Eugenics and Immigration in the US

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to eugenics and immigration policy in the United States.

Eugenics

A set of beliefs and practices aimed at improving the genetic quality of a human population through selective breeding.

Nativism

A political policy favoring the interests of established inhabitants over those of immigrants.

Dillingham Commission

A commission that advocated for literacy tests and a racial quota system in immigration policies in the early 20th century.

Anti-Miscegenation Laws

Laws that prohibited interracial marriage and relationships.

Social Darwinism

A theory that applies the concepts of natural selection and survival of the fittest to human societies and political systems.

Sterilization Laws

Legislations that allowed for the forced sterilization of individuals deemed unfit to reproduce.

National Origins Act (1924)

A law that limited immigration based on the national origins of immigrants, with strict quotas favoring Western European immigrants.

Race Science

A discredited field of study claiming to classify different races based on physical characteristics and presumed abilities.

Literacy Tests

Examinations to determine a person's reading and writing skills, often used as a barrier for immigrants.

Mongrelization

A pejorative term used to describe the perceived dilution of racial purity through interracial relationships.

Survival of the Fittest

A phrase that originated from Darwinian evolutionary theory, applied by some to justify socio-economic policies.

Madison Grant

A prominent eugenics advocate known for his book 'Passing of the Great Race', which was influential in eugenics policies.

The Rising Tide of Color

A concept articulated by Lothrop Stoddard, expressing fears of racial and cultural dominance by non-white populations.

Racial Hygiene

A pseudoscientific ideology advocating for the preservation or improvement of the racial quality of a population.

Census Bureau

U.S. government agency responsible for collecting and analyzing demographic data, including racial classifications.

Takao Ozawa v. United States (1922)

A Supreme Court case that ultimately ruled against a Japanese man claiming to be 'white' under U.S. immigration law.

Bhagat Singh Thind v. United States (1923)

A Supreme Court case that similarly ruled against an Indian man, challenging racial definitions in immigration.