Important Acts of Congress

Flashcards of important acts of Congress in US History.

Northwest Ordinance (1787)

Created a system for governing the Northwest Territory and admitting new states.

Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)

Extended naturalization periods for immigrants and criminalized criticism of the government.

Missouri Compromise (1820)

Maintained the balance between free and slave states using the 36°30′ line.

Indian Removal Act (1830)

Allowed the forced relocation of Native American tribes to lands west of the Mississippi.

Compromise of 1850

California admitted as a free state and the Fugitive Slave Act strengthened.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

Allowed popular sovereignty to decide slavery in Kansas and Nebraska.

Homestead Act (1862)

Encouraged settlement of western lands by granting 160 acres to individuals willing to farm it.

Pacific Railway Acts (1862, 1864)

Supported the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad.

Reconstruction Acts (1867–1868)

Reinforced federal control over Southern states during Reconstruction.

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

Banned Chinese labor immigration for ten years.

Interstate Commerce Act (1887)

Regulated railroad rates and practices to address monopolistic abuses.

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)

Outlawed monopolistic business practices and promoted economic competition.

Dawes Act (1887)

Assimilated Native Americans by allotting tribal lands to individuals.

Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act (1883)

Ended patronage by implementing a merit-based system for federal employment.

Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

Regulated food and drug industries to ensure safety and truthful labeling.

Federal Reserve Act (1913)

Established the Federal Reserve System to stabilize the economy.

Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)

Strengthened antitrust regulations and protected labor unions from antitrust laws.

Espionage and Sedition Acts (1917–1918)

Suppressed anti-war dissent during WWI.

National Origins Act (1924)

Limited immigration using quotas favoring Northern and Western Europeans.

Social Security Act (1935)

Established financial support for the elderly, unemployed, and disabled during the Great Depression.