Naturalization List of Foreign Sovereignties and their Rulers
Record of the Month! This month we are featuring a reproduction of a record that is part of our naturalization collection, which lists sovereignties and their rulers circa 1936. Naturalization is the legal process immigrants go through to become citizens of the United States. The policies surrounding immigration and naturalization have always been controversial and divisive. Although, it is important to note that naturalization has always been a choice and not a requirement to live in the United States. The first naturalization law was passed in 1790, requiring two years of residency for naturalization. As the United States continued to grow through the 19 th Century, policies surrounding naturalization became more complex due to rising number of immigrants choosing to become U.S. citizens. It was during the latter half of the 19 th century that millions of Italian, Russian, Irish, Polish, Slavic, Asian, and Jewish immigrants flocked to the United States. The