Immigration per se has been an important part of the foundation of the United States as nation. Excepting Native Americans, none could affirm not to have foreign ancestors. This is a point of controversy with the current state of things despite it has been regulated many times during nation’s history. To this end, U.S. Government through the history of the country has enacted different laws and has regulated the entry of foreigners to the country. The first immigration law enacted by the US government was precisely made by the Framers when they drafted the First Naturalization Act in 1790, in which stated that “ any alien, being a free white person, who shall have resided within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States
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However, the goal was to establish settlements in those territories and push the boundaries in different directions. Abrams stated: “Throughout the mid-nineteenth century, the federal government made strategic use of property law through homestead acts to encourage the westward immigration of whites and, in particular, women .” It is worthy to note that during that century the Federal Government passed bills that residency/citizenship are attached to the right of property. In other words, it was given to the newcomers an opportunity to get US citizenship if they purchased lands in the new territories and settled down there permanently. These deals were given especially to people from West or East …show more content…
Abrams stated: “The Donation Land Act had two important goals: the inducement of white settlers in general and the inducement of white female settlers in particular. The Act set forth its land grants in explicitly racial terms: settlers claiming land before 1851 could be ‘white . . . American half-breed Indians included’; those claiming land after 1851 had to be “white.” The Act explicitly provided that foreign whites could claim land: a claimant needed to be only ‘a citizen of the United States,’ or someone who had ‘made a declaration according to law, of his intention to become a citizen.’ Thus, the Donation Land Act encouraged immigration not only from the United States proper, but from other countries as well .” As was said, this law focused on attracting white people and women to the new territories. The only reason for that was that the United States needed new settlements in their new territories. Another example is the Homestead Act, Abrams stated: “the Homestead Act allowed white immigrants from Europe to make homestead claims so long as they filed a declaration of intent to become a citizen. The United States government went on a major publicity campaign in Europe, distributing pamphlets that advertised the high wages
However, the goal was to establish settlements in those territories and push the boundaries in different directions. Abrams stated: “Throughout the mid-nineteenth century, the federal government made strategic use of property law through homestead acts to encourage the westward immigration of whites and, in particular, women .” It is worthy to note that during that century the Federal Government passed bills that residency/citizenship are attached to the right of property. In other words, it was given to the newcomers an opportunity to get US citizenship if they purchased lands in the new territories and settled down there permanently. These deals were given especially to people from West or East …show more content…
Abrams stated: “The Donation Land Act had two important goals: the inducement of white settlers in general and the inducement of white female settlers in particular. The Act set forth its land grants in explicitly racial terms: settlers claiming land before 1851 could be ‘white . . . American half-breed Indians included’; those claiming land after 1851 had to be “white.” The Act explicitly provided that foreign whites could claim land: a claimant needed to be only ‘a citizen of the United States,’ or someone who had ‘made a declaration according to law, of his intention to become a citizen.’ Thus, the Donation Land Act encouraged immigration not only from the United States proper, but from other countries as well .” As was said, this law focused on attracting white people and women to the new territories. The only reason for that was that the United States needed new settlements in their new territories. Another example is the Homestead Act, Abrams stated: “the Homestead Act allowed white immigrants from Europe to make homestead claims so long as they filed a declaration of intent to become a citizen. The United States government went on a major publicity campaign in Europe, distributing pamphlets that advertised the high wages