United States Citizenship Timeline
This is a timeline I made to show the different times that people have immigrated to America. You can click on the timeline to make it larger. Below it is more information about each of the events.
Siberian hunters follow their prey across a land bridge between Asia and Alaska.
About 1000- Vikings from Greenland land on the east coast of Canada, leaving after about three years when the natives become hostile.
1492- Christopher Columbus travels from Spain to find a new trading route to India, but lands on an island in the Caribbean Sea by accident. More Spaniards come after hearing of the gold that the natives have.
1500's and 1600's- Europeans from England, France, The Netherlands, Sweden and Spain begin coming to the New World to find new opportunities, wealth, adventure and freedom.
Settlers from Europe created colonies that existed in the New World, but under the rules of their home countries. Below are the main colonies of different countries and the year when they were formed.
England: Jamestown, Virginia, 1607. By 1732, England had 13 colonies on this land.
Spain: St. Augustine, Florida, 1565.
Dutch: Island near Manhattan, New York, 1625.
Sweden: Wilmington, Delaware, 1638.
1619- The first slaves are forced to come here from Africa. At first, they could work as indentured servants (people that worked for a certain time, until they earned their freedom), but later they were given no choice. By 1790, there were about 700,000 slaves in America.
During the Revolutionary War, many people remained loyal to the King. Some of them stayed in the colonies, but others fled to Canada or back to England. This was the first time that a great group of people were traveling away from America.
1808- Bringing slaves to America was illegal. However, it was continued to be done illegally. The slave population also grew as slaves had more children.
1820- 1940- This was a major wave of immigration. Scotch- Irish, English, French, Dutch and German all traveled here.
1841- 1860- At this time, more than 4 million people began to immigrate to America. 80 percent of these immigrants were Irish or German. The Irish left after a fungus had infected their potato crop and created a famine. More than one million people died and more left. They traveled here on what was called coffin ships, since so many died. They came to American ports such as New York City, Boston and Philadelphia. Many Germans escaped their homeland when revolutions started occurring Some even landed in Canada and walked to America.
1848- Almost 80,000 Mexicans become U.S. citizens after the Mexican War ends.
1848- The Gold Rush brings more people to America. Many traveled from all over the world to the Pacific Coast and San Francisco.
1855- Castle Garden opened in New York City, becoming the first place specifically for processing immogrants. It was open for 35 years and processed 8 to 12 million people.
1862- The Homestead Act is established and encourages Western immigration.
1892- After Castle Garden closed, America realized a much bigger place was needed to process immigrants. Ellis Island opened in 1892.
1880's- The biggest Immigration movement in United States history begins. About 26 million people were coming to America each year, with a total of about 26 million people. Many came because the industrial Revolution sent them looking for work. Others came to avoid forced service to their army and more came to escape religious prosecution.
1917- Immigration act makes tests, taxes and health checks mandatory to limit immigration.
1917- 1940's: The World Wars made immigration to America less busy. Many immigrants from enemy countries were taken to Ellis Island for holding or to temporary camps. Anyone thought to support communism or socialism was also taken somewhere else.
1924- National Origins Act starts the quota system, allowing only a certain amount of immigrants into the Country each year. After the quota system came into effect, immigration slowed a little bit.
1930's- Immigration became the slowest since the year 1830. From 1932 to 1935, more people were leaving the United States than coming.
1948- Many people were being forced from their home countries, and under the Displaced Persons Act, America took in more than 45,000 displaced persons.
1950's- Anyone suspected of communism was forced to leave the country.
1952- Immigration and Nationality Act- all immigrants are under the quota system.
1965- Focus shifted to family members of immigrants that were already in America.
1986- Almost three million illegal immigrants are allowed to stay in America.
1996- Border enforcement are strengthened.
(Walker)
About 1000- Vikings from Greenland land on the east coast of Canada, leaving after about three years when the natives become hostile.
1492- Christopher Columbus travels from Spain to find a new trading route to India, but lands on an island in the Caribbean Sea by accident. More Spaniards come after hearing of the gold that the natives have.
1500's and 1600's- Europeans from England, France, The Netherlands, Sweden and Spain begin coming to the New World to find new opportunities, wealth, adventure and freedom.
Settlers from Europe created colonies that existed in the New World, but under the rules of their home countries. Below are the main colonies of different countries and the year when they were formed.
England: Jamestown, Virginia, 1607. By 1732, England had 13 colonies on this land.
Spain: St. Augustine, Florida, 1565.
Dutch: Island near Manhattan, New York, 1625.
Sweden: Wilmington, Delaware, 1638.
1619- The first slaves are forced to come here from Africa. At first, they could work as indentured servants (people that worked for a certain time, until they earned their freedom), but later they were given no choice. By 1790, there were about 700,000 slaves in America.
During the Revolutionary War, many people remained loyal to the King. Some of them stayed in the colonies, but others fled to Canada or back to England. This was the first time that a great group of people were traveling away from America.
1808- Bringing slaves to America was illegal. However, it was continued to be done illegally. The slave population also grew as slaves had more children.
1820- 1940- This was a major wave of immigration. Scotch- Irish, English, French, Dutch and German all traveled here.
1841- 1860- At this time, more than 4 million people began to immigrate to America. 80 percent of these immigrants were Irish or German. The Irish left after a fungus had infected their potato crop and created a famine. More than one million people died and more left. They traveled here on what was called coffin ships, since so many died. They came to American ports such as New York City, Boston and Philadelphia. Many Germans escaped their homeland when revolutions started occurring Some even landed in Canada and walked to America.
1848- Almost 80,000 Mexicans become U.S. citizens after the Mexican War ends.
1848- The Gold Rush brings more people to America. Many traveled from all over the world to the Pacific Coast and San Francisco.
1855- Castle Garden opened in New York City, becoming the first place specifically for processing immogrants. It was open for 35 years and processed 8 to 12 million people.
1862- The Homestead Act is established and encourages Western immigration.
1892- After Castle Garden closed, America realized a much bigger place was needed to process immigrants. Ellis Island opened in 1892.
1880's- The biggest Immigration movement in United States history begins. About 26 million people were coming to America each year, with a total of about 26 million people. Many came because the industrial Revolution sent them looking for work. Others came to avoid forced service to their army and more came to escape religious prosecution.
1917- Immigration act makes tests, taxes and health checks mandatory to limit immigration.
1917- 1940's: The World Wars made immigration to America less busy. Many immigrants from enemy countries were taken to Ellis Island for holding or to temporary camps. Anyone thought to support communism or socialism was also taken somewhere else.
1924- National Origins Act starts the quota system, allowing only a certain amount of immigrants into the Country each year. After the quota system came into effect, immigration slowed a little bit.
1930's- Immigration became the slowest since the year 1830. From 1932 to 1935, more people were leaving the United States than coming.
1948- Many people were being forced from their home countries, and under the Displaced Persons Act, America took in more than 45,000 displaced persons.
1950's- Anyone suspected of communism was forced to leave the country.
1952- Immigration and Nationality Act- all immigrants are under the quota system.
1965- Focus shifted to family members of immigrants that were already in America.
1986- Almost three million illegal immigrants are allowed to stay in America.
1996- Border enforcement are strengthened.
(Walker)