Chinese Exclusion Act 1882

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Chinese Exclusion Act 1882 Necessary or
Paranoia???
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Amy Barok Proctor High School abarok_at_uticaschools.
org
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Chinese Exclusion Act 1882

• Bell Ringer
• AHPPA Step 1 Identify the Problem
• Answer the following questions in your notebook

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Chinese Exclusion Act 1882

• In your own words, what does this law do and/or
  who does it apply to?
• Why would the federal government focus on Chinese
  immigrants?
• What features makes Chinese people very different
  than European people?
• Would you feel safer if the federal government
  restricted immigration of Muslims today?

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Chinese Exclusion Act 1882
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Chinese Exclusion Act 1882

• By the mid 1800's, a seething anti-Chinese
  sentiment among the working classes was
  developing.
• Chinese immigrants became scapegoats for economic
  hardships because of their race and culture,
  willingness to work for lower wages and
  unwillingness to unionize with non-Chinese.

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Chinese Exclusion Act 1882

• Anti-Chinese agitation eventually convinced
  Congress to pass a national Chinese Exclusion Act
  in 1882.
• Following is the preamble and the first article
  of the Act..

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Chinese Exclusion Act 1882

• Preamble. Whereas, in the opinion of the
  Government of the United States the coming of
  Chinese laborers to this country endangers the
  good order of certain localities within the
  territory thereof

• Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
  Representatives of the United States of America
  in Congress assembled,
• That from and after the expiration of ninety days
  next after the passage of this act, and until the
  expiration of ten years next after the passage of
  this act, the coming of Chinese laborers to the
  United States be, and the same is hereby,
  suspended and during such suspension it shall
  not be lawful for any Chinese laborer to come,
  or, having so come after the expiration of said
  ninety days, to remain within the United States.

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Chinese Exclusion Act 1882

• The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in 1882.
• Photo Credit British Columbia Archives

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Chinese Exclusion Act 1882

• Following the passage of this act, many incidents
  of deadly violence and ethnic cleansing occurred
  against the Chinese.

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Chinese Exclusion Act 1882
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Chinese Exclusion Act 1882

• Chinese women and children wait at the Angel
  Island Immigration Station.
• Photo Credit California Historical Society