Boston’s Chinatown Cbcastro

Do Now Brainstorm what you know about China immigration and Chinatown. Hypothesize why Chinatown developed and its effects on immigrants.

Chinese Immigration United States and China sign treaty of "peace, amity, and commerce.“ 1848-Gold is discovered in California and a gold rush begins Chinese American population in U.S. is about 4,000 out of a population of 23.2 million Central Pacific recruits Chinese workers to build a transcontinental railroad.

Chinese immigrants aboard steamship bound for San Francisco Engraving from Harper’s Weekly, May 20, 1876 Smithsonian Institution Libraries

Gum Shan Meets El Dorado c Quarter plate daguerreotype by J. B. Starkweather California State Library

40,000 Chinese arrive in California in the 1850s Wikimedia Commons: The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley Chinese Camp: Library of Congress

Chinese Immigration Continued First transcontinental railroad is complete Chinese American population in the US is 63,199 out of a total population of 38.5 million Anti-Chinese violence erupts in Los Angeles and other cities Congress passes the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) Excluded Chinese "skilled and unskilled laborers employed in mining" from entering the country for ten years under penalty of imprisonment and deportation. The few Chinese non‐laborers who wished to immigrate had to obtain certification from the Chinese government that they were qualified to immigrate, which tended to be difficult to prove. The Act also affected Asians who had already settled in the United States. Any Chinese who left the United States had to obtain certifications for reentry, and the Act made Chinese immigrants permanent aliens by excluding them from U.S. citizenship. After the Act's passage, Chinese men in the U.S. had little chance of ever reuniting with their wives, or of starting families in their new homes.

Chinese Migration to MA First Chinese that came to MA were 75 laborers brought from the West coast to break a strike in a shoe factory in North Adams. Resulted in a strong Anti-Chinese sentiment, but despite this, people were still tolerant of the laborers and even respected the quality and pace of their work.

Chinese Migration to Boston Many of the North Adams laborers moved to Boston when their contract ended. Violence in the West results in Chinese migration to Eastern cities like NYC and Boston. Pitched tents on Ping On Alley near South Station Originally a residential area but elevated train tracks led to a decrease of property values

Boston Chinatown Demographics Small bachelor society as a result of Chinese Exclusion Act Isolated from the rest of Boston because of discrimintation Didn’t compete with white people for jobs – Laundries – Restaurants – Grocery stores – Curio shops

Community Associations Tongs- Kinship Association