United States Naturalization Law of March 26, 1790 (1
Stat. 103) provides the first rules to be followed by the
United States in the granting of national
citizenship. This law limits
naturalization to immigrants who are free white persons of good character. It thus excludes American Indians,
indentured servants,
slaves, free blacks, and Asians. It also provides for citizenship for the children of U.S. citizens born abroad, but specifies that the right of citizenship "
not descend to persons whose fathers have never been resident in the United States". It specifies that such children "shall be considered as
natural born citizens"