The Rumbling in the Mines Chinese Immigration in the 1800s

1. The Rumbling in the MinesChinese Immigration in the 1800s By: Brett, Garrett, and Rachel

2. Vocabulary Words Sojourners - One who temporarily resides in an area, like the Chinese did in the United States. Scapegoat - One that is made to bear the blame of others.

3. Distrust at the Mines • American workers planned a strike • Railroad company would fire the English and Irish workers if plan continued • When the strike started as planned, the company brought in Chinese workers to replace the strikers and made it very clear that no future work stoppages would be allowed • The differences of the Chinese in language and culture as well as appearance divided them from the American miners.

4. Racism against the Chinese • Racism and hatred led to many outbursts around the western region • A mob in Los Angeles in 1870 protesting Chinese Immigration killed 23 innocent Chinese people • Suspicion from the Chinese’s enthusiasm to work for less pay also led to fear and distrust • Compared to the wages that they made in China, Americans were very magnanimous so the Chinese workers were very willing to work for low wages

5. The Rock Springs Massacre • Several Chinese and white miners were fighting over digging spots at Mine number Six • Two Chinese sojourners arrived early the next morning and “stole” the white’s location • A violent fight broke out between the two groups • Hearing the news, a band of outraged whites gathered and started off to Hong Kong, the small Chinese community outside Rock Springs • The rioters only stopped to purchase more weapons and warned the Chinese to be out in an hour • Thinking the company would protect them, the sojourners didn’t heed their warning • The protesters shot several Chinese men as spectators cheered

6. Transcontinental Railroad • Limited amount of people were willing to build the Transcontinental Railroad • Insufficient labor force from Americans so the mining company was encouraged to hire Chinese Laborers • The Americans saw that even though the Chinese were small, they were hard workers with great architectural skills

7. Reasons for immigration • The United States needed more resources of labor for the Transcontinental Railroad • Not enough whites or free blacks were interested, and even with the help of the Natives, there weren’t enough people to do the job • The Chinese made more money in America • For doing cooking, laundering, or other services, the Chinese earned ten times the average amount they were paid in China

8. After the Completion of the Railroad • The Chinese were greatly resented while unemployment was high and served as a scapegoat for the Americans • In the west, an anti-Chinese campaign grew quickly to support the labor movement • Many “special” taxes were created to harass the Chinese • After the strike at Union Pacific Railroad, many Chinese laborers were employed to work mining coal

9. Our Website • website

10. Bibliography "A Rumbling in the Mines." Us and Them A History of Intolerance in America 1995: 48-57 Gilder Lehrman History Online. 2 Oct. 2002 http://www.gliah.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=419 Gilder Lehrman History Online. 2 Oct. 2002 <http://www.gliah.uh.edu/historyonline/china1.cfm>.  Issues in Global Education Newsletter of the American Forum for Global Education. 10 Oct. 2002 http://www.globaled.org/issues/147/d.html The Massacre Of The Chinese At Rock Springs, Wyoming. 2 Oct. 2002 http://immigrants.harpweek.com/ChineseAmeicans/Illustrations/090MassacreOfChineseMain.htm

11. Thank you!