During the late nineteenth century, there was remarkable growth in America’s industrial economy. While this led to improvements in living standards for middle class workers, immigrants were faced with deteriorating respect with heightened ethnical tensions. Asian workers were forced into factories for long hours at a time, only to go home to a filthy crowded tenement. The Chinese were still the most hated Asian group. The government even passed laws to prevent any more Chinese from coming into America. These prevention laws were also created against other Asian groups. In the early 20th century, Punjabi migrants from India came to America to find work. Due to protests from white workers, Congress put a stop to immigration from India.
The Chinese Exclusion Act (May 6, 1882)
An Act to execute certain treaty stipulations relating to Chinese.
Whereas in the opinion of the Government of the United States the coming of Chinese laborers to this country endangers the good order of certain localities within the territory thereof: Therefore, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the expiration of ninety days next after the passage of this act, and until the expiration of ten years next after the passage of this act, the coming of Chinese laborers to the United States be, and the same is hereby, suspended; and during such suspension it shall not be lawful for any Chinese laborer to come, or having so come after the expiration of said ninety days to remain within the United States.
SEC. 2. That the master of any vessel who shall knowingly bring within the United States on such vessel, and land or permit to be landed, any Chinese laborer, from any foreign port or place, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars for each and every such Chinese laborer so brought, and maybe also imprisoned for a term not exceeding one year.
SEC. 3. That the two foregoing sections shall not apply to Chinese laborers who were in the United States on the seventeenth day of November, eighteen hundred and eighty, or who shall have come into the same before the expiration of ninety days next after the passage of this act, and who shall produce to such master before going on board such vessel, and shall produce to the collector of the port in the United States at which such vessel shall arrive, the evidence hereinafter in this act required of his being one of the laborers in this section mentioned; nor shall the two foregoing sections apply to the case of any master whose vessel, being bound to a port not within the United States, shall come within the jurisdiction of the United States by reason of being in distress or in stress of weather, or touching at any port of the United States on its voyage to any foreign port or place: Provided, That all Chinese laborers brought on such vessel shall depart with the vessel on leaving port.
This document is a transcript of the Chinese Exclusion Act, a federal law which was passed by Congress in 1882. The Act technically does not straight up ban Chinese immigration, but makes it extremely difficult that only a few Chinese immigrants could arrive in America. In Section 1, the Act states that Chinese laborers cannot come into America. Most of the immigrants from China at that time were laborers, looking to find jobs in the United States. The Act also put new restrictions down on marine transportation to reduce the number of illegal Chinese immigrants. The Chinese Exclusion Act almost completely stopped Chinese immigration and prevented Chinese from becoming citizens of the United States.
An Act to execute certain treaty stipulations relating to Chinese.
Whereas in the opinion of the Government of the United States the coming of Chinese laborers to this country endangers the good order of certain localities within the territory thereof: Therefore, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the expiration of ninety days next after the passage of this act, and until the expiration of ten years next after the passage of this act, the coming of Chinese laborers to the United States be, and the same is hereby, suspended; and during such suspension it shall not be lawful for any Chinese laborer to come, or having so come after the expiration of said ninety days to remain within the United States.
SEC. 2. That the master of any vessel who shall knowingly bring within the United States on such vessel, and land or permit to be landed, any Chinese laborer, from any foreign port or place, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars for each and every such Chinese laborer so brought, and maybe also imprisoned for a term not exceeding one year.
SEC. 3. That the two foregoing sections shall not apply to Chinese laborers who were in the United States on the seventeenth day of November, eighteen hundred and eighty, or who shall have come into the same before the expiration of ninety days next after the passage of this act, and who shall produce to such master before going on board such vessel, and shall produce to the collector of the port in the United States at which such vessel shall arrive, the evidence hereinafter in this act required of his being one of the laborers in this section mentioned; nor shall the two foregoing sections apply to the case of any master whose vessel, being bound to a port not within the United States, shall come within the jurisdiction of the United States by reason of being in distress or in stress of weather, or touching at any port of the United States on its voyage to any foreign port or place: Provided, That all Chinese laborers brought on such vessel shall depart with the vessel on leaving port.
This document is a transcript of the Chinese Exclusion Act, a federal law which was passed by Congress in 1882. The Act technically does not straight up ban Chinese immigration, but makes it extremely difficult that only a few Chinese immigrants could arrive in America. In Section 1, the Act states that Chinese laborers cannot come into America. Most of the immigrants from China at that time were laborers, looking to find jobs in the United States. The Act also put new restrictions down on marine transportation to reduce the number of illegal Chinese immigrants. The Chinese Exclusion Act almost completely stopped Chinese immigration and prevented Chinese from becoming citizens of the United States.
Photograph of a Makeshift shelter for an Indian farm laborer
Photographer and date unknown
This photograph of the home of an Indian worker shows the poor living conditions of Asian immigrants at the time. Although the laborers that lived in California did not live in crowded rooms like Eastern European immigrants in northeastern cities, they still lived in shacks in rundown conditions. This specific home is made out of wood and cloth in a tent like manner propped up against an old shack.
Photographer and date unknown
This photograph of the home of an Indian worker shows the poor living conditions of Asian immigrants at the time. Although the laborers that lived in California did not live in crowded rooms like Eastern European immigrants in northeastern cities, they still lived in shacks in rundown conditions. This specific home is made out of wood and cloth in a tent like manner propped up against an old shack.
Hindoo Temple, the only one in the United States
Photographed by Weidner in San Francisco, CA
This is a photo of a newly built Hindu temple in San Francisco where there is a larger Indian population. Indian immigrants have enough influence and have saved enough money to start creating religious worship places. The title of the photo also shows the lack of cultural appreciation from the white Americans. The sacred religion some of the American Indians, Hindu is spelled wrong.
Photographed by Weidner in San Francisco, CA
This is a photo of a newly built Hindu temple in San Francisco where there is a larger Indian population. Indian immigrants have enough influence and have saved enough money to start creating religious worship places. The title of the photo also shows the lack of cultural appreciation from the white Americans. The sacred religion some of the American Indians, Hindu is spelled wrong.