Note 21 — Chapter V · THE CITIZEN, HIS RIGHTS AND DUTIES

On rather rare occasions a large body of people, not citizens by birth, have become citizens of the United States by what is called collective naturalization. When Louisiana (1803), Florida (1819) and Alaska (1867) were acquired, for example, the treaties which provided for their acquisition stipulated that all inhabitants of these territories should be admitted to American citizenship without becoming individually naturalized. On the other hand, when Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands were ceded to us by Spain in 1898 there was no such provision. In the case of the Porto Ricans,Ricans, citizenship was conferred by an act of Congress in 1917; in the case of the Filipinos the full status of American citizenship has not yet been granted. The Filipinos are called “nationals” of the United States, which means that they have the protection of the federal government, but are not entitled to all the other privileges and immunities of citizenship as provided in the constitution. Collective naturalization may thus be provided for by treaty or granted by act of Congress.