U.S. Immigration Timeline by Brooklyn Astle

January 1776 - Thomas Paine

2152715 — 2024-05-10 15:39:55 UTC

In "Common Sense," Thomas Paine made a case for American independence. Although the majority of colonists identify as "Britons." He wrote "The persecuted lovers of civil and religious liberty from every part of Europe have found asylum in this new world."

March 1790 - U.S. citizenship

2152715 — 2024-05-10 15:40:40 UTC

The first law says who should be granted U.S. citizenship is passed by Congress. Any free white person of "good character" who has been residing in the country for two years or more may petition for citizenship under the Naturalization Act of 1790.

August 1790 - First U.S. census

2152715 — 2024-05-10 15:41:03 UTC

In 1790, there was the first US census. Among the 3.9 million people, the English make up the largest ethnic group, while almost one in five Americans is of African descent.

1815 - Peace between U.S and British

2152715 — 2024-05-10 15:41:22 UTC

Following the War of 1812, peace is restored between the United States and Britain. A lot of Western European immigration increases and this changes the demographics of the US. Then up to the Civil War, this first significant wave of immigration continues. The Irish, many of whom were Catholic, made up around one-third of all immigrants to the United States between 1820 and 1860. Approximately 5 million German immigrants come to the US as well. Most of them go to the Midwest to purchase farmland or go to towns like Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Milwaukee.

1819 - New boat regulations

2152715 — 2024-05-10 15:41:59 UTC

Most of the immigrants that come, arrive sick or dead. Major port cities like New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Charleston are overrun by immigrants. As a result, the US passed the Steerage Act of 1819. This said that there were improved conditions for ships that arrive in the nation. Additionally, the Act said the ship captains show demographic data about their passengers, this was the first federal record regarding the ethnicity of immigrants to the US.

1849 - Anti immigrant political party

2152715 — 2024-05-10 15:42:34 UTC

Well since there was a growing number of German and Irish immigrants living in the country, the Know-Nothing Party, America's first anti-immigrant political party, was created.

1875 - Supreme court ruling

2152715 — 2024-05-10 15:43:39 UTC

Some states created their own immigration rules after the Civil War. The Supreme Court ruled in 1875 that the federal government is in charge of enacting and enforcing immigration laws.

1880 - Another wave of immigrants

2152715 — 2024-05-10 15:43:54 UTC

A second wave of immigration arrives as America, it starts to rapidly industrialize. More than 20 million immigrants arrived between 1880 and 1920. Most of them come from Southern, Eastern, and Central Europe. 2 million of them are Jews and 4 million are Italians.

1882 - Chinese Exclusion Act

2152715 — 2024-05-10 15:44:15 UTC

In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed. This forbids Chinese immigration from entering the country. This was because a constant stream of Chinese laborers had come to America since the 1850s. It was the first in American history to place a restriction on a certain immigrant groups.

1891 - Stronger anti immigration laws

2152715 — 2024-05-10 15:44:45 UTC

The Immigration Act of 1891 played even more restrictions on who is allowed to enter the country excluding polygamists, those convicted of specific crimes, and the ill or injured from doing so. The Act established a lot of immigration inspectors stationed at major ports of entry to the country.

January 1892 - Immigration Station

2152715 — 2024-05-10 15:45:13 UTC

The first immigration station in the United States was in the Ellis Island, this was opened in New York Harbor. Annie Moore, an Irish adolescent from County Cork, is the first immigrant to be processed. Between 1892 and 1954, Ellis Island would be the entry point for over 12 million immigrants into the United States.

1907 - Rate of immigrants

2152715 — 2024-05-10 15:45:35 UTC

In 1907, the U.S. immigration rates go extremely up with 1.3 million people coming into the US through Ellis Island alone.