Acts, Bills, Ordinances, Amendments, And Provisos!

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Northwest Ordinance - 1787

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Divided territories in the Midwest into townships and allowed them to eventually become states; supported public schools; prohibited slavery in the region

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Fugitive Slave Laws - 1793

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Gave judges money for convicting a runaway slave

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Naturalization Act - 1798

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INcreased citizen residency requirement from 5 to 14 years

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Alien Act - 1798

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Allowed President to deport any alien considered dangerous

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Alien Enemies Act - 1798

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Allowed for the deportation of citizens of nations at war with the U.S.

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Sedition Act - 1798

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Prohibited printing of libel or fostering opposition to U.S. laws

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Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions - 1798

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Drafter by Jefferson and Madison in opposition ot infringements of civil liverties in the Alien and Sedition Acts

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Missouri Compromise - 1820

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Proposed by Clay; Allowed slave state MO and free sate ME to eneter Union

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Thomas Proviso to Missouri Compromise - 1820

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Added proviso preventing slavery north of 36'30 in LA purchase

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Tallmadge Amendment to Missouri Compromise - 1820

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Would have freed slaves born in MO at age 25

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Specie Circular - 1836

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Required land payments to be made in gold or silver; devalued currency

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Wilmot Proviso - 1846

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Proviso to appropriations bill preventing slavery in lands acquired from Mexico; not passed

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Compromise of 1850

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Proposed by Clay; Ended slavery in DC, admission of CA, new Fugitive Slave Law, establishment of NM and UT territories, $10 million to Texas

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Kansas-Nebraska Act - 1854

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Created KS and NE and allowed settlers in both states to decide slavery for themselves, repealing Missouri Compromise

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Homestead Act - 1862

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Provided free land up to 160 acres to people who would settle on it for five years

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Morrill Land-Grant College Act - 1862

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Provided federal land to states for establishing state universities

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Enrollment Act - 1863

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Instituted a draft for the Civil War, allowing exception by payment of $300

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Wade-Davis Bill - 1864

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Bill requiring half a state's white males to sweal loyalty before reestablishing state governments in the South; pocket-vetoed by Lincoln

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Freedmen's Bureau - 1865

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Established to help freed slaves

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Tenure of Office Act - 1867

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Prevented president from removing officials without SEnate's consent

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Bland-Allison Act - 1878

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Created silver certificate and allowed silver purchase by the government

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Pendleton Civil SErvice REform Act - 1883

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Required competitive tests for federal civil service jobs

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Sherman Antitrust Act - 1890

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Outlawed all trusts in restrain of free trade

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Sherman Silver Purchase Act - 1890

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Provided by monthly purchase of silver by federal governmetn

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Teller Amendment to Declaration of War with Spain - 1898

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Stated the the U.S. would not annex Cub

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Platt Amendment to th Army Appropriations Bill of 1901

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Ended U.S. occupation of Cuba; established naval base at Guantanamo Bay

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Spooner Amendment to the Army Appropriations Bill of 1901

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Provided for civilian government in the Philippines

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Pure Food and Drug Act - 1906

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The name says it all... inspired by Sinclair's Jungle

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Owen-Glass Act - 1913

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Established Federal Reserve

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Clayton Antitrust Act - 1914

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Amendment to Sherman Antitrust Act which dealt with new monopolistic practices

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Espionage Act -1917

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Provides stiff penalties for spying against the U.S.

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Glass-Steagall Act -1932

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Extended credit and gold to industries

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Norris-LaGuardia Act -1932

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Banned yellow-dog contracts and prevented injunctions

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National Industrial Recovery Act -1933

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Established Public Works Administration and National Recovery Administration to help economic recovery from Great DEpression

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Wagner Act -1935

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National Labor RElations Act; granted rights to unions; allowed collective bargaining

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Hatch Act -1939

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Political Activity Act; Limited political activites of federal employees; limited individual campagin contributions

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Smith Act -1940

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Alien Registration Act; Outlawed advocacy of force to change government

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Lend-Lease Act -1941

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Allowed th ePresident to grant economic aid to nations important to the defense of the U.S.

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Taft-Hartley Act -1947

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Labor-Management Relations Acts; curbed powers of unions, outlawed closed show, allowed right-to-work laws

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McCarran-Walter Act -1952

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Removed ban on immigration by Asians to U.S.

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Landrum-Griffin Act -1959

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Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act; Bill of Rights of union members; regulated union internal affairs; required reporting of union dealings

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Voting Rights Act of 1965

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Provided federal enforcement of laws allowing minorities to vote

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Medicare Act -1965

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Established health insurance for the elderly

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Medicaid Act -1965

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Established health insurance for the poor

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Social Security Act of 1967

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Established social welfare insurance

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Civil Rights Act of 1968

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Prohibited racial or religious discimination in housing

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Boland Amendment -1984

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Prevented U.S. aid for contras in Nicaragua