Waves 1 and 2 of U.S. Immigration: Foundations of U.S. Citizenship and Early Regulation (1776–1830)

Vocabulary flashcards covering the pillars of U.S. citizenship and the early statutory framework for regulating immigration from 1776 to 1830.

Jus Soli

The right of the soil; citizenship granted by birth on U.S. territory.

Jus Sanguinis

The right of blood; citizenship inherited from parents.

Pledged Allegiance

Naturalization via consent, viewed by the Founders as the primary method for immigrants to enter political life.

Naturalization Act of 1790

The most liberal law of its time; offered a path to citizenship for "free white persons" of good character after two years of residency, lacking religious or country-of-origin tests but excluding non-whites, slaves, and indentured servants.

Naturalization Act of 1795

An act that increased residency requirements for U.S. naturalization to five years and introduced the "good moral character" requirement.

Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)

Acts passed during a period of potential war with France that increased the residency period for naturalization to 14 years and granted the President the power to deport noncitizens via decree.

Naturalization Law of 1802

A law that reverted the residency requirement for naturalization back to five years.

Steerage Act of 1819

An act that indirectly regulated immigration by limiting ship passengers based on tonnage to ensure safety, and required ship captains to provide passenger manifests, creating the first official federal records of immigration flows.