1. Write a short essay on ONE of the following topics (max.

2 pages):

a) Reflect on the evolution of policies and legislation related to

immigration in the USA from the end of the 19th C to the 1930s. (You
can focus on explaining the main restrictions and the consequences of
the quota system)

b) Reflect on the US Constitution, focusing on its main principles. (You can

deal with examining its foundations, explaining the reasons why it is
considered the Supreme law, how it separates the different branches of
powers and the amendments that have been made)

WRITE YOUR ANSWER DOWN BELOW (Max. 2 pages) + Bibliographical

references
2. Choose ONE out of these three texts proposed below and write a critical
comment on its significance. Remember you cannot write on the same text that you
chose to write your PEC.

Text 1

“Whereas on the 22nd day of September, A.D. 1862, a proclamation was issued by the President of the
United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit:
"That on the 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of
a State the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, thenceforward,
and forever free; and the executive government of the United States, including the military and naval
authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons and will do no act or acts to
repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
"That the executive will on the 1st day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts
of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United
States; and the fact that any State or the people thereof shall on that day be in good faith represented in the
Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified
voters of such States shall have participated shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be
deemed conclusive evidence that such State and the people thereof are not then in rebellion against the
United States…”
From: “Emancipation Proclamation”. Abraham Lincoln. 1863.

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 Text 2
“Good evening, my fellow citizens:
This afternoon, following a series of threats and defiant statements, the presence of Alabama National
Guardsmen was required on the University of Alabama to carry out the final and unequivocal order of the
United States District Court of the Northern District of Alabama. This order called for the admission of two
clearly qualified young Alabama residents who happen to have been born Negro.
That they were admitted peacefully on the campus is due in good measure to the conduct of the students of
the University of Alabama, who met their responsibilities in a constructive way.
I hope that every American, regardless of where he lives, will stop and examine his conscience about this
and other related incidents. This nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was
founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished
when the rights of one man are threatened.
Today we are committed to a worldwide struggle to promote and protect the rights of all who wish to be
free. When Americans are sent to Vietnam or West Berlin, we do not ask for whites only. It ought to be
possible, therefore, for American students of any color to attend any public institution they select without
having to be backed up by troops. It ought to be possible for American consumers of any color...”
From: Address to the American People on Civil Rights. John F. Kennedy. 1963.

Text 3

“…I long to hear that you have declared an independency—and by the way in the new Code of Laws
which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be
more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands
of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not
paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any
Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.
That your Sex are Naturally Tyrannical is a Truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no dispute, but
such of you as wish to be happy willingly give up the harsh title of Master for the more tender and
endearing one of Friend. Why then, not put it out of the power of the vicious and the
Lawless to use us with cruelty and indignity with impunity. Men of Sense in all Ages abhor those customs
which treat us only as the vassals of your Sex. Regard us then as Beings placed by providence under your
protection and in imitation of the Supreme Being make use of that power only for our happiness.”
From: “Remember the Ladies”. Abigail Adams’ Letters to John Adams. 1776.

This fragment belongs to a historic, political and literary document, shaped in a form of
a letter written by Abigail Adams to her husband John Adams: founding father, future

2
first vice-president, second president of the United States and father of the sixth
president, John Quincy Adams. The document, written in their family farm in Braintree,
Massachusetts dated 31 March 1776, has a second part from April 4, 1776. Both parts
were redacted in the midst of the American Revolution (1775-1783) that led to the
declaration of the American Independence from the British Empire in the 4thJuly 1776.
The aim of the letter is clear: while her husband is in Philadelphia with a comitee
preparing the draft of the Declaration for Independence, she wants him to “Remember
the ladies”. (History.com Editors 2020, June 16)

After the Seven Years´ War, Great Britain started to develop new policies amongst its
colonies such as the imposition of The Stamp Act of 1765 that imposed a tax to the
colonies and established that many printed materials for legal documents or newspapers
must be produced on stamped paper made in London. Those restrictions clashed with
the self-reliance the 13 colonies of North America were feeling due to the population
and economic growth. As a result, the United States started a revolution on April 19,
1775 that led to the War of Independence from Great Britain. (History.com Editors
2020, June 16)

The American colonies followed the English Common Law that pushed women under
men by restricting their power with measures such as not being able to own a property
nor open a bank account; the wife´s wage would belong to her husband and of course,
most women (even Abigail) did not receive proper education. (David Mauk, John
Oakland: 2018, p.85) Due to the proximity of the declaration of independence and
considering that she thinks men have an inclination to tyranny and do not want to
renounce to their privileges, she urges her husband to “remember the ladies” in the new
Code of Laws giving up the title of “master” and taking the title of “friend” instead to
guarantee women´s equality within the matrimony“in the new Code of Laws which I
suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the Ladies,
and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors.[...] Remember all
Men would be tyrants if they could Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of
the Husbands.”

Abigail Adams states that women could not continue being servants of the male sex
when they are fighting for Liberty for the colonies. She suggests that “men of sense”,
those who are disgusted with how women have been mistreated, should take part in the

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making of the New Code of Laws. As expected from the daughter of a congregational
minister, (Wikipedia, 2020 June 16) she alludes to religion; in the Bible is portrayed
that women emerge from men (Eve comes from Adam´s rib) and men as the image of
God in Earth must protect women and fought for their well-being “in imitation of the
Supreme Being make use of that power only for our happiness”.

Throughout the beginning and the middle of the fragment, the author uses the singular
pronouns “I” and “you” to keep distance, “I” represents her as an oppresed woman
whereas “you” represents her husband and also the male colective, the tyrans.
Nevertheless, she changes at the end of the fragment and starts using “we” a plural
pronoun that reinforces the idea of fighting together as friends rather than husband and
wife.

In the past, women were considered frail, simple-minded and too emotional; so they
were given the housewife role. However, women from the lower classes worked in a
variety of jobs since the beginning of the colonial period. Additionally, in the first
textile factories in New England there were more female than male workers which
reflects the inconsistencies of those believes. ( Gary M. Walton, Hugh Rockoff: 2017,
 

p.176)

From the first convention for women´s rights in Seneca Falls (David Mauk, John
Oakland: 2018, p.85) to the winning of women’s suffrage, every woman who has
defended her rights owes something to Abigail Adams, a woman ahead of her time who
paved the way to feminism “we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold
ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.” Certainly,
it is a pity to see how her demands were ignored and how women´s right to vote was
obtained really late. Sadly, males are still favoured in some areas and it is shocking to
see that the current US President can give statements as “I don't even wait. And when
you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. ... Grab them by the pussy. You
can do anything” (The New York Times: October 8, 2016) and get away with it.

Since the first steps of the founders who established the colonies to the speeches given
by the Presidents of the US, there has always been a trace of “e pluribus unum” (out of

4
many, one) the traditional motto of the USA that also appears on the Great Seal. That
phrase attributed to Virgil reminds the citizens that they all had the same aim of starting
anew in the land of freedom, dreams and opportunity. (Wikipedia, 2020 June 16) (Philip
Martin, 2020 June 16)

From religious persecution to unlimited land supplies, every immigrant had a motif to
come to the US; thanks to the industrial revolution the demand of working forces
increased, and due to the creation of steamships and trains, the migration to a land full
of promises and dreams became cheaper and faster. The never-ending arrivals of
immigrants were even encouraged by the American railroads that sent agents to Europe
to recruit people with the promise of huge lands or high wages. (David Mauk, John
Oakland: 2018, p.65, 66) The Homestead Act of 1862 gave the ownership of land
(almost a 10 percent of the total area of the United States was given away by the
government due to this Act) to any adult who had applied for citizenship. Those events,
followed by the discovery of gold in California caused a positive net migration rate.
(David Mauk, John Oakland: 2018, p.66) (Wikipedia, 2020 June 16)

The colosal waves of immigration caused commotion. The ghettos where most of the
immigrants lived were in bad conditions, there was overpopulation and of course, the
crime rates went up previous to the Civil War state. These inconveniences alarmed the
“old” immigrants who did not believe that the new citizens from countries as Mexico,
Russia or Philippines were too “exotic” and would not adapt well to the Anglo-
American culture they were trying to maintain. (David Mauk, John Oakland: 2018,
p.68)

The measures were late and questionable. The first immigration acts started at the end
of the 19th century focusing on criminals and prostitutes. Later they applied the same
policy to the Chinese. One of the first federal immigration restrictive laws, was the
Chinese Exclusion Act 1882, which denied the access of Chinese women to the USA.
As a reason for this Act they stated that most of the Chinese women who came to the
USA were prostitutes, polygamists or concubines. Quickly, they expanded the banning
to what they considered illiterates, political radicals or the mentaly ill. (David Mauk,
John Oakland: 2018, p.68) (Wikipedia, 2020 June 16) Those argumentations were the
seeds of the eugenic believes, which wants to improve the genes of the human
population by excluding groups that are considered inferior. (David Mauk, John
Oakland: 2018, p.68).

5
In 1890, the government closed frontiers and ceased giving away lands, so most of the
immigrants moved to the North in order to work in the industry, that due to the
mechanization, only offered low profile and poorly paid jobs. A year later, the federal
government opened Ellis Island, baptized as The Island of Tears, an immigrant
screening point in New York Bay. For 35 years state officials checked more than 8
million of immigrants and decided whereas they could enter the country or not. The
examination process consisted in a quick medical check up and a strict questioning to
the arrivers. About a 2% of the immigrants were denied the entrance to the USA. (David
Mauk, John Oakland: 2018, p.68, 69) (Nueva york.es 2020, June 16)

The beginning of the 20th century was marked by fear and uncertainty towards national
security as a consequence of the First World War (1914-1918) and the Russian
Revolution (1917). In the first decades, the federal government launched regulations
towards immigration such as The Emergency Quota Act of 1921, that restricted the
entrance to a certain number of immigrants per country. The chances to be admitted
were higher to northern Europeans due to the higher quota and people from the East or
South of Europe were less likely to be admitted. Following the same idea, The
Immigration Act of 1924 narrowed the number of newcomers to a 2% of the total
number of people of each nationality acording to the 1890s census. With this measure,
Asians were completely excluded. (David Mauk, John Oakland: 2018, p.68, 69) (Office
of the Historian, 2020 June 16) (Wikipedia 2020 June 16)

The Great Depression that collapsed the US market, led to a 25% of unemployment and
reduced drastically the numbers of newcomers. The local governments, scared, deported
about 1.8 million of citizens to Mexico. The 60% of those citizens were Americans
forced to exile in order to give their jobs and resources to white Americans. (Becky
Little 2020 June 16) (Wikipedia 2020 June 16) (David Mauk, John Oakland: 2018,
p.69,70, 71)

Throughout a short period of time, the government passed from “laissez faire, laissez
passer” to a bunch of racist eugenic measures when they realized that the land of the
dreams, freedom and oportunities has its own limits, just like any other country.

BIBLIOGRAPHY EXERCISE 2

6
Gary M. Walton, Hugh Rockoff History of American Economy CENGAGE Learning
Custom Publishing 13th ed. Consulted on 2020, June 16

History.com Editors.“Abigail Adams” History. A&E Television Networks. Last update

2019, October 15 Consulted on 2020, June 15 https://www.history.com/topics/first-
ladies/abigail-adams
History.com Editors “Stamp Act” History. A&E Televisioin Networks. 2009,
November 9. Last update 2019, July 31. Consulted on 2020, June 15
https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/stamp-act
MAUK, DAVID. AMERICAN CIVILIZATION. 7th ed. New York: ROUTLEDGE,
2018. Print. Consulted on 2020, June 15
Wikipedia Editors Abigail Adams Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Last update 2020,
April 21 Consulted on 2020, June 15 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abigail_Adams
Wikipedia Editors John Quincy Adams. Wikipedia, Last update 2020, May 21
Consulted on 2020, June 15 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Quincy_Adams
Wikipedia Editors Donald Trump Access Hollywood Tape. Wikipedia. Last update
2020, June 1 Consulted on 2020, June 15
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump_Access_Hollywood_tape
Wikipedia Editors Declaration of Sentiments. Wikipedia. Last update 2020, May 7
Consulted on 2020, June 15 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Sentiments
Wikipedia Editors Timeline of Women’s Suffrage in the United States Wikipedia. Last
update 2020, June 11. Consulted on 2020, June 15
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_women%27s_suffrage_in_the_Unite
d_States
BIBLIOGRAPHY EXERCISE 1

Becky Little The U.S. Deported a Million of Its Own Citizens to Mexico During the
Great Depression History.com 2019, July 12. Consulted on 2020, June 16
https://www.history.com/news/great-depression-repatriation-drives-mexico-deportation
Eric “Ellis Island en Nueva York” Nuevayork.es Consulted on 2020, June 16
https://www.nuevayork.es/quever/museos/ellis-island-y-el-museo-de-la-inmigracion/

MAUK, DAVID. AMERICAN CIVILIZATION. 7th ed. New York: ROUTLEDGE,

2018. Print. Consulted on 2020, June 15
Philip Martin. Trends in Migration to the U.S. Pbr.org 2014, May 19. Consulted on
2020, June 16 https://www.prb.org/us-migration-trends/#:~:text=The%20third%20wave
%2C%20between%201880,States%20had%2075%20million%20residents.
PHILIP MARTThe Immigration Act of 1924 (The Johnson-Reed Act) Office of the
Historian. Consulted on 2020, June 16

7
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1921-1936/immigration-act#:~:text=The%20quota
%20provided%20immigration%20visas,completely%20excluded%20immigrants
%20from%20Asia.
Wikipedia Editors Emergency Quota Act Wikipedia. Last update 2020, May 28.
Consulted on 2020, June 16 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Quota_Act
Wikipedia Editors Great Depression Wikipedia. Last update 2020, June 12. Consulted
on 2020, June 16 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression#Start
Wikipedia Editors Homestead Acts Wikipedia. Last update 2020, June 4. Consulted on
2020, June 16 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestead_Acts
Wikipedia Editors Net migration rate Wikipedia. Last update 2020, May 1. Consulted
on 2020, June 16 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_migration_rate
Wikipedia Editors Page Act of 1875 Wikipedia. Last update 2020, April 25. Consulted
on 2020, June 16 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Page_Act_of_1875#:~:text=The
%20Page%20Act%20of%201875,the%20end%20of%20open%20borders.
Wikipedia Editors Virgil in the United States Wikipedia. Last update 2020, May 28.
Consulted on 2020, June 16 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil
Wikipedia Editors World War I Wikipedia. Last update 2020, May 28. Consulted on
2020, June 16 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I