Terrace v. Thompson (1923)

As you read this case, consider two closely related concepts– manifest destiny and nativism. Nativism means “intense opposition to an internal minority on the grounds of its foreign (i.e. ‘un-American’) connections.” While manifest destiny refers to the notion that newly discovered land belonged in the hands of white settlers.

For context on this case, when Washington achieved statehood, it added an "alien land law" to its 1889 Constitution which barred immigrants who could not "in good faith" declare their intentions to become a citizen of the United States from owning land. As you can see, Chinese Exclusion attitudes have begun to transfer to other groups, such as the Japanese. As "non-whites" the Japanese would not be able to declare "in good faith" their intentions to become U.S. citizens. In 1913, California added its own alien land law, while nativist attitudes were running high in the state at the time.