1. The Chinese and the American West

2. Chinese Come to America
The gold rush of 1849 jump starts Chinese immigration
By ,000 Chinese settled in the U.S- mostly in California (making up 1/10 of the population).
Initially viewed as hard-working- “one of the most worthy classes of our newly adopted citizens”

3. From Mining to Railroads
Mining opportunities go away (discrimination on the rise) and the Chinese start to work on the Transcontinental Railroad
Made up 90% of the railroad labor force

4. Chinatowns
Chinese moved to same part of the city and political machine like organizations formed- San Francisco was the largest.
Tongs- Chinese secret societies, gangs
Laundries- Chinese make up 2/3 of laundry workers in California (success)
1880- half of the Chinese women in California were prostitutes

5. Tong Wars- violent conflict in 1880’s

6. Anti-Coolie Clubs
Nativist/Anti Chinese groups form in the West and call for boycotts of products made with Chinese labor and banning Chinese laborers.
Used violence and threats to intimidate the Chinese
The Democratic Party and Labor Unions appealed to these groups

7. 1882- Chinese Exclusion Act- Chester A. Arthur signed it
Banned Chinese immigration into the United States
Banned Chinese already in America from gaining citizenship rights
One of the most Xenophobic and racist laws in American History

8. Repealed in 1943 A good will gesture to our ally in World War II
105 visas a year
Still racism towards Asian immigrants with more focus on the Japanese

9. Dr. Seuss Cartoon