Chinese Immigrants in the 19th Century

As the Industrial Revolution took the United States by storm in the 1800s, new workers looking for opportunity emigrated from their native countries for reasons such as employment, earning money for their families, or a chance to be successful.  One country that contributed a large amount of these immigrants was China.  Chinese immigrants started coming to the US as early as the 1830s, but really started to flock to America because of the California Gold Rush.  The immigrants were mainly single men from the Guangdong province looking to earn money quickly and go back home as wealthy men.  However, once they arrived, they found themselves only being able to get low-paying jobs because of discrimination.  Chinese immigrants worked perilous jobs such as laborers of the Transcontinental Railroad, and they also maintained businesses such as laundry and restaurants.

One of the major problems the Chinese encountered when coming to America was discrimination. Racism towards Chinese immigrants was especially tough, for Americans saw the Chinese as not only racially inferior but also culturally inferior.  The Chinese were portrayed as exotic, unsophisticated people because of things such as their religion, clothing, and traditions.  This stereotype stirred up hate and distrust in Americans, especially nativists, and made it nearly impossible for Chinese immigrants to assimilate into American culture.  To have strength in numbers, Chinese immigrants congregated and settled in communities called Chinatowns (many of which are still present today, like in San Francisco), which allowed them to maintain their culture and language and have support from other Chinese people in such a discriminatory environment.


San Francisco's Chinatown

Sources:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jrzykat/4844340604
http://teachingresources.atlas.illinois.edu/chinese_exp/introduction04.html
http://www.goldenventuremovie.com/Chinese_Immigration.htm
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/chinese-immigration