...Why did Chinese immigrate to the United States? After civil war had settled down, many immigrants came to America to live from many countries such as Germany, Ireland, and England. There are as many as 12 million immigrants at this time. Regarding Chinese immigration, they immigrated to the United States from 1849 to 1882. Between this period, America had California Gold Rush, which is one of the reasons Chinese people immigrated. Because the Chinese Exclusion Act was taken into practice, no more Chinese people could immigrate to the United States after 1882. Chinese immigration is the divergent point for Chinese’ lives who lived in America. The main reason Chinese immigrants came to America after Civil War was for work. As a consequence, most of the Chinese immigrants were single men. Especially in California, Chinese people arrived. There is the promise of gold in California during 1850s. It was called California gold rush. After they gained money in America, they usually went back to their country. Chinese immigrants began doing their own business such as running restaurant and laundries. In addition, they started their agricultural laborers. Even though the hard work such as transcontinental railroad construction that connects the coast to coast did not give them good pay, they just work for money. There were two large rail road companies in the United States at this time: Central Pacific and Union Pacific. They began competing as soon as congress took the Pacific Railroad...
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... | | | | | There are many different civilizations of different origins who have settled in the United States today. There have been many different civilizations of Native Americans and Indians since the U.S. was founded. The French, Spanish, and English were the first to explore and establish settlements in North America. Nations of these origins claimed their own land and created colonies. Once the first colonies decided to establish themselves as a country, they were able to establish who were citizens and who were not. The United States has come a long way since then, with many immigration laws being created. The purpose of the laws is to control the amount of legal and illegal immigrants in the United States. All of the laws created have had major positive and negative effects on the groups that they have been created for. This country’s vision of “We the People” is that the people in the U.S. are...
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...congresswoman in the United States, once said that “Of course laws will not eliminate prejudice from the hearts of human beings. But that is no reason to allow prejudice to continue to be enshrined in our laws - to perpetuate injustice through inaction” (“Shirley Chisholm Quotes”). And while it is true that the rules of any government should be as free from bias as possible, the history of our nation is riddled with laws that were based solely on bigoted beliefs against various groups of people. Many statues in our country’s history were built upon a pedestal of prejudice, but one of the most significant of these was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. This law made it nearly impossible for Chinese immigrants to become United States citizens. However, historical evidence shows that female Chinese immigrants faced more difficulties in the United States than did their male counterparts. Although all Chinese immigrants faced hardships in migrating to America, females were more harshly impacted by anti-immigration laws than males were due to a potent combination of racism and sexism. One of the first things that may come to mind when we think about Chinese immigration to the United States is the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and it is not hard to see why. As the name implies, politicians created...
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...Asian Americans like most immigrants have dealt with their share of prejudice and discrimination throughout American history. Many migrated to the United States because of the push-pull affect. Asians migrated to the United States in two waves of immigration and continue to prosper as they are at the top of the stratification system. The largest ethnic groups to migrate from Asia are Filipinos, Asian Indians and Chinese. The Old Asian Immigration or first wave of Chinese Americans began in the middle 19th Century to the 20th century. Many Chinese immigrants came to the United States because of labor opportunities. The first wave of Chinese immigrants were subject to the Anti-Chinese movement because they were seen a threat to the labor force. They were pushed from place to place and in 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act was an attempt “to Preclude Chinese immigrants for 10years”, then in 1907 the United States Banned Chinese. The act was then repealed in 1960s. Japanese immigrants like Chinese Immigrants were both part of the first wave of Asian immigration to the United States. Japanese immigrants followed after the Chinese and have many...
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...Together as One Often described as a “melting pot”, the United States of America has a rich history of welcoming immigrants, with their many traditions and customs, with open arms. Before the founding fathers signed their declaration, the “New World” of America was already viewed as a safe haven and land of freedom for those escaping religious and social persecution. As our nation developed, the stream of immigrants increased, fueling industrialization through the mid to late 1800s. On the heels of the Industrial Revolution, immigration numbers spiked, leading to Emergency Quota Acts in the 1920s. Such restrictions continued through the rest of the century, changing the ethnic makeup of the United States. In recent years, heated discussions concerning immigration have emerged on the national political platform. As the nation’s leaders reevaluate the role of immigrants in the United States, from a legal perspective it is important to remember the influence such people have had on the nation’s social, cultural, and economical history. Since the founding of the United States, numerous legislative acts that have been passed by the government, in order to regulate the immigrants entering to America. In 1798, four such laws were passed by the United States Congress. Referred to as the Alien and Sedition Acts, these laws were created due to the fear of war with France, and they were intended to strengthen the Federal Government. Sponsored by the Federalist Party, the Acts...
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...Student’s Name Teacher’s Name Course Title Date The Chinese came into the United States as early as 1835 where they immigrated because of various reasons. China during that time was a harsh environment to live in and full of turmoil. The country experienced political upheaval with wars and rebellion making life unbearable. It was for this reason that many immigrants were escaping in order to find a refuge in the United States. In addition, due to floods, there was destroying of farmlands, which meant that no crops could grow. The loss of food coupled with loss of land to the oppressive regime that was imposing high taxes meant that the Chinese people faced the danger of starvation. In a bid to find economic reprieve, many Chinese men and women left their homes to try their luck in the new land of opportunities namely, United States. A census carried out in the United States in 1860 put the number of Chinese immigrants at 35,000. Life at the United States did not start rosy for the immigrants and they met hostility and outright discrimination. There are significant differences in the economic and social situations of immigrants during this period. Economically, the Chinese were poor. This was because the immigrants were mostly peasants and not educated. They therefore could not get high level jobs and were mostly laborers. In fact, they worked on the Central Pacific Railway line, making up at to 90% of the workers. This is because they were willing to take lower wages than...
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...generation) and their children (second generation). In history, during the nineteenth century, Chinese travel to America for financial solutions, with hopes to return to their home with money. As time moves ahead, Chinese immigrants to America searching for a better life, for instance, my parents immigrated to America, who then conceived us as the second generation. With pressure from the parents, children of the second generation were forced to perfect both the American and Chinese culture to their very best. The second generation Chinese Americans were American born, but were still outcasts of the American society because of their skin color. The lives of the children of immigrants who immigrated to America have had stressful impacts from their parents and society because of their parent’s expectations of a perfect child who succeeds in school, and the society’s rejection of their ethnicity. From the old days until now, millions of people around the world have decided to immigrate to the United States in search of a better life. The reason why Chinese people immigrated to America due to the rumors of opportunity to gain higher wages jobs within America which would help support their families who were struggling to survive in China. According to Hubert Howe Bancroft, in 1848, the Chinese immigrants came to California for the opportunity to obtain gold from the Gold Rush (32). The Chinese immigrants had not planned to stay in America, but were there only to obtain enough gold to buy land...
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...gold. One quarter million immigrants “lived” one might say in the United States and they were mostly made up of people from an Asian decent. Most immigrants came to America because it offered the chance to to improve their lives through hard work and determination. Chinese immigrants differed from Italian and Russian based immigrants greatly therefore they were targets of suspicion and even hostility. Asian immigrants often found that the path to acceptance was especially difficult. Some immigrants did get rich, but most spent their lives carving out a decent life for themselves and their families. Life for an immigrant was ghettos, physical exams, and never being truly accepted. Crop failures, famine, rising taxes, shortage of land and jobs, and religious and political persecution were all pushes for immigrants to level their home land.. Life for an immigrant was hard but being a Chinese immigrant was harder. In the mid 1800’s American railroad companies recruited a quarter of a million Chinese workers. Many Chinese immigrants had to work to pay of the debt of their passage and upkeep. The main Chinese occupations during this time included mining, farming, fishing, factory work, food preparation, and laundering. American labor unions fought really hard to exclude Chinese immigrants. Chinese accepted low wages so they affected the rates of all the workers, so most were getting aggravated. The unions maintained that if Chinese laborer kept coming to California...
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...the United States Congress passed the first racially restrictive immigration bill in American history that that prohibited Chinese immigrants from entering the U.S. known as the Chinese Exclusion Act. All in all, it was an unsurprisingly development considering that anti-Chinese (and other Asian minorities) sentiment had been culminating since the flood of fortune-seeking immigrants during the 1848 California Gold Rush. That said, white resentment of the Chinese had largely arisen from two main factors: the perceived “job-stealing” of the Chinese immigrants and their refusal to assimilate into white culture. In the years following the Gold Rush, the Chinese population within the United states shot up from seven total Chinese...
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...Dream HIS 206 United States History II Instructor: David Hall February 8, 2016 On December 2, 1783, the 51 year old first President of the new United States sat down and wrote to the members of the Volunteer Association and other Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Ireland who were rankling under the yoke of British colonialism. In this letter Washington provided advice to buoy their spirits and off handedly provided his thoughts on immigration to the country that he had fought to free: “The bosom of America is open to receive not only the Opulent and respectable Stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all Nations and Religions; whom we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges…” (Spalding, 1994, p.36). 233 years later and the open bosom that Washington spoke of has been encased in armor, sealed behind stout oak. The tenets of the USA Patriot Act have made the process of immigration to the United States an almost impossible task for many of the world’s population. However the Patriot Act alone did not make Washington’s statement seem quaint and idealized. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1892, the cold inhospitable surroundings inside the fortress like Ellis Island, and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 made Washington’s welcoming bosom an impossibility, a dream which remains unrealized. On May 6, 1882 the corpulent, mustachioed 21st inhabitant of the executive mansion, President Chester A. Arthur signed into law The Chinese Exclusion Act...
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...America Paper America is a nation of immigrants. From the early colonists to the current entrants, indigenous and cultural diversity is plentiful. When this nation was still undeveloped, the settling population was of the same background; they were white, Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant background. Over time, Northern Europeans wanted entry, and eventually, Eastern and Southern Europeans, Asians, South and Central Americans came to America by the thousands. The American medley, what we call the melting pot was gradually emerging, but during progression, differences became noticeable. Such differences involved varied religions, races, and ethnic heritage. Two groups that I have researched are Chinese and Armenian immigrants. Chinese immigrants came to America in the mid-19th century. Chinese came to settle in California to join the Gold Rush that originated at Sutter’s Mill in Sacramento, California. But once the gold lessened, they came to seek work. The Chinese immigrants were mostly farmers who left china due to the economy and governmental dilemmas in China. Most anticipated on working hard, earn a large portion of money, so they could return back to country with their families as well-off men. During this time, the Chinese was no different than any other immigrant who came to America. They lived in neighborhoods and communities yet the Chinese maintained their culture. But, while a lot of Americans looked down on every immigrant, the Chinese were measured ethnically as well as...
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...Westernized Panda As the melting pot, “the United States has the largest ethnic Chinese population outside Asia” (Zhou 43). When people choose to step in the melting pot, their original identities will be blurred in some ways, languages, daily habits, religions, and the most important element, which is food. Panda Express, a fast casual restaurant serving American Chinese cuisine, is one of the most popular places that serving orange chicken. The company was founded in 1983 by Andrew Cherng, Peggy Cherng and Ming Tsai Cherng. It is also the largest chain of Asian fast food restaurants in the United States. As of year 2011, the company has approximately 1500 restaurants covering 42 states and Puerto Rico. To a sector that was used to be dominated by American fast food, burgers and fried chicken, the invention of Panda Express found a good market niche. The success of the company relies heavily on its unique concept, quick-service Chinese restaurant, and its locations, shopping mall food courts, supermarkets, key intersections, college campus, airports and casinos (Panda Management Company, Inc. History). Dishes featured in Panda Express are originated from different regions of China. Usually, adjustments have to be made in order to allow the dishes to be more acceptable by Americans. For example, cuisines from Hunan and Sichuan are usually “spicy and oily, often featuring a sophisticated blend of intense flavors” (Coe 99), so Chinese chefs in America have to make such dishes...
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...Introduction The Chinese Exclusion Act was a law of United States that passed by president President Chester A. Arthur on May 6, 1882. It was established based on the revision of Burlinggame Treaty of 1868 made in 1880 .The Chinese Exclusion Act is the first immigration law of United States for a specific ethnic group. It marks a major turning point of the American foreign policy over immigration. This act prohibited Chinese workers into United States and deprives the American citizenship from Chinese immigrants for ten years .The amendment of 1884 further enhanced the requirements that allow earlier arrival immigrants to leave and return the U.S. Then, the Chinese Exclusion Act was extended by Scott Act that mainly written by William Lawrence Scott of Pennsylvania, prohibiting Chinese from returning again after leaving the United States. In 1892, the Geary Act that written by Thomas J.Geary was passed, which extended the Chinese Exclusion Act for a decade. In 1902, the exclusion act was made permanent. It required Chinese resident to register and obtain a proof of residence. The Chinese Exclusion Act was finally repealed by the Magnuson Act on December 17, 1943. The Magnuson Act set the immigration quota to 105 every year for Chinese immigrants.( “ Exclusion“,Library of Congress.) Background American had a series of changes in the attitude upon Chinese. The Chinese Exclusion Act is one of the most severe restrictions of immigration in American History...
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...Professor Liu ASIAN 231 Research Paper The life of a Chinese American Growing up in a country where you are a minority amongst many other minorities can be difficult. This can cause many mental illnesses to the families and the individual itself. The United States is a country with many minority groups, one of which includes Chinese Americans. I know myself that it’s hard living in a place where there is racism and stereotypes about Chinese people, since I have been through this. The Chinese community is one of the fastest growing communities in the United States. The Chinese first came to the United States in the middle of the nineteenth century. The reason why they left their home country was due to high taxes, peasant rebellions, family feuds, and poverty. The reason they came to the United States during that time was because of the California Gold Rush and a better economic opportunities. But because there were so many Chinese coming, the people of the United States developed xenophobia (a fear of people from other countries). So 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was put upon. But many years later, Chinese Americans were able to slowly to come back into the United States. Living in a different country can be very difficult. Especially if you are a parent trying to raise your children. This can cause a lot of stress because they have to work really hard in order to provide for their family. In “Chinese American Parents’ Acculturation and Enculturation, Bicultural...
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...century had many things in common when we talk about their phases of migration and immigration with the Chinese that came to California in the 19th century. The Irish and the Chinese had similar mentalities when they first immigrated to the New World, both saw a better life hoping and trying to plan to make enough money and return home and buy some land. With such a mindset both parties were able to put up with abuse and was very reluctant to join unions since they were only sojourners. Both groups, the Irish and the Chinese were transnational which meant they lived in two countries at the same time. The movement to America was “artificial” because of the poverty of the Irish that has been...
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