Document Showcase:

Naturalization and Citizenship

Document Showcase is a regular feature that highlights a topic from State history using records from the New York State Archives. Each Showcase includes sample documents, an historical sketch, and links to educational activities for classroom use. Check out previous topics we have covered in our Document Showcase Archive.

The slide show below is interactive. Click on an image to examine the document more closely. The slide show controls allow you to select, zoom, drag, and pan across each slide show image.

Historical Background

Naturalization is the act of granting to immigrants the full legal rights and benefits held by native-born United States citizens. Naturalization laws and regulations in the United States have changed over time because of new patterns of immigration, changing ideas of citizenship, diplomatic relations between the United States and other nations, and the need to standardize the process.

The Constitution gave Congress the power to "establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization." In the 1800s, naturalizations could be carried out by any court of record. The states controlled the civil and political rights of resident aliens, especially regarding real estate ownership. In 1825, any immigrant in New York who wanted to own land had to file a deposition stating their intention to permanently live in the United States. The deposition also required the immigrants to be naturalized as soon as possible.

Nineteenth century courts in the United States did not have a consistent way of naturalizing aliens. In New York, the courts required only one person to testify on the alien's behalf. The federal requirement was for two people to testify. In the 1880s, the federal government started the process to centralize control of immigration. This resulted in the creation of the federal Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization in 1906.

In the early twentieth century social reformers and policy makers began to fear that the newest immigrants were not prepared or motivated to take on the duties and privileges of American citizenship. A separate federal Bureau of Naturalization was formed to work with public schools and citizens' organizations to prepare immigrants for citizenship.

Throughout the twentieth century Congress and the federal courts have struggled with the question of which racial and ethnic groups would be granted American citizenship. Federal laws regulating the number of immigrants admitted to the United States, and the treatment of legal and illegal aliens, have changed repeatedly. Qualifications for becoming a citizen are still in place today and include the McCarran-Walter Act of 1952 that states that citizenship cannot be denied based solely on race, gender, or marital status.

Classroom Activities

See our Document-Based Questions and extension activities related to naturalization and citizenship, and designed to meet New York State Education Standards.

Slide Show Details

Document 1: Alien deposition of Patrick Hyland, affirming his intention to permanently reside in the United States and to seek naturalization as soon as possible, 1825.  (View transcript of Patrick Hyland's deposition)
Depositions filed by Thomas and William Hyland (likely brothers of Patrick) are available in our Digital Collections and in the Classroom Activities. 
Series A1869, Alien Depositions of Intent to Become U.S. Citizens, 1825-1913, New York State Department of State.

Document 2: Naturalization papers of German immigrant Alexander Rudolph, filed in the New York State Court of Chancery, 1840. 
Series J1061, Naturalization Papers, circa 1830-1847, New York State Court of Chancery (5th, 6th and 8th Circuits).

Document 3: Immigrants on deck of steamer awaiting debarkation at Ellis Island, circa 1925. 
Series A3045, Instructional Lantern Slides, 1911-1925, New York State Education Department Division of Visual Instruction.

Documents 4 and 5: INS flyer and fact sheet urging resident aliens to obtain green cards, produced in six languages, 1989. 
English and Korean versions are displayed here, with additional versions in Spanish, Polish, Chinese, and Haitian Creole available in our Digital Collections. 
Series 16034, Commissioner's Subject and Correspondence files, 1947-2003, New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner's Office.

Document 6: Cover of "Little New Citizen" playlet, designed to teach elementary school children the responsibilities and benefits of American citizenship, 1941.  
Complete playlet is available in our Digital Collections. 
Series A4270, General Correspondence, 1942-1943, New York State War Council Office of Civilian Mobilization, Section for Citizen Unity.

For More Information

Naturalization Pathfinder
Use the New York State Archives' naturalization pathfinder to locate the best sources for records of naturalizations that took place in New York from the British colonial period to the present.

Lusk Committee
From 1919 to 1920 the New York State Legislature's Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate Seditious Acitivites (Lusk Committee) investigated individuals and organizations suspected of promoting the overthrow of the U.S. government. Particular attention was focused on immigrant groups, with the conclusion that civics education was vital to preventing far-left political tendencies. View the State Archives' subject guide on the Lusk Committee.

National Archives Northeast Regional Office, New York City
The State Archives holds only a few hundred naturalization documents. Many more naturalization records for New York residents can be found at the National Archives Northeast Regional Office in New York City.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the government agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States. The USCIS web site provides information on current immigration and citizenship policy, as well as information on requesting searches of naturalization, alien registration, visa, registry, and alien files for genealogical purposes.

CastleGarden.org
CastleGarden.org is an eduactional project of The Battery Conservancy. This web site offers access to a database containing information on 11 million immigrants who entered the Port of New York from 1820 through 1892, years prior to the opening of Ellis Island.

The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation
The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation offers a free database search of Port of New York (Ellis Island) passenger manifests covering the years 1892-1924.

Questions?

Send questions or comments about the Document Showcase to the Public Programs Office of the State Archives by email at: ARCHEDU@mail.nysed.gov or phone (518) 474-6926.