The chinese exclusion act was a federal law that did not allow people from china, asia, or the philippines to enter the united states for 10 years, which then became 20 years when they decided to add an additional 10 years Passed by congress and signed by President Chester A. Arthur, on May 6th, 1882 This act was the first act to not allow a certain race into the country for working jobs or anything Some chinese non laborers like teachers, students, merchants, travelers ets. ad to have chinese certification in able to show that they were qualified to enter US, but this was still hard because the whites assumed hey were all laborers The act also made it harder to for the chinese who have already entered the country because once they left, they had to get a certification as well to re enter A man named Jung Pui Lun came to the United States illegally to work in a laundry shop that was owned by his brother, but soon after his brother decided to go back to china.
Jung could technically go back to visit his family back in china, but since he was here illegally and had no papers, he would not be able to return to the US. However, thanks to the San Francisco Earthquake, all of the records were lost. Jung then took this pportunity to move to San Francisco, California and claim citizenship for not only himself, but his three sons. He then went back to China to for a minor visit and returned to California with his sons.
State and federal courts were not allowed by congress to allow the citizenship to the chinese residents staying there One man who was against the immigration was named Denise Kearney, who was born in Ireland. Once he reached the United States he realized how many chinese workers there were here. Because of this, he made speeches, and in every speech he began with “The chinese must go! ” Which is hypocritical since e himself is an immigrant from ireland. People then elected him as the secretary of the anti-chinese sentiment of california, later known as the working men of california.
The working men of California then caused destruction and death to the chinese. One example of the Chinese being attacked (Although not In California) was in Rocky springs Wyoming In 1882 by the anti Chinese sentiment. This feud between Chinese and American coal miners caused a massacre aimed at the Chinese. The Chinatown in rocky springs was set on fire. Chinese who tried to run away were shot at, and those who successfully ran away ater starved to death or eaten by wolves. People who hid in the town were burned to death.
In total, 28 people died due to this. People were so racist back then they couldn’t even have the thought of working with someone of different ethnicity. The reason many Chinese people migrated to the United States was to find jobs mining or in agriculture. This was all made possible by the Burlingame treaty of 1868 which allowed full diplomatic relations and free immigration from China to US. Due to the civil war, many American employers looked for cheap labor and there was a motive to reach out to the Chinese as eplacements towards blacks on plantations.
But as the Chinese population grew, more and more the way Americans viewed them also grew, only it grew negatively. White laborers found the growth as a threat to them, since they were “taking their jobs”. Sound familiar to a particular ethnic group from today? Many Americans then started to form the anti Chinese sentiment. Most of the sentiment was in the pacific coast of the United States. The strongest sentiment was in California because of the gold rush. One man who was against the immigration was named Denise Kearney, who was born in Ireland.
Once he reached the United States he realized how many chinese workers there were here. Because of this, he made speeches, and in every speech he began with “The chinese must go! ” Which is hypocritical since he himself is an immigrant from ireland. People then elected him as the secretary of the anti-chinese sentiment of california, later known as the working men of california. The working men of California then caused destruction and death to the chinese. Whites then began to believe that Chinese labor was also a threat to the “purity” of white race.
This prove that whites saw themselves as superior to every other ethnic race. They were so full of themselves that they started to target the Chinese. The anti Chinese sentiment then encouraged the passage of laws that targeted the Chinese by passing unfair laws and taxes. This declined the right to citizenship, the right to vote, and testifying in court case. This basically left the Chinese to become weak and vulnerable with nobody to speak up and protect them. With no protection and voice, the Page Law was passed in 1875 which mainly excluded women from entering.
With that law being passed, it became a step towards the Chinese Exclusion act. Later on in 1880, the Angell treaty was passed. The Angell treaty was basically a suspension between Chinese immigration and America. It did not allow unskilled or skilled workers into the country. Not only did this treaty suspend immigration, it stated that the US no longer needed to protect the rights of the Chinese (not like they already did though), and says the growth of Chinese population was embarrassing.
The only thing embarrassing by this was that the whole reason they passed these laws is because the America felt threatened, harassed them, didn’t protect their rights, and treated them poorly After this, the Chinese were then banned from the United States ue to the Chinese exclusion act. The Chinese exclusion act was passed by congress and was also signed by President Chester A. Arthur In 1882. Once he signed that document, the law became the very first act to deny access into the United States based on the someone’s ethnicity.
This act lasted for 10 years, but was then renewed for another 10 years because of the Geary Act, and was then made permanent in 1902. This made it harder for the Chinese to not only enter, but re enter as well. Chinese laborers who already lived in the United States would be denied the access to come back if they went to China for a brief visit. An example of this would be a man named Jung Pui Lung, who came to the United States to work with his brother. But soon after he came, his brother had decided to go back to China.
Jung could go back as well, but because the United States had decided to make it harder for the Chinese to re enter the country, he could not go back to China. But thanks to the San Francisco Earthquake, he was able to return and claim he was actually here legally because all of the records were destroyed. He then decided to go to China and get his three sons so they could be claimed legal to the United States as well. The San Francisco earthquake was a major event for the Chinese to enter the United States.
They could not be proven to be there illegally because Americans didn’t have proof if they were or not. However, people who were teachers, students, merchants etc. could come and enter the country. But, they needed a certificate verifying they were not laborers. This was still a hard task because even though they were not laborers, Americans just assumed they were. People who didn’t have a certificate of residence would be deported back to china. One amendment even stated that Chinese that were born in the United States, ere not US citizens, they were still known only as Chinese.
Throughout these years, people caused the chinese many unpleasant occurrences. Many of the chinese then moved to the eastern Part of the united states like New York and Boston and chicago. They moved because the harassment over there was less intense. One example of them being brutally harassed was in Wyoming on the same year the chinese exclusion act. Where the Chinese were attakced by american laboreres. This was only because the whites felt threatened by their presence. The chinese exclusuion act lasted until 1943. It was repealed by the Magnuson Act on December 17.
