Chinese Immigration to the United States
After the civil war, there was a flood of immigrants that entered the U.S. During the 1870s-1880s it was mainly the Irish, German and English that came. However between 1849 and 1882, during the California Gold Rush, many Chinese immigrants also came, unfortunately the U.S soon passed a federal law outlawing Chinese immigrants. The California Gold Rush is what first drew their attention to America. Although many Chinese immigrants permanently settle within the U.S, many of the Chinese immigrants were single men who would make some money then returned home with the profits. Many who did stay opened restaurants, laundries and other small service business', as well as taking low income jobs in agriculture or construction. However, during the 1870s, because of the hard times for the economy many immigrants and american were all competing for low income jobs that were usually worked by the Chinese. This sparked some anti-Chinese hate throughout the country. This resulted in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which prevented the Chinese to enter the U.S for a century. California was the state pushing the hardest for this act, however Mark Twain made some observations in Virginia that prove that the Chinese aren't all bad.
Mark Twain talks about how white men either treat the Chinese horribly or leave them alone. He observes how the Chinese are calm, hard working and organized. They never complain about their jobs like the white men do and one would rarely find a lazy China-man. He observes how white men can always blame their crimes on the Chinese in court, yet the Chinese still are peaceful and hard working. Many of the Chinese congregated in the same houses made of wood and mainly ran laundromats where he lived. In the Nevada and California, the Chinese are mainly cooks, house servants, etc. They make good house servants because they are obedient, patient, fast learners and innovative. He concludes with saying how on the Pacific Coast, the Chinese are treated very nicely unlike the East, where only the scum of the country will harass a Chinaman.
In an official report, R. W. Raymond, the United States commissioner on mining statistics writes about how the Chinese are great workers, sometimes better than white men, but they are prone to stop if not promptly paid. Although they will accept any wage, if not paid they will leave. However, he also wrote that they are a lot more reliable and faithful than many other races and how they heavily contributed to where California was then and would probably not be if not for the Chinese.
William C. Pond wrote about the Chinese after the Act was passed. He talked about how he just created a school for Chinese people to learn English. However, because of the Act, there was an influx of Chinese people who needed to learn English. He was overwhelmed with how many Chinese people showed up at his school. It was overcrowded. He continued his work however, it came with many costs that he could not yet pay. He refuses to quit, and decides to be more sparing with the funds.
Mark Twain talks about how white men either treat the Chinese horribly or leave them alone. He observes how the Chinese are calm, hard working and organized. They never complain about their jobs like the white men do and one would rarely find a lazy China-man. He observes how white men can always blame their crimes on the Chinese in court, yet the Chinese still are peaceful and hard working. Many of the Chinese congregated in the same houses made of wood and mainly ran laundromats where he lived. In the Nevada and California, the Chinese are mainly cooks, house servants, etc. They make good house servants because they are obedient, patient, fast learners and innovative. He concludes with saying how on the Pacific Coast, the Chinese are treated very nicely unlike the East, where only the scum of the country will harass a Chinaman.
In an official report, R. W. Raymond, the United States commissioner on mining statistics writes about how the Chinese are great workers, sometimes better than white men, but they are prone to stop if not promptly paid. Although they will accept any wage, if not paid they will leave. However, he also wrote that they are a lot more reliable and faithful than many other races and how they heavily contributed to where California was then and would probably not be if not for the Chinese.
William C. Pond wrote about the Chinese after the Act was passed. He talked about how he just created a school for Chinese people to learn English. However, because of the Act, there was an influx of Chinese people who needed to learn English. He was overwhelmed with how many Chinese people showed up at his school. It was overcrowded. He continued his work however, it came with many costs that he could not yet pay. He refuses to quit, and decides to be more sparing with the funds.
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