Immigration: Definition and Facts

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U.S. Immigration Timeline

White People of ‘Good Character’ Granted Citizenship January 1776: Thomas Paine publishes a pamphlet, “Common Sense,” that argues for American independence. Most colonists consider themselves Britons, but Paine makes the case for a new American. “Europe, and not England, is the parent country of America. This new world hath been the asylum for the persecuted […]

Angel Island Immigration Station

Located in San Francisco Bay, the Angel Island Immigration Station served as the main immigration facility on the West Coast of the United States from 1910 to 1940. Many immigrants from China or other Asian countries were detained there for extended periods thanks to the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) and other discriminatory immigration laws. The […]

Asian American Milestones: Timeline

The first major wave of Asian immigrants arrived at American shores in the mid‑1800s and Asian Americans have since played a key role in U.S. history, while also facing discrimination and exclusion. A diverse population, the nation’s 20 million‑plus Asian Americans have roots in more than 20 countries in Asia and India, according to the […]

Irish Potato Famine

Ireland in the 1800s With the ratification of the Act for the Union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801, Ireland was effectively governed as a colony of Great Britain (until the Irish War of Independence ended in 1921). Together, the combined nations were known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. As […]

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U.S. Immigration Since 1965

What does an American look like? Evolving immigration policies in 1965 would lead to ever‑changing answers.

The Irish in Boston

Trace the journey of Boston’s Irish population from poverty to power, spearheaded by one man’s determination to see justice for his community, in this bonus scene from “America: Promised Land.”

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U.S. Immigration Before 1965

For over 60 years, Ellis Island was the gateway for millions of Americans to the United States. Explore the legacy of this symbol of American immigration.

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History of San Francisco’s Chinatown

After the 1906 earthquake destroyed the city, plans to rebuild didn’t include a place for Chinese immigrants. Faced with the prospect of resettling to Oakland, Look Tin Eli employed white architects to create an even grander Chinatown.

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