Different Mirror Chapter 8 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is a prospector?

A person who explores an area to look for valuable metals.

What does exclusion mean?

The act of keeping out or shutting out.

What are Tongs?

Groups that controlled criminal businesses but also protected Chinese migrants.

What are Fongs?

Organizations of family, village, and clan members that received new immigrants. Signup and view all the answers

What are Clans?

Larger groups of fongs that helped new immigrants find housing and jobs. Signup and view all the answers

What is a catastrophe?

A large-scale disaster, misfortune, or failure. Signup and view all the answers

What is a tenant farmer?

A farmer who works land owned by another and pays rent either in cash or crops. Signup and view all the answers

What are Paper Sons?

Chinese immigrants who claimed to be sons of Chinese American citizens. Signup and view all the answers

What does hostility mean?

The intentional use of unfriendly or offensive behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What does servitude refer to?

Slavery or forced labor. Signup and view all the answers

What is a marginal man?

A person caught between two cultures. Signup and view all the answers

How did the annexation of California influence the immigration of Chinese workers?

They could cross the Pacific Ocean to come to America. Signup and view all the answers

Why did so many Chinese begin to migrate to America in 1849?

Because of the Gold Rush. Signup and view all the answers

Why did the US pass a Naturalization Act in 1790?

So only white immigrants could become naturalized citizens. Signup and view all the answers

Why was a miner's tax passed in California in 1872?

To raise revenue from those who could not become citizens. Signup and view all the answers

How do we see an example of how those in power 'divide and conquer' to control workers?

By isolating workers and cutting off their food supply. Signup and view all the answers

What were the industries in San Francisco that employed the Chinese?

Boots, shoes, woolens, cigars, tobacco, and sewing. Signup and view all the answers

Why do you think the Chinese were successful farmers in California?

Because they were farmers in China. Signup and view all the answers

Why did so many Chinese men get involved in the laundry business?

Because it was cheaper to start and required minimal resources. Signup and view all the answers

Does the idea that 'American' meant 'white' still hold true in America?

No, there are people of different skin colors and from different countries who are successful. Signup and view all the answers

How were some white workers' attitudes towards Chinese laborers similar to attitudes towards Native Americans and African Americans?

They were often regarded negatively and seen as inferior. Signup and view all the answers

What laws did California enact to ensure that the Chinese would remain socially marginalized?

<ol> <li>Non-whites cannot give evidence against whites in court. 2. Non-whites cannot marry whites.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What did the 1870 Civil Rights Act attempt to do for people of color?

It granted them rights to make contracts, give evidence, and be protected by the law. Signup and view all the answers

Why were there very few women among the Chinese immigrants initially?

Because it was expensive to bring them and men thought they would only stay for a short time. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the lives of immigrant Chinese men in San Francisco.

They initially had access to ethnic goods but faced challenges after a major earthquake. Signup and view all the answers

Why were Chinese laborers discouraged from immigrating, yet Chinese merchants were allowed?

Merchants could offer products that Americans valued. Signup and view all the answers

What natural disaster in 1906 changed the fortunes of Chinese immigrants in San Francisco?

An earthquake. Signup and view all the answers

Why were some Chinese sons allowed to come to America?

Because according to U.S. law, they could become citizens. Signup and view all the answers

What did 'paper sons' do to try to get into the United States?

They paid Chinese Americans to claim them as their sons. Signup and view all the answers

What does resented mean?

Felt bitterness toward. Signup and view all the answers

What does industry refer to?

Economic activity concerned with the processing of raw materials and manufacture of goods in factories. Signup and view all the answers

What does regarded mean?

Thought deeply about someone or something. Signup and view all the answers

What does concept mean?

An idea. Signup and view all the answers

What does cultivate mean?

Prepare and use land for crops or gardening. Signup and view all the answers

What does pagan mean?

Someone who believes there are many gods. Signup and view all the answers

What does manufacture mean?

To make by hand or machine. Signup and view all the answers

What does merchant mean?

A person who buys and sells goods. Signup and view all the answers

What does immoral mean?

Not conforming to accepted standards of morality. Signup and view all the answers

What does childlike mean?

Of or like a child in a good sense. Signup and view all the answers

What does truism mean?

A statement that is obviously true and says nothing new or interesting. Signup and view all the answers

What does morality mean?

Principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. Signup and view all the answers

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.

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.

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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.