Chinese Immigrants in America Essay - 2039 Words

After the first wave of Chinese immigrants arrived in the United States in the early 1840s during the California Gold Rush, many Chinese people continued to travel across the Pacific, escaping poor conditions in China with hopes and ambitions for a better life in America. Many more Chinese immigrants began arriving into the 1860s on the Pacific coast for work in other areas such as the railroad industry. The immigrants noticed an increasing demand for their labor because of their readiness to work for low wages. Many of those who arrived did not plan to stay long, and therefore there was no push for their naturalization. The immigrants left a country with thousands of years of a â€Å"decaying feudal system,† corruption, a growing†¦show more content†¦The growth of Chinese jobs in the California labor market did not stop there. Because of the hard times, employers found it especially attractive that the Chinese workers would work for long hours with low pay. Huge l osses hit California in 1876 with a drought; this led to unemployment across the coast including for the Chinese. Many white investors, however, used the Chinese as scapegoats for this statewide depression, fueling the anti-Chinese fire and leading to more hostility towards Chinese workers. The firsthand account of Lee Chew, a Chinese immigrant to America in the early 1880s, shows the disparities between the white man’s perception of Chinese laborers and reality as well as the hostility that arose as a result. When Lee first arrived in America, he started working as a housekeeper for a family in California, being paid $3.50 a week and being able to keep 50 cents afterwards. For Lee and other Chinese immigrants, they believed the hostility arose from jealousy in the labor market, â€Å"because he [Chinese worker] is a more faithful worker than one of their people, [and they] have raised such a great outcry about Chinese cheap labor that they have shut him [Chinese worker] o ut of working on farms or in factories or building railroads or making streets or digging sewers.† Lee’s testimony shows the common ripple effects of the working restrictions white men imposed on the Chinese immigrants looking for jobs. This resulted in ChineseShow MoreRelatedCharacteristics Of Chinese Immigrants In America1262 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Chinese immigrants to the U.S had many characteristics. First, the Chinese immigrants mainly came from mainland China, such as the Guangdong province. The Chinese immigrants mainly came from the Guangdong province of China because of the location of Guangdong province. The Guangdong province was close to coastal areas where Guangong people could take the boasts and migrate to America. Also, Guangdong people was far away from the Chinese governments control. Therefore, Chinese immigrants couldRead MoreChinese Immigrant Lee Chew Denounces Prejudice In America1708 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Chinese Immigrant Lee Chew Deno unces Prejudice in America, 1882† A Comprehensive view of Discrimination in Nineteenth Century America In â€Å"Chinese Immigrant Lee Cew Denounces Prejudice in America, 1882†, we read the account of Chinese immigrant Lee Chew who, writing in 1882, finds himself discontented with the treatment he endures as an immigrant from China. Lee Chew’s experience was not unique; the Chinese immigration experience was one that was marked by discrimination and general exploitationRead MoreWhy Did Chinese Immigrate to the United States?1053 Words   |  5 PagesWhy 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 moreRead MoreChinese Exclusion Act Of 18821608 Words   |  7 Pagesimpoverished Chinese to seek employment opportunities in the United States. Americans, however, did not welcome them. During the Panic of 1873, after the Gold Rush ended, competition for jobs became fierce. The jobs were mostly given to Americans. Out of desperation, the Chinese workers agreed to work for less salary than their American counterparts. Consequently, union workers rose up for their rightful jobs. With pressure from unions and anti-Chinese organizations, Congre ss passed the Chinese ExclusionRead MoreThe Struggle of Immigrants in America900 Words   |  4 Pages The Struggle of Immigrants in America The U.S has a prolonged history of discrimination. In the late 17th century, when America declared as a free country, only the white gentility had the privileged of â€Å"freedom† and African American continue their life as slaves for many decades. As the country grows, it became a dream land, a refuge for immigrations fled from their country to seek freedom and pursuit happiness. However, the gene of discriminations stuck deeply in the mind of the early foundingRead MoreAMH 2097 Paper 21345 Words   |  6 Pagesthe social hierarchy ever since they arrived to America in the 1600s. The first wave of immigration consisted of the Germans, Irish and Chinese. The WASPs created a way to measure the success of each immigrant group. They acknowledged four factors of success that would show them whether an immigrant group was successful or not. The first factor of success was how much money an immigrant had when they came to America. The more money they came to America with, the more successful they were. Another factorRead MoreEssay on Immigration to America in the Early 1900s927 Words   |  4 PagesImmigration to America in the Early 1900s In the eyes of the early American colonists and the founders of the Constitution, the United States was to represent the ideals of acceptance and tolerance to those of all walks of life. When the immigration rush began in the mid-1800s, America proved to be everything but that. The millions of immigrants would soon realize the meaning of hardship and rejection as newcomers, as they attempted to assimilate into American culture. For countless immigrants, theRead MoreEssay Racism Has Always Existed in America570 Words   |  3 PagesRacism was evident in America since the time when the puritans crossed over the Atlantic to find new meaning and life. The Native American Indians were driven out, slaughtered and later confined to a territory similar to how the Chinese workers and immigrants were during the end of 19th century. The 100,000 Chinese living in the U.S. who sailed over to accumulate some wealth and go back to China, were subject to discriminatory treatment which was mainl y due to racial difference. They had to sufferRead MoreImmigration to the United States: The German Immigrants Essay750 Words   |  3 PagesMany immigrants came to America seeking freedom, jobs, and land while others were running from famine and war. While immigrants ran from the problems of their native land, they were running into new problems in America. Americans feared the immigrants would take their jobs or have the right to vote. This fear caused discrimination against the immigrants due to their diverse backgrounds from Germany, Ireland, and China. Immigrants that came to America faced the hardship of discrimination because theyRead MoreEssay about Nativists Response to Immigration920 Words   |  4 PagesNativist’s Response to Immigration Immigrants have been seeking salvation or just new opportunities in America for hundreds of years. Even Americans originally started off as immigrants. They came to settle in this New World to seek opportunities. These types of immigrants were white, strong, leaders and felt they were superior. In the mid nineteenth century, the â€Å"new† immigrants were also welcomed. According to President Grant, these â€Å"new† immigrants were the weak, broken, and crippled people