Following the Barks/Rosa timeline and assuming that Scrooge is an American citizen, do you think he still has British citizenship? Was it possible to have dual citizenship back then? Would there be economical incentives to keep or renounce the British citizenship?
Following the Barks/Rosa timeline and assuming that Scrooge is an American citizen, do you think he still has British citizenship? Was it possible to have dual citizenship back then? Would there be economical incentives to keep or renounce the British citizenship?
We must see the English law as it sees the decay of the status of citizen, I do not know specifically, but in European nations like for example in Italy you never lose the status of citizenship if you do not do actions intended as betrayal of the Italian state (having served the army of another nation, being a spy foreign, etc.).
Even you can be an Italian citizen even if you were not born in Italy and you never set foot in it, if you have a grandfather who was an Italian citizen you can apply for citizenship at any embassy.
This is because Italy has a long history of emigrants who, after 40-50 years abroad, have returned home with some of their descendants.
The Britons had an empire that stretched across all the continents, so I find it hard not to believe that they don't keep citizenship just for something like having lived abroad.
Regarding the advantages, dual citizenship always offers, especially in the financial field, many nations do not allow foreign companies to work on government contracts without local partners, Scrooge being English-Scottish would have a pass for government contracts throughout the Commonwealth without partners.
Following the Barks/Rosa timeline and assuming that Scrooge is an American citizen, do you think he still has British citizenship? Was it possible to have dual citizenship back then? Would there be economical incentives to keep or renounce the British citizenship?
If Scrooge McDuck entered The Port of New York during the 1870s, at 13 years old, he'd likely have been turned away, as he was a minor, a full 8 years from the age of majority, AND he showed no visible means of support(he clearly must have had none), he'd have been refused entry by immigration authorities, and would have been placed on the first ship returning to Britain. So, Scrooge would have had to make a deal with his ship captain to work his way across the ocean AND for that captain to sneak him into the country sight unseen by the authorities. Therefore, he'd have had to buy false identification papers and change his name, and stay clear of the law as a Mississippi River Steamboat pilot, and later, as a copper miner, and silver miner in Montana and Wyoming, and as a gold miner in Colorado, before leaving USA for Canada (The Yukon Territory). Upon his return to USA (Alaska Yukon River Gold Rush 1899-1901) he might have had enough money to get false papers, as well as changes on the original record at Ellis Island, to show that he had made a LEGAL entry during the 1870s. And he could again use his own name forever after that.
US law in the 1870s, would NOT have allowed an un-escorted minor into the country, especially if there were no provision for his upkeep and no adults to sponsor him, and care for him. After 5 years as a legal immigrant, he would have been eligible to become a US citizen. But, he would have had to renounce his British citizenship to be accepted. It was not until 1987 that US citizens other than Israelis or Palestinians could hold US citizenship, and that of another nation's. And THAT would have been AFTER Rosa had Scrooge die.
From what I have read the US had an open borders policy until the Page Act of 1875 and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, both of which aimed to restrict Chinese immigration. There doesn’t seem to have been any age limitation until the Immigration Act of 1907 so I haven’t found any reason why young Scrooge couldn’t had entered the US at New Orleans in 1880.
From 1870 the US and the UK had a treaty where they recognised naturalisation. (Previosly the UK had a habit of charging Irish-Americans who had aided Irish risings with treason, still regarding them as British subjects despite their American citizenship.) The treaty seems to leave the previous citizenship in a sort of dormant state, able to become active again if the individual returns. (Today the UK no longer recognises renounciations made to foreign authorities.)
In all it seems likely that Scrooge only had American citizenship from 1907 or so, after five years of permanent residency. (Of course if one views Calisota as independent things might be different.)
US law in the 1870s, would NOT have allowed an un-escorted minor into the country, especially if there were no provision for his upkeep and no adults to sponsor him, and care for him.
Wouldn't he have been traveling to the country as a member of his Uncle Pothole's household?
US law in the 1870s, would NOT have allowed an un-escorted minor into the country, especially if there were no provision for his upkeep and no adults to sponsor him, and care for him.
Wouldn't he have been traveling to the country as a member of his Uncle Pothole's household?
Pothole didn't even know Scrooge was coming. He certainly didn't sponsor him.
US law in the 1870s, would NOT have allowed an un-escorted minor into the country, especially if there were no provision for his upkeep and no adults to sponsor him, and care for him.
Wouldn't he have been traveling to the country as a member of his Uncle Pothole's household?
Not according to Barks, or any other storywriter. Wasn't Rosa the author who connected Pothole with Scrooge? I just read a post saying that Rosa showed Pothole not having expected Scrooge to come and visit him. So, he COULDN'T HAVE sponsored him. He didn't pay for Scrooge's transAtlantic ship fare from Glasgow to New York (or wherever he landed in USA).
According to Rosa Scrooge worked his way to America on a cattle ship going to New Orleans. From there Scrooge went to Louisville to meet Pothole, who didn’t know he was coming.
Again, I have found nothing to suggest Scrooge would had been turned away at New Orleans. The US at this time still had open borders, with the only exception being Chinese women (Page Act of 1875). I can’t find anything about him needing to be ”sponsored”. (The Act to Encourage Immigration of 1864 allowed companies to pay for an immigrants passage in return for at most a years work, but this isn’t what Scrooge does.)
Not according to Barks, or any other storywriter. Wasn't Rosa the author who connected Pothole with Scrooge? I just read a post saying that Rosa showed Pothole not having expected Scrooge to come and visit him. So, he COULDN'T HAVE sponsored him. He didn't pay for Scrooge's transAtlantic ship fare from Glasgow to New York (or wherever he landed in USA).
On the other hand, again, Once Upon a Dime explicitly says that Scrooge came to America to live with Catfish McDuck.
Again, I have found nothing to suggest Scrooge would had been turned away at New Orleans. The US at this time still had open borders, with the only exception being Chinese women (Page Act of 1875). I can’t find anything about him needing to be ”sponsored”. (The Act to Encourage Immigration of 1864 allowed companies to pay for an immigrants passage in return for at most a years work, but this isn’t what Scrooge does.)
But does his having been a minor at the time make any difference?
I'm actually surprised we've never had this discussion before!
But does his having been a minor at the time make any difference?
I'm actually surprised we've never had this discussion before!
As far as I can see the Immigration Act of 1907 is the first to deny entry to unaccompanied children under 16. The only law restricting immigration by the time of Scrooge’s arrival is, it would seem, the Page Act of 1875 which only concerns itself with Asians, mainly Chinese women.
Not according to Barks, or any other storywriter. Wasn't Rosa the author who connected Pothole with Scrooge? I just read a post saying that Rosa showed Pothole not having expected Scrooge to come and visit him. So, he COULDN'T HAVE sponsored him. He didn't pay for Scrooge's transAtlantic ship fare from Glasgow to New York (or wherever he landed in USA).
On the other hand, again, Once Upon a Dime explicitly says that Scrooge came to America to live with Catfish McDuck.
How did Catfish earn his living? Could he have sponsored Scrooge, saying that he would make Scrooge his apprentice, and support him until he is able to earn his own living? I'm sorry, but "open borders" don't necessarily mean that millions of underage people with no parents, and no visible means of support would be accepted into USA. Most of them, if alone, would be taken as sex slaves, or would have had to start begging in the streets and stealing, until they'd be found by a "Fagin" type criminal who used gangs of children to do his dirtywork. I could see some tradespeople making 16 year-olds their apprentices. But a 13 year old traveling accross the ocean would generally need a sponsor to guarantee his support and work for him after being trained. I just don't believe ANY country would take in refugee, penniless waifs, with no one to feed, clothe and house them.
Scrooge could have claimed to be 16 years old. Presumably the Customs people would have had a hard time judging the age of an anthropomorphic Duck!
A Duck-billed man, trying to enter USA in 1876??? They'd have turned him over to The Puritans in Salem, Massachusetts, who'd have declared him a demon, and beat him to death with ornamental crosses, and then burned him at the stake, as they had so many witches.