Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a prospector?
What is a prospector?
A person who explores an area to look for valuable metals.
What does exclusion mean?
What does exclusion mean?
The act of keeping out or shutting out.
What are Tongs?
What are Tongs?
Groups that controlled criminal businesses but also protected Chinese migrants.
What are Fongs?
What are Fongs?
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What are Clans?
What are Clans?
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What is a catastrophe?
What is a catastrophe?
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What is a tenant farmer?
What is a tenant farmer?
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What are Paper Sons?
What are Paper Sons?
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What does hostility mean?
What does hostility mean?
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What does servitude refer to?
What does servitude refer to?
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What is a marginal man?
What is a marginal man?
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How did the annexation of California influence the immigration of Chinese workers?
How did the annexation of California influence the immigration of Chinese workers?
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Why did so many Chinese begin to migrate to America in 1849?
Why did so many Chinese begin to migrate to America in 1849?
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Why did the US pass a Naturalization Act in 1790?
Why did the US pass a Naturalization Act in 1790?
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Why was a miner's tax passed in California in 1872?
Why was a miner's tax passed in California in 1872?
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How do we see an example of how those in power 'divide and conquer' to control workers?
How do we see an example of how those in power 'divide and conquer' to control workers?
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What were the industries in San Francisco that employed the Chinese?
What were the industries in San Francisco that employed the Chinese?
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Why do you think the Chinese were successful farmers in California?
Why do you think the Chinese were successful farmers in California?
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Why did so many Chinese men get involved in the laundry business?
Why did so many Chinese men get involved in the laundry business?
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Does the idea that 'American' meant 'white' still hold true in America?
Does the idea that 'American' meant 'white' still hold true in America?
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How were some white workers' attitudes towards Chinese laborers similar to attitudes towards Native Americans and African Americans?
How were some white workers' attitudes towards Chinese laborers similar to attitudes towards Native Americans and African Americans?
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What laws did California enact to ensure that the Chinese would remain socially marginalized?
What laws did California enact to ensure that the Chinese would remain socially marginalized?
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What did the 1870 Civil Rights Act attempt to do for people of color?
What did the 1870 Civil Rights Act attempt to do for people of color?
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Why were there very few women among the Chinese immigrants initially?
Why were there very few women among the Chinese immigrants initially?
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Describe the lives of immigrant Chinese men in San Francisco.
Describe the lives of immigrant Chinese men in San Francisco.
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Why were Chinese laborers discouraged from immigrating, yet Chinese merchants were allowed?
Why were Chinese laborers discouraged from immigrating, yet Chinese merchants were allowed?
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What natural disaster in 1906 changed the fortunes of Chinese immigrants in San Francisco?
What natural disaster in 1906 changed the fortunes of Chinese immigrants in San Francisco?
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Why were some Chinese sons allowed to come to America?
Why were some Chinese sons allowed to come to America?
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What did 'paper sons' do to try to get into the United States?
What did 'paper sons' do to try to get into the United States?
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What does resented mean?
What does resented mean?
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What does industry refer to?
What does industry refer to?
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What does regarded mean?
What does regarded mean?
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What does concept mean?
What does concept mean?
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What does cultivate mean?
What does cultivate mean?
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What does pagan mean?
What does pagan mean?
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What does manufacture mean?
What does manufacture mean?
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What does merchant mean?
What does merchant mean?
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What does immoral mean?
What does immoral mean?
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What does childlike mean?
What does childlike mean?
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What does truism mean?
What does truism mean?
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What does morality mean?
What does morality mean?
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Study Notes
Immigration and Labor in 19th Century America
- Prospectors sought valuable metals, driving many to migrate during the Gold Rush.
- The exclusion of groups created barriers for immigrants, limiting their opportunities.
Chinese Immigrant Support Networks
- Tongs provided protection and control over criminal enterprises while aiding Chinese migrants.
- Fongs are composed of family and clan members, offering support to new arrivals.
- Clans, larger than fongs, helped immigrants with housing and employment.
Challenges and Experiences of Immigrants
- Catastrophes and disasters often disrupted immigrant lives and businesses.
- Tenant farmers worked on land they did not own, typically facing exploitation.
- Paper Sons were Chinese immigrants falsely claiming to be children of American citizens to gain entry.
Societal Attitudes and Laws
- Hostility towards Chinese immigrants manifested in various anti-immigrant behaviors.
- Servitude represented the forced labor experienced by many immigrant laborers.
- The term marginal man describes individuals caught between dual cultural identities.
Historical Context of Chinese Immigration
- The annexation of California opened immigration routes for Chinese workers seeking jobs in mining, agriculture, and railroads.
- The Gold Rush of 1849 spurred migration as it promised wealth.
Legal Restrictions and Social Challenges
- The Naturalization Act of 1790 restricted citizenship to white immigrants.
- The miner’s tax in 1872 targeted Chinese laborers, creating an additional financial burden.
Economic Exploitation
- Strategies like divide and conquer allowed those in power to maintain control over the workforce by keeping labor segregated and isolated.
- In San Francisco, industries employing Chinese included footwear, tobacco, and textiles.
Migration Patterns
- Chinese men predominated the immigrant population due to family obligations in China and the high cost of bringing women.
- The 1906 earthquake destroyed many records, enabling men to assert citizenship claims without proof.
Identity and Integration
- Chinese laborers were often marginalized and compared unfavorably to other ethnic groups, accused of inferiority.
- The 1870 Civil Rights Act aimed to extend legal protections to Chinese individuals, allowing them rights to contracts and testimony.
Cultural Adaptation
- Lives for early Chinese immigrants in San Francisco included community-focused facilities like stores and social clubs, although they faced eventual disenfranchisement.
- Chinese workers were often discouraged from migrating due to their economic focus rather than business opportunities.
Surviving Discrimination
- The societal perception of a "white America" shaped immigration policy and social treatment of non-white individuals.
- Laws like non-whites unable to testify against whites were enacted to maintain social hierarchies.
The Role of Paper Sons
- Chinese "paper sons" often paid for recognition as sons of American citizens to enter the U.S.
- Despite racial prejudices, some laws allowed foreign-born sons of citizens to gain citizenship.
Definitions of Concepts
- Industry refers to the processing of raw materials and manufacturing goods.
- Morality is the framework through which societies determine right and wrong behavior.
- Immoral actions deviate from established moral principles, while childlike attributes tend to reflect innocence and purity.
Reflection on Societal Norms
- The concept of truism points to commonly accepted ideas that can limit critical discussions on race and citizenship today.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge with these flashcards from Chapter 8 of 'A Different Mirror'. Each card features key terms related to historical contexts of immigration and community organization. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their understanding of the chapter.