Date Developed: 8/01/14
Guiding Historical Question: Why does the term "E Pluribus Unum" contradict itself?
Title: The Chinese in California, 1850-1925 Critical Thinking
Date: 1850-1925
Collection: Library of Congress
Title: Chinese in America
Date: 1888
Collection: LC Grabill Collection
Title: Transcript of Chinese Exclusion Act
Date: 1882
Collection: Our Documents
Title: Transcript of National Origin Act
Date: 1924
Collection: Immigration Laws
Title: Topics in Chronicling America - Ellis Island
Date: December 17, 1900
Collection: Chronicling America
Title: Emergency Immigration Act
Date: 1921
Collection: University of Washington Bothell
Early Settlers
Mostly fishermen and fur traders from Europe
By 1600’s settlements in the northeast were established
The First Wave
1700-Most immigrants were from Great Britain or Germany. Fled to find religious freedom. Slaves were brought by force.
1850-New improvements to travel and communication nosiness owners needed to build railroads, run machinery or dig for coal. Workers from Great Britain, Germany, Scandinavia and China were coming to the United States.
No Longer Wanted
Economic view of immigration: If jobs needed to be filled, immigrants were welcomed. If not needed, Americans limited immigration. Wealthy Americans looked at immigrants as cheap labor. Poorer Americans saw immigrants as rivals. We still practice unfair labor treatment of minorities during our postindustrial era.
Chinese - From 1848-1924. Gold was discovered in California (1848). Many of these men seeking wealth ended up working on the railroads. By 1860s, the United States focused on expanding the railroads. Whites started to compete for railroad jobs, and the white workers feared the Chinese because they worked for less. Laws were passed to keep the Chinese from owning land and voting, and they were not allowed to testify in court. Very little was done to counteract these unjust laws. In 1877, a huge riot in San Francisco resulted in the destruction of Chinese homes and businesses. In 1879, Congress passed a law that allowed only 15 Chinese per ship to enter the United States. In 1880, no Chinese people were allowed to come into the United States. In 1882, this group was no longer welcomed. Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. Chinese immigrates could only stay in the United States for 10 years. In 1902, the law became permanent.
In 1924, the National Origin Act was passed. This law went as far as to not allow family members of citizens to enter the United States. They required Chinese Americans to provide proof of residency. If they were caught without these papers, they could be sent back to China.
The Immigrations Bureau was created in 1891. A law was passed which read in part, “all idiots, insane persons, paupers, or persons likely to become a public charge, persons suffering from loathsome or contagious diseases, persons who have been convicted of a felony or other infamous crime would not be allowed to stay in the United States.”
In 1892, Ellis Island -Immigrants were checked for disease and asked questions about their reasons for coming to the United States.
In 1917, a new law said immigrants had to read and write in their own language.
In 1921, the Emergency Immigration Act was passed. This law allowed only 3% of a particular nationality to come to the United States. For example, if 100,000 Romanians lived in the United States in 1910, only 3% (3,000) were allowed to come into the U.S. after 1921.
In 1924, Congress passed the National Origins Act. This law said no Asians would be allowed in the United States. Only 2% of the number of foreigners counted in 1890 were allowed to immigrate. Immigrants from Great Britain, France, and Spain were welcomed. Jews, Slavs and Italians had little chance to be allowed to move to America.
Activities
