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Chinese Exclusion. A short history of immigration, discrimination and accommodation. Coming to America: Count ‘em. Back in China, end of Opium War, carving up of China, unrest, lack of land California Gold Rush 1850 – 450 1852 – 25,000 1880s – more than 100,000 Fewer than 2% women
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Chinese Exclusion A short history of immigration, discrimination and accommodation
Coming to America: Count ‘em • Back in China, end of Opium War, carving up of China, unrest, lack of land • California Gold Rush • 1850 – 450 • 1852 – 25,000 • 1880s – more than 100,000 • Fewer than 2% women • Bachelor communities
California Gold Rush • First big immigration wave to “Gun San” • Mining, Central Pacific RR, laundering • $1.00 per day • Bachelors
Labor cheap (suspect to working “native” citizens) Anti-immigrant labor sentiments Foreign mine tax Alien poll tax 1850s Calif. Judge said Chinese couldn’t testify 1870s Anti-Coolies Association & Supreme Order of Caucasians boycott Chinese businesses Riots in Chinatowns across the West Welcome to America
1870s book: Chinese in California • One can hardly help laughing at the strange race, they seem such a queer sort of patch in the mottled quilt of California life. They do everything in such a comical way! They never walk, but jog; they never run, but trot. If they ride horseback, as they are fond of doing, they sit so near the horse's tail, they are in constant danger of going off behind. When they wish to rest in their journeys afoot, they squat down, three or four often in a row, in the most ridiculous attitude imaginable.
Chinese Response • 1855 Chinese Merchants organize to protest discrimination • Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (Chinese 6 Companies) • Petition President Grant on behalf of Chinese
1870s difficulties • Decline in Mining • Termination of the Trans-continental RR • Panic of 1873 – Unemployment high • Scapegoat Chinese
Chinese Exclusion Act - 1882 • Barred Chinese from entering U.S. for 10 years (merchants teachers, students, travelers under strict regulations) • Chinese already residing in U.S. had to have a permit to reenter • Granted Chinese permanent resident alien status (no citizenship) • Extended twice (finally repealed in 1943)