American Immigration Policy Milestones

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to American immigration policy, important historical laws, and the effects of nativism.

Nativism

A political movement that favors native-born inhabitants over immigrants.

Immigration Quota Law of 1924

Legislation that established national origins quotas to limit immigration, favoring Northern European immigrants.

Chinese Exclusion Act

A federal law signed in 1882 that prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers.

Naturalization Act of 1790

The first law governing naturalization, which allowed only free white persons to become U.S. citizens.

Immigrant Surge of 2020

A large influx of 8 million immigrants to the U.S. in a short period, described as the largest immigration surge in history.

Scientific Racism

The use of pseudo-scientific theories to justify racial discrimination and limit immigration.

Know-Nothing Party

A political party in the 1850s that was anti-Catholic and advocated for nativism.

Quota System

A system established to limit the number of immigrants from certain countries based on previous immigration statistics.

Post-1965 Immigration Policy

A shift in U.S. immigration policy that allowed immigrants from all countries to be given quotas.

Fourteenth Amendment

An amendment that guarantees citizenship rights and equal protection under the law, affecting immigration status.