Erika lee writes about the period of chinese exclusion from 1882 until its official end in 1943. The next step was the chinese exclusion act of 1882. Congress decided that there needed to be severe limits on who was coming into the. While some americans favored immigration, many opposed it, and responded during the 1920s. This is one of the greatest population movements in history.
The wasp, tried to influence congress to pass this law. It placed a tax on each immigrant arriving, blocked entry of convicts and less intelligent individuals, and restricted all chinese immigration to the united states. In response, congress passed two historic immigration acts. Act of 1882 and the operation wetback in the early 1950s were implemented to prohibit immigration from these dissimilar countries. Johnson signed an immigration law that led to profound demographic shifts. Background history following the acquisition of california laborers were in great demand in the west. But by 1882, antichinese sentiment had pushed congress to pass the. The chinese exclusion act of 1882, a proposal to outlaw most chinese immigration, was under debate at this time and several california publications, including. Immigration act of 1924 uxl 1924 immigration act, the part two 00.
The immigration act of 1882 was modified in 1888 by the scott act, which stated any chinese in the united states who returned tochina were no longer permitted reentry intothe united states. This act exiled chinese laborers from arriving in the united states. Chinese exclusion act and immigration problems in the. In 1882, however, the chinese exclusion act banned immigration of chinese laborers for 10 years. It may be impossible to write immigration history objectively, but i believe daniels comes as close to this achievement as anyone could in this comprehensive guide to american immigration. This book explores part of the history of immigration into the united states. The chinese exclusion act, signed in 1882, was a federal law that suspended chinese immigration into america. Three respected authorities on immigration and international affairs here present a carefully calibrated history of u. Congress passed the chinese exclusion act, a law that would simultaneously halt chinese immigration to the united states and bar this group from becoming citizens. These immigrants came from western and northern europe and the far east. In 1790, congress passed the naturalization act, which effectively limited immigration to persons of european and caucasian descent. Immigration act of 1882 the purpose of this act was to restrict the immigration of peoples to the united states who were characterized as paupers, criminals, convicts, and those diagnosed as mentally incompetent. Opposition to immigration intensified as the number of immigrants soared at the beginning of the 20th century.
The chinese exclusion act was a united states federal law signed by president chester a. This act was the first comprehensive immigration law to deal with federal oversight and categories of. The essay also looks at the push pull factors that have helped define demographic trends in the united states to present day and also covers some darker periods of american history, including the congressional exclusionary act restricting immigration based on race and the japanese american internment during wwii. They also entered into a political climate that was charged by the sweeping immigration restrictions placed on the chinese in 1882 through the chinese exclusion act. But the period of time that interests me is 19101940 when angel island was a united states immigration station. Racism against the chinese was strong, so the ban remained for ten years, but was eventually made permanent. Back to the basics of immigration baylor university. The 1882 immigration act was the first comprehensive immigration law enacted by the federal government. With the passing of this first act, the chinese exclusion act of 1882, america had limited immigration on the basis of nationality or race for the first time, and it would not be the last, as subsequent acts severely curtailed each successive wave of immigration from asia. The next major act, the immigration act of 1952 officially did away with racial prohibitions, but kept the national quotas in place. Japanese laborers arrive hawaii history short stories. Assented on 20 july 1885, the intention of the chinese immigration act was stated explicitly in its heading, reading an act to restrict and regulate chinese immigration into canada. In the west, people protested against chinese immigrants, and in 1882, congress passed the chinese exclusion act, barring immigrants from china.
Similarly, daniels shows how a 1965 immigration law that its architects. Chinese immigration and the chinese exclusion acts office of the. Lee argues that chinese exclusion was the first and most influential immigration policy that helped turn the united states from being relatively open and unrestricted into a gatekeeping nation and gave rise to the concept of illegal immigration instead of literature that focuses on the. This act provided an absolute 10year moratorium on chinese labor immigration. For the first time, federal law proscribed entry of an ethnic working group on the. What are push and pull factors that relate to china and what do they mean. The magnuson act of 1943 repeals the chinese exclusion act of 1882, establishes quotas for chinese immigrants, and makes them eligible for u. The push for this act was mainly perpetuated by the western states. His family was not wealthy, not even middle class by. The immigration act of 1882 levied a tax of 50 cents on all immigrants landing at us ports as part of a government immigration fund. Eventually, globalization triggers a pushandpull migration from developing. The 1882 immigration act adopted as federal law policies and practices already enacted by the states of new york and massachusetts that targeted poor immigrants for exclusion and removal.
Daniels emphasizes the wide range of push and pull factors that have encouraged. A 1962 guideline explained procedures under the act. List of books and articles about chinese exclusion acts. Chinese migrants barred from entry by the 1882 chinese exclusion act pioneered routes of illicit entry into the united states across the canadian and mexican borders. However, to truly understand this policy, you have to look further back in history. Oriental exclusion acts world book chinese exclusion act. Eleven months after passage of the 1882 immigration act that barred pauper. Altogether, some forty million came between 1790 and 1930. Most early immigration laws were instituted in order to control the composition of the u. Literacy tests and asian exclusion were the hallmarks of. These laws launched a new era of restricted immigration into the country.
These national immigration laws created the need for new federal enforcement authorities. Chinese exclusion act of 1882 shut off growers access to chinese workers, they turned to japan. While most european immigrants came to america for economic reasons, some groups such as jews immigrated to escape religious. Many americans opposed chinese immigration, arguing. A general reader will enjoy this book for the interesting and rarely discussed. During the interwar period, the book put forward grants. The act also required every chinese person traveling in or out of the country to carry a certificate identifying his or her status as a laborer, scholar, diplomat, or merchant. The chinese exclusion act pdf, 428kb of 1882 was signed into law on may 6, 1882.
Lesson plan chinese immigration, nativism, and the chinese. Building on the 1875 page act, which banned chinese women from immigrating to the united states, the chinese exclusion act was the first law implemented to prevent all members of a specific ethnic or national group from immigrating. In addition to sections 10 and 11, that pushed the financial responsibility for deporting an alien onto the vessel or persons who had brought the. The 1965 act has to be understood as a result of the civil rights movement, and the general effort to eliminate race discrimination from u. Positioned at the crossroads of immigration history, ethnic and law studies. This form may be obtained from any office of the immigration and naturalization service, a division of the department of justice, or from any court authorized to naturalize aliens. Beginning in 1882, the united states stopped being a nation of immigrants that. As commitment to restricting immigration hardened, the federal government assumed sole authority to set policy and administer immigration law. Immigrants who flee their country because of persecution, war, or such disasters as famines or epidemics are known as refugees or displaced persons. Arthur on may 6, 1882, prohibiting all immigration of chinese laborers.
As chinese exclusion act turns 5, experts point to. Imaginary lines border enforcement and the origins of. Donald trumps grandfather, friedrich trump, was 16 when. Act of 1882, daniels probes the convoluted politics behind immigration law. It imposed a head tax on noncitizens of the united states who came to american ports and restricted certain classes of people from immigrating to america, including criminals, the insane. This was the first time ever that a specific ethnicity was banned from immigrating to the u. In 1882, the chinese exclusion act prohibited the immigration of chinese laborers. The ban was supposed to last 10 years, but it was expanded several times and was essentially in effect until wwii. In 1924, the federal immigration act prohibited all immigration from japan. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers. Immigration act of 1882 immigration to the united states. Act of 1882 and the operation wetback in the early 1950s were imple.
The act built the framework for federal oversight over immigration and delineated categories of undesirables who would be barred entry to the united states. Trump was born on march 14, 1869, in kallstadt, a village of less than 1,000 people in the pfalz region in southwest germany. It imposed a head tax on noncitizens of the united states who came to american ports and restricted certain classes of people from immigrating to america, including criminals, the insane, or any person unable to take care of him or herself. Alien contract labor law of 1885 immigration to the. The act of leaving ones country to settle in another is called emigration. After the chinese exclusion act of 1882 barred chinese immigration and made it nearly impossible for chinese to become naturalized citizens, efforts to restrict european immigration increased. As such, it would have enormous consequences for future immigration legislation. How the immigration act of 1965 changed the face of.
Literacy tests and asian exclusion were the hallmarks of the 1917 immigration act one hundred years ago, the u. The law also made several categories of immigrants ineligible for citizenship, including immigrants who likely to become public charges. Mark twain became the first realist author and his books often showed the greed, violence, and racism in american society. The immigration and nationality act allows individuals of all races to be eligible for naturalization.
Background essay on late 19th and early 20th century. As was the case with previous discriminatory acts, this legislation was met by protests from chinese residents, and for the next decade more than 7,000 lawsuits were filed, the majority of which were won by the chinese litigants. Examples of push and pull factors of chinese migration to america. The influx of immigration provided big businesses with an instant supply of cheap, exploitable labor. Congress established nationalorigin quotas with the immigration act of 1924. The only difference between then and now is the push back. In 1882 the chinese exclusion act was passed by congress. As chinese exclusion act turns 5, experts point to parallels today. Despite this initial, positive environment toward immigration, a belief grew that immigrants contributed to crime and poverty.
As chinese exclusion act turns 5, experts point to parallels. The general immigration act of 1882 levied a head tax of fifty cents on each immigrant and blocked or excluded the entry of idiots, lunatics, convicts, and persons likely to become a public charge. The first was the chinese exclusion act of 1882, suspending immigration of chinese laborers. History of angel island immigration station angel island. In 1882, congress passed the chinese exclusion act, which made immigration from china illegal. The chinese exclusion act of 1882 was a historic act of legislation that demonstrated how the federal government of the united states once openly condoned racial discrimination. The immigration act of 1924 then denied admission to all aliens ineligible to citizenship, which, given the naturalization clause in the original exclusion laws, was effectively a ban on asians. On january 27, the supreme court, by a 54 vote along predictable lines, upheld that same public charge clause, inherited from the 1882 immigration act, that targets wouldbe immigrants unable to prove they wont claim public benefits. Although the immigration flow stopped, hawaiis population remained heavily japanese. David reimers 1985 book, still the golden door, is representative of new. Immigration is the act of coming to a foreign country to live. The immigration act of 1891, also known as the 1891 immigration act, was a modification of the immigration act of 1882.
In 1882, this act placed restrictions on the immigration of undesirable persons, such as paupers, criminals, convicts, and mentally incompetent. The second was the immigration act of 1882, which was enacted on august 3 of that year. The 1882 act was the first in american history to place broad restrictions on immigration. Chinese exclusion act, 1882 apush study group wiki fandom. The immigration and nationality act of 1952 requires an alien to apply for a petition for naturalization. From the new nation to the new immigration in the seventy years between 1820 the first year immigration statistics were gathered and 1890, fifteen million people came to the united states. New immigration occurred primarily in the latenineteenth century to the earlytwentieth century. Background essay on late 19th and early 20th century immigration. The immigration act of 1882 was a united states federal law signed by president chester a. It was extended in 1892 for another ten years by the geary act and then made permanent.
History of illegal immigrants and current immigration laws. Many southern europeans and asians sought greater economic opportunity and jobs in america, in the midst of rapid urbanization and industrialization. For a piece of legislation, its justification was remarkably blunt. At 544 pages, her book traces in great detail the various immigration. Steerage accommodations ellis island, new york covered entrance. The law limited chinese immigration and barred them from becoming. Imaginary lines border enforcement and the origins of undocumented immigration, 18821930. Exclusion act of 1882 not only excluded chinese immigrants based on their race, but also. The chinese exclusion act of 1882 was the first significant law restricting immigration into the united states. This concern led to the restrictive immigration act of 1882, which excluded the admission of convicts, paupers, and those viewed as mentally defective. The influx of immigration during the 1850s to 1900s in america. History textbooks are by and large east coast centric. Lesson plan chinese immigration, nativism, and the chinese exclusion act of 1882 rational. For american presidents and congressmen addressing the question of.
634 1323 87 1155 584 585 81 1288 1525 521 499 382 1265 1061 1196 390 1653 1377 1205 469 1138 1421 207 1216 213 508 420 1457 298 259 1181 164 1143 615 1131 1243 310 770