Question

Congress passed the _____ in 1882 barring this country's immigrants and declaring them ineligible for citizenship.

Answer 1

The correct answer is The Chinese Exclusion Act.

This law was passed due a rise in nativism. Nativism is a belief focused on putting the needs and wants of native born citizens first. These nativists were often anti-immigrant during this time, as they felt immigrants would take jobs away from American citizens and would result in unwanted changes to American society. To avoid this, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed as a way to please the nativists in the country.

Answer 2

In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which suspended the immigration of all Chinese laborers (skilled or unskilled) for 10 years. The Act required all Chinese person traveling in or out of  America to carry a proof of his identity and status laborer, scholar, diplomat, or merchant.