Part 1
Directions:
Summary
Congress first defined eligibility for citizenship by
Part 1
Directions:
Summary
Congress first defined eligibility for citizenship by naturalizationin this law, and limited this important right to “free white persons.” In practice, only white, male property owners could naturalize and acquire the status of citizens, whereas women, nonwhite persons, and indentured servants could not. Access to citizenship would become more expansive over time; although, the racial restriction was not eliminated entirely until 1952. This law produced the legal category of “aliens ineligible for citizenship ” which largely affected Asian immigrants and limited their rights as noncitizens to key realms of life in the United States such as property ownership, representation in courts, public employment, and voting.
Source
United States Congress, “An act to establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization” (March 26, 1790).
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That any Alienbeing a free white person, who shall have resided within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States for the term of two years, may be admitted to become a citizen thereof on application to any common law Court of record in any one of the States wherein he shall have resided for the term of one year at least, and making proof to the satisfaction of such Court that he is a person of good character, and taking the oath or affirmation prescribed by law to support the Constitution of the United States, which Oath or Affirmation such Court shall administer, and the Clerk of such Court shall record such Application, and the proceedings thereon; and thereupon such person shall be considered as a Citizen of the United States. And the children of such person so naturalized, dwelling within the United States, being under the age of twenty one years at the time of such naturalization, shall also be considered as citizens of the United States. And the children of citizens of the United States that may be born beyond Sea, or out of the limits of the United States, shall be considered as natural born Citizens: Provided, that the right of citizenship shall not descend to persons whose fathers have never been resident in the United States . . .
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Post your answers to the following questions after also reading Parts 1, 2, and 3 here.
After Congress passed the Nationality Act of 1790, who could become a citizen through naturalization and what did eligible immigrants have to do to gain citizenship rights?
Who would have been excluded from citizenship through naturalization under the Nationality Act of 1790?
How might access or a lack of access to naturalization and citizenshiprights have impacted different immigrant communities over time? Look up how many years later women got the right to vote and own property and the Civil Rights Act took place. Now, consider how owning a house, for example, can increase a family’s wealth and opportunity for inheritance over time ( a 300,000 dollar home requires a minimum of 60,000 dollars in cash to take out a reasonable loan …20% down and the bank loans the rest. Working hourly on minimum wage, it is difficulty to save 60,000 dollars in cash–Many families area able to put that cash payment down through inheritance after a family member dies, the home is either inheritated or sold, providing cash for another purchase. Over time, all the members of the family begin to own property and wealth accumulation and wealth transfer along the security it provides is established. This often takes generations to build if the family was not already royalty (rich to start with). Gollnick and Chinn (2021) talk about the “myth of the meritocracy” and the American attachment to “working hard to get ahead.” (p.16) What is the meritocracy, in this context why do Gollnick and Chinn (2021) call it “the Myth of the Meritocracy” and how did working hard to get ahead allow some to get ahead and some to stay in place? Make connections here to historical legal obstacles and what these laws revealed about American culture. Cite Gollnick and Chinn (2021) accurately using APA citation style.
Part 2
The links available are just a starting point. They are not the only place you should go to research your topic. You will need to go beyond the links to answer the questions. You will need to use the textbook also and find other information on the internet. In the Learning Module on Law and Education are live links to information on each law or court case to get you started.
This is the law I am doing (prop 227 and prop 58)
https://edsource.org/2017/a-new-era-for-bilingual-education-explaining-californias-proposition-58/574852.
research the law you have selected and present a brief summary of the law including this information. Presentation shouldn’t be no more than five to seven minutes.
• What is the law (Define it/state the law or case decision)?
• What was the historical treatment of those who are now being protected by the law or court decision? In general, how were the people (who are now protected) being treated and why?
• What is the story of the law or case? Tell who was wronged or whose rights were violated, or who needed protection and why?
• What is the result/impact on students, teachers, and schooling? What are the implications for educators and classroom practice? Re-visit Chapter 1. Reflect the following American cultural concepts: the meritocracy and egalitarianism, the dominant culture, privilege, marginalization, acculturation, assimilation, cultural identity, cultural relativism, social justice. Consider these concepts are defined. Historically, what groups in America have enjoyed the benefits of these concepts and what groups have not and why? Is it possible to work hard and not get ahead in America? Why? Explain how these concepts maybe understood differently by different groups. How do you explain your upbringing related to these concepts? (cite the text). Always cite articles (using APA in-text citation format, text chapters (author and date), page if you are quoting word-for-word, and videos when appropriate. The point in all discussions is showing that you can analyze and discuss using supportive evidence from the assigned readings.
Prepare a presentation addressing your law. Use APA within your presentation. Write your informed professional opinion. This means you give your opinion only if you can support what you say or explain what you say with references to the theories and concepts from the text and readings.