Chinese Immigrants To America During The 19th Century
In 1880, ten percent of the clothing factories in the United States were in New York City. By 1910 the total number of garment trades had risen to 47 percent, with Jews constituting for most of that percentage. European Jewish people provided America with skilled, hardworking men and women.
Chinese immigrants made their way to America during the 1850s. They were sent through legal processing at Angel Island. Less than 100,000 immigrants actually made it into America during the 1850s. Chinese immigrants were considered very different from American societies and cultures. They wore different attire, spoke a different language, and looked very different as well. Chinese people came to America because of the various pull factors: persecution,
fear, natural disasters, poverty, and unemployment. They were pulled toward America in search of freedom, safety, stability, and new job opportunities. Chinese immigrants faced many difficulties in America. They were viewed as a different, notorious group of people that were often blamed for stealing the jobs of many Americans. As the number of Chinese laborers increased, so did the strength of anti-Chinese sentiment among other laborers in America that felt as if they were stealing their jobs.. Despite being treated much harsher than any other immigrant group, Chinese immigrants continued to strive and benefit the American society industrially and agriculturally. They had helped build the transcontinental railroad, a major railroad that linked the east and west coasts of America. Without the aid of Chinese workers, the railroad would have taken years longer to complete. They also brought their knowledge of growing fruit and vegetables which agriculturally benefited America. Even as they offered such great benefits they were highly unliked and eventually governmental acts were established against them.
In 1880, President Rutherford B. Hayes’s Administration appointed the diplomat James B. Angell to negotiate a new treaty with China concerning immigration. The resulting Angell Treaty permitted the United States to restrict the immigration of all Chinese laborers. Then in 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. This act was passed because of rising social tensions between Americans and Chinese people. The act suspended the immigration of Chinese laborers for a period of 10 years. The act also required every Chinese person traveling in or out of the country to carry a certificate identifying his or her working status. The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act was the first in American history to place such harsh restrictions on immigration.
Chinese immigrants made their way to America during the 1850s. They were sent through legal processing at Angel Island. Less than 100,000 immigrants actually made it into America during the 1850s. Chinese immigrants were considered very different from American societies and cultures. They wore different attire, spoke a different language, and looked very different as well. Chinese people came to America because of the various pull factors: persecution,
fear, natural disasters, poverty, and unemployment. They were pulled toward America in search of freedom, safety, stability, and new job opportunities. Chinese immigrants faced many difficulties in America. They were viewed as a different, notorious group of people that were often blamed for stealing the jobs of many Americans. As the number of Chinese laborers increased, so did the strength of anti-Chinese sentiment among other laborers in America that felt as if they were stealing their jobs.. Despite being treated much harsher than any other immigrant group, Chinese immigrants continued to strive and benefit the American society industrially and agriculturally. They had helped build the transcontinental railroad, a major railroad that linked the east and west coasts of America. Without the aid of Chinese workers, the railroad would have taken years longer to complete. They also brought their knowledge of growing fruit and vegetables which agriculturally benefited America. Even as they offered such great benefits they were highly unliked and eventually governmental acts were established against them.
In 1880, President Rutherford B. Hayes’s Administration appointed the diplomat James B. Angell to negotiate a new treaty with China concerning immigration. The resulting Angell Treaty permitted the United States to restrict the immigration of all Chinese laborers. Then in 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. This act was passed because of rising social tensions between Americans and Chinese people. The act suspended the immigration of Chinese laborers for a period of 10 years. The act also required every Chinese person traveling in or out of the country to carry a certificate identifying his or her working status. The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act was the first in American history to place such harsh restrictions on immigration.