Timeline of Migration From 1800-1900

1807: First steamboat voyage

1808: Foreign slave trade is prohibited in the United States; 50,000 slaves become the first "illegal immigrants" in the US.

Lincoln decided to prohibit foreign slave trade, but not domestic slavery itself.

1816: Irish immigration to the US begins

The Irish immigration of 1816 was met its harsh repercussions. Criticized for their faith (Catholicism), the Irish population was highly discriminated against.

1862: US homestead act is published

The US homestead act was set up to start up migration to Western America.  An acre of land in the West cost about $1.25 per acre.

1863-1869: Central Pacific Railroad begins hiring Chinese and Irish laborers to construct the first Transcontinental Railroad.

July 14, 1870: Neutralization Act of 1870 extends naturalization of slaves

This neutralization act made it easier for aliens of Africa and of African descent to become full citizens or "free white persons".

1870-1880: California sees an influx of Chinese immigrants due to the Gold Rush.

Numerous Chinese immigrants move to California to attain great wealth from the. Abundance of gold deposits.

1880's: First major influx of Europeans to the United States

Massive amounts of Europeans flood into the US, most of them Jews (new repressive laws for Jews in Prussia and Russia) and Italians (trying to escape the unstable economic and political environment of their homeland).

1882: Immigration Exclusion Acts passed

These acts put more restriction on who could immigrate to the United States. Criminals, poor, and the mentally ill were unable to immigrate to the US. The main reason for the passing of this act was to stop the immigration of many Chinese workers, as they were stealing many jobs on the West Coast of the United States.

1886: Construction of the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the French, symbolizing the friendship we share. The statue was seen as a symbol of inviting immigrants into the country.

1886: Carl Benz creates the first automobile

January 2, 1892: Elis Island opens up as an immigrant entry point.

March 28, 1898: Supreme court confirms that the fourteenth amendment gives citizen ship to all those in the United States.

Sources:

"Historical Timeline - Illegal Immigration - ProCon.org." ProConorg Headlines. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.