American History
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The Naturalization Law of 1790
Professor of American studies and history Matthew Frye Jacobson talks about the nation's first naturalization law (1790), which stipulated that only "free wh...
Thank you, my friend SGT (Join to see) for reminding us that on March 26, 1790, the US Congress passed the Naturalization Act, requiring a 2-year residency.
I was born to British citizens who were resident alien's throughout their lifetimes in that nation [1956-1995 for my dad and 1956-2001 for my mom.
It is noteworthy that in keeping with legislative principals, the act was modified incrementally.
It is noteworthy that it was not until 1952 when restrictions to Asian immigration were lifted.
1. expansion for African descendent "In 1870, Congress created a second racial category. In keeping with the reforms of the Reconstruction era, the new legislation gave "aliens of African nativity and persons of African descent" access to citizenship.
2. expansion to native Americans "The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, also known as the Snyder Act, was proposed by Representative Homer P. Snyder (R) of New York and granted full U.S. citizenship to the indigenous peoples of the United States, called "Indians" in this Act. While the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution defines as citizens any persons born in the U.S. and subject to its jurisdiction, the amendment had been interpreted to not apply to Native people. The act was signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge on June 2, 1924. It was enacted partially in recognition of the thousands of Native Americans who served in the armed forces during the First World War."
3. Immigration Act of 1924, or Johnson–Reed Act, exclusion of Asians to immigration including the Asian Exclusion Act
Background from [us-immigration.com/asian-american-history-timeline/index.html]
Acts from 1942 -1952
4. 1946 Luce-Cellar Bill
The Luce-Cellar Bill was passed in 1946 to allow 100 Indians to be admitted per year and allowed them to become citizens. The Philippines got a quota of 100 persons per year.
1948-1965 Indian Immigration
Between 1948 and 1965 nearly 7,000 East Indians immigrated to the U.S., the largest number in history.8
1947 War Brides Act modified
The War Brides Act, originally established at the end of WWII, was modified to no longer me exclusionary to Asians. However, the ban was lifted only for spouses of U.S. military personnel, not children, and only if the marriage occurred no later than 30 days after the law’s enactment..17
1952 Immigration and Nationality Act
The 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act upheld the national origins quota system, which limited the number of immigrants allowed to enter the U.S. annually by country. It ended the Asian exclusion from immigrating to the U.S. and created a preference system which determined eligibility by skill sets and family ties in the U.S.18
The Act eliminated laws preventing Asians from naturalizing, got rid of the Asiatic Barred Zone, and allotted each Asian country a minimum of 100 visas annually. However, the law allotted Asian quotas based on race rather than nationality. This allowed persons of Asian parentage and any nationality to receive visas under the generic quota for the “Asian Pacific Triangle,” which ended up limiting Asian immigration.18"
Notes:
1. “Gold Mountain Dreams” from PBS
2. “People vs. Hall” from Wikipedia
3. “The Burlingame-Seward Treaty, 1868” from U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian
4. “Asian American Studies” from University of Pennsylvania
5. “Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)” from Harvard University
6. “The Anti-Chinese Hysteria of 1885-1886” from Harperweek
7. “Filipino laborers arrive” from HawaiiHistory.org
8. “The Passage from India” from Immigration Policy Center
9. “Gentleman’s Agreement” from History.com
10. “Angel Island: Guardian of the Western Gate” from University of Illinois
11. “World War I” from U.S. Army Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Army
12. “The Immigration Act of 1924 (The Johnson-Reed Act)” from U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian
13. “World War II” from U.S. Army Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Army
14. “Military Naturalization During WWII” from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
15. “Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, 1943” from U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian
16. “A Short History of the 1st & 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments of the U. S. Army in World War II” from California State Military Department, The California State Military Museum
17. “The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (The McCarran-Walter Act)” from U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian
18. “Vietnam War” from U.S. Army Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Army
19. “1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, a.k.a the Hart-Cellar Act” from US immigration legislation online
20. “The Immigration Act of 1990” from Laws.com
21. “In a Shift, Biggest Wave of Migrants Is Now Asian” from New York Times
22. “Immigration Reform” from ImmigrationDirect.com"
The Naturalization Law of 1790
"Professor of American studies and history Matthew Frye Jacobson talks about the nation's first naturalization law (1790), which stipulated that only "free white persons" could be fully participating citizens."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfbgbWZntOE
FYI SSG Robert Mark OdomSP5 Jesse EngelSPC Matthew Lamb
Capt Rich BuckleyCW4 G.L. SmithSPC Russ BoltonSPC Nancy GreeneSSG Franklin Briant1stsgt Glenn BrackinCPT Paul Whitmer1SG Steven ImermanSSG Samuel KermonSP5 Geoffrey VannersonSFC John LichSgt Jackie JuliusSFC Richard Williamson
SPC Randy Zimmerman COL Mikel J. Burroughs
I was born to British citizens who were resident alien's throughout their lifetimes in that nation [1956-1995 for my dad and 1956-2001 for my mom.
It is noteworthy that in keeping with legislative principals, the act was modified incrementally.
It is noteworthy that it was not until 1952 when restrictions to Asian immigration were lifted.
1. expansion for African descendent "In 1870, Congress created a second racial category. In keeping with the reforms of the Reconstruction era, the new legislation gave "aliens of African nativity and persons of African descent" access to citizenship.
2. expansion to native Americans "The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, also known as the Snyder Act, was proposed by Representative Homer P. Snyder (R) of New York and granted full U.S. citizenship to the indigenous peoples of the United States, called "Indians" in this Act. While the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution defines as citizens any persons born in the U.S. and subject to its jurisdiction, the amendment had been interpreted to not apply to Native people. The act was signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge on June 2, 1924. It was enacted partially in recognition of the thousands of Native Americans who served in the armed forces during the First World War."
3. Immigration Act of 1924, or Johnson–Reed Act, exclusion of Asians to immigration including the Asian Exclusion Act
Background from [us-immigration.com/asian-american-history-timeline/index.html]
Acts from 1942 -1952
4. 1946 Luce-Cellar Bill
The Luce-Cellar Bill was passed in 1946 to allow 100 Indians to be admitted per year and allowed them to become citizens. The Philippines got a quota of 100 persons per year.
1948-1965 Indian Immigration
Between 1948 and 1965 nearly 7,000 East Indians immigrated to the U.S., the largest number in history.8
1947 War Brides Act modified
The War Brides Act, originally established at the end of WWII, was modified to no longer me exclusionary to Asians. However, the ban was lifted only for spouses of U.S. military personnel, not children, and only if the marriage occurred no later than 30 days after the law’s enactment..17
1952 Immigration and Nationality Act
The 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act upheld the national origins quota system, which limited the number of immigrants allowed to enter the U.S. annually by country. It ended the Asian exclusion from immigrating to the U.S. and created a preference system which determined eligibility by skill sets and family ties in the U.S.18
The Act eliminated laws preventing Asians from naturalizing, got rid of the Asiatic Barred Zone, and allotted each Asian country a minimum of 100 visas annually. However, the law allotted Asian quotas based on race rather than nationality. This allowed persons of Asian parentage and any nationality to receive visas under the generic quota for the “Asian Pacific Triangle,” which ended up limiting Asian immigration.18"
Notes:
1. “Gold Mountain Dreams” from PBS
2. “People vs. Hall” from Wikipedia
3. “The Burlingame-Seward Treaty, 1868” from U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian
4. “Asian American Studies” from University of Pennsylvania
5. “Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)” from Harvard University
6. “The Anti-Chinese Hysteria of 1885-1886” from Harperweek
7. “Filipino laborers arrive” from HawaiiHistory.org
8. “The Passage from India” from Immigration Policy Center
9. “Gentleman’s Agreement” from History.com
10. “Angel Island: Guardian of the Western Gate” from University of Illinois
11. “World War I” from U.S. Army Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Army
12. “The Immigration Act of 1924 (The Johnson-Reed Act)” from U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian
13. “World War II” from U.S. Army Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Army
14. “Military Naturalization During WWII” from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
15. “Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, 1943” from U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian
16. “A Short History of the 1st & 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments of the U. S. Army in World War II” from California State Military Department, The California State Military Museum
17. “The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (The McCarran-Walter Act)” from U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian
18. “Vietnam War” from U.S. Army Asian Pacific Americans in the United States Army
19. “1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, a.k.a the Hart-Cellar Act” from US immigration legislation online
20. “The Immigration Act of 1990” from Laws.com
21. “In a Shift, Biggest Wave of Migrants Is Now Asian” from New York Times
22. “Immigration Reform” from ImmigrationDirect.com"
The Naturalization Law of 1790
"Professor of American studies and history Matthew Frye Jacobson talks about the nation's first naturalization law (1790), which stipulated that only "free white persons" could be fully participating citizens."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfbgbWZntOE
FYI SSG Robert Mark OdomSP5 Jesse EngelSPC Matthew Lamb
Capt Rich BuckleyCW4 G.L. SmithSPC Russ BoltonSPC Nancy GreeneSSG Franklin Briant1stsgt Glenn BrackinCPT Paul Whitmer1SG Steven ImermanSSG Samuel KermonSP5 Geoffrey VannersonSFC John LichSgt Jackie JuliusSFC Richard Williamson
SPC Randy Zimmerman COL Mikel J. Burroughs
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LTC Stephen F.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen LTC Greg Henning LTC Jeff Shearer Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Maj Marty Hogan CPT Scott Sharon CWO3 Dennis M. SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSG William Jones SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski PO1 H Gene Lawrence PO2 Kevin Parker PO3 Bob McCord CMSgt (Join to see) MSG Andrew White Sgt Albert Castro
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