Chinese+Exclusion+Act+1882


 * Chinese ****Exclusion Act of 1882 **

Signed on May 6, 1882, by the 21st President Chester Arthur, The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed. This Act banned the immigration of the Chinese laborers into the United States for ten years. Produced by the national anti- Chinese movement the Act went against the 1868 Burlingame Treaty which had allowed free immigration between China and the United States. This act not only ended immigration from China for nearly a century but also effected the relations between China and the United States.

**Historical Background **

Between 1870 and 1900, after the civil war, nearly 12 million immigrants came to the US. A majority of them came from Germany, Ireland and England. But before that, in 1849, a large group of Chinese started to immigrate to the United States in hopes to participate in the California Gold Rush. At the time there was great poverty in China so immigrants came to work in the US. They worked for very low wages and were taken advantage of by their employers but still made much more than they would have back in China. Many Chinese male immigrants came to settle permanently but some would come to work then return home with whatever they had earned. The Chinese opened their own businesses for personal service, examples of this would be restaurants and also laundries. By the 1870s a dislike for the Chinese laborers quickly grew and was clearly seen from the American miners. The miners believed that the Chinese were bringing down their wages and that they were sending too much gold back to china, believing that the gold belonged to the US because it was a natural resource. Also there was a large competition for jobs due to the low economy, many competed for the jobs that were usually done by the Chinese. “Racial suspicion” and hatred grew towards the Chinese immigrants and anti- Chinese riots were held to pressure the government for the exclusion of the Chinese in the US, especially in California. //Political Cartoon shows men using 'congressional Mortar' to build the// //'anti- Chinese wall.'//

**Under the Act **

--Act clearly defined "Chinese laborers" as "both skilled and unskilled laborers and Chinese employed in mining." --Immigrants already in the US were a loud to stay but were prevented from becoming a citizen --Those illegal were deported. --Students, teachers, merchants and those “proceeding to the United States from curiosity” were a loud into the United States --Gave fines to people who brought in or gave aid to Chinese people within the United States

**The Geary Act ** made the Act more permanent, adding that Chinese residents in the US must acquire a certificate of residence -this required them to be photographed and submit these photographs with the local police. -they had to carry identification cards with them at all times



**Results **

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">After ten years, in 1902, the act was extended by congress then made permanent in 1904. By 1943 the act was totally repealed when China became an important ally against Japan during World War II. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">This Act was so significant because it was the first law passed based on race or ethnicity. This act began other discriminatory acts, for example the laws against southern and eastern Europe and other African immigrant acts from 1921 to 1965. The Chinese population decreased from 105, 465 in 1880 to 61,639 in 1920 and by 1943 the Chinese were allowed to immigrate back into the United States.

The Chinese Exclusion Act: []