Which 1882 law restricted immigration by a specific ethnic group?

• A. Quotas Act
• B. Chinese Exclusion Act
• C. Naturalization Act
• D. Immigration Act of 1924

Answer: (B)

This question shows how the United States began using federal law to limit entry by a specific ethnic group. The 1882 act called the Chinese Exclusion Act was the first major law to ban a nationality from immigrating, targeting Chinese laborers and limiting their ability to enter the country for a set period (later extended). This is why it’s the best fit: it directly singles out one ethnic group for immigration restrictions, rather than applying broad quotas or focusing on citizenship rules.

The other laws mentioned don’t target a single ethnic group for entry. Quotas acts and the later Immigration Act of 1924 set nationality-based limits that affected many groups, not just one, while a Naturalization Act changed who could become a citizen but didn’t impose a specific ban on one nationality’s entry.