Moving to America – History of Immigration in the U.S.

When people arrive in New York City, they are greeted by the Statue of Liberty, one of the most well-known symbols that represent the United States of America. The Statue has inscribed the following words that best represent the country:

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door. “

This inscription found on the Statue of Liberty, was a very appropriate description of the philosophy of immigration for America both then and now. Since colonial days, the country has accepted all people from all lands. This has made the United States a great melting pot of all people from the earliest days of the country to today.

Beginning in the 1600’s the country was settled by a host of people from other countries. Once the Americans received their freedom from England through the American Revolution, it continued to accept people from all lands. In history there were many events and legislation from the U.S. Government which impacted the amount of people entering the country. They include the Naturalization Act of 1795, Irish Potato Famine of the 1840’s and the 1849 California Gold Rush. Because of the influx of people into the country, the government opened Ellis Island, which became an iconic location for immigrants to the country.

To learn more about the various key events of movers dc immigration in the United States of America, we have put together the following information. We hope you find it useful in learning more about how immigrants have shaped this country.

Colonial Expansion

• Expansion and Growth of the United States – Informative page with information and a timeline of expansion of the United States.
• Colonial Expansion – Information on the growth of the colonies in North America from 1492 to 173.
• Forming the American Colonies – Useful page with information on the expansion of colonies into America.
• British Colonies – Information on the various colonies that the British established in America.
• Early American Immigration – Article which provides information and a summary of immigration in colonial America.

Naturalization Act of 1795

• Early Naturalization Laws – Summary of the laws of naturalization that were enacted following the Revolutionary War.
• The Naturalization Act of 1795 – Information on one of the first acts to control the flow of immigration into the country.
• Immigration Legislation – Summary of the 1795 Act pertaining to immigration to the United States.
• Naturalization Act – Historical look at the document and wording of the 1795 legislation.
• Naturalization Laws – Useful background information on the various laws that were enacted in the early days of the United States.

Irish Potato Famine 1840s

• Irish Potato Famine – Overview of the events surrounding the 1847 potato famine.
• Great Famine of 1845 – Summary of the potato famine that occurred in 1845.
• The Irish Potato Famine – Informative page which discussed the famine and how it led to a mass emigration to North America.
• Irish Immigration – Overview of the mid-1840’s events in Ireland which led to immigration to America.
• Irish Potato Famine – Information on the famine which led to movement to America.

California Gold Rush 1849

• The California Gold Rush – Useful article which serves as a guide to how the gold rush began.
• History of the Gold Rush – Web page which provides a historical look at the California Gold Rush.
• Gold in California – Article on the history and timeline of the discovery of gold in California.
• Immigration to the United States – Informative page which talks about how the gold rush opened the door to immigration.

Ellis Island

• Ellis Island Information – A useful look at the island and the historical importance.
• History of Ellis Island – Article which provides an overview of the history of the island.
• The History of Ellis Island – Informative article which covers the vast history of the immigration center.
• Welcome to Immigration – Educational web page which includes an interactive tour of Ellis Island.
• Images of Ellis Island – Information and a collection of images about the immigrants that landed at Ellis from 1880 to 1920.

Immigration Laws

• Quota Act – Helpful page which was put into place in 1921 limiting the number of immigrants admitted to the United States.
• Johnson-Reed Act – Summary of the 1924 Act further limiting aliens admitted to America.
• History of Immigration Policy – Useful page with information on the history of policy changes regarding immigration.
• Immigration Policy Overview – A useful look at the policy changes about United States immigration.