Did the child born in Canada in 1925 acquire U.S. citizenship?

• A. No, due to lack of legitimation
• B. Yes, because the mother was USC
• C. Yes, but only after legitimation
• D. No, due to being born abroad

Answer: (B)

A child born in Canada in 1925 would have acquired U.S. citizenship if one of the parents was a U.S. citizen at the time of the child's birth. In this scenario, the choice indicating that the mother was a U.S. citizen aligns with the laws in effect at the time. Under the laws applicable during that period, if an American citizen parent (in this case, the mother) gave birth outside the U.S., the child would typically inherit U.S. citizenship.

The specific provisions varied over the years, but the essence of the rule was that the citizenship of the parent was key in determining the citizenship status of the child born abroad. Therefore, if the mother was indeed a U.S. citizen, then the child would inherit USC from her, making them a U.S. citizen at birth.