Cultural Change: The Railroad and Immigration

Immigration in the 1800's

Scandinavian Immigrants in costume (Portland) http://www.oregonhistoryproject.org/articles/historical-records/scandinavian-immigration/#.Va1xSPlVhBc

Fenian Movement -- Strange but true . . . Irish immigrants invade Canada

myth__82__signs_saying_“no_irish_need_apply”_were_common.pdf
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The Transcontinental Railroad

Racism and Immigration: Chinese Laborers

Chinese Laundry -- link to article about Chinese immigrants and racism

1875 Page Law

Touted as a law designed to prevent Asian people from being duped into slavery, the actual intent of the law was to prohibit the immigration of Asian women into the United States and, therefore, keep the population size of Chinese and Japanese immigrants small.

1882 -- Chinese Exclusion Act

Chinese Exclusion Act

SUMMARY

In March 3, 1875, the Senate and House Representations of the United States of America in Congress approved a law stating that any immigration of Chinese, Japanese, or any Asian country, to the United States must be free and voluntary. There were five sections to the Page law. The second section stated that any citizen of the United States whotried to transport any Chinese, Japanese or from any of the Asian countries without their consent would be punished with a fine and jail time. The third section stated that any woman transported to the United States for the purpose of prostitution was forbidden and any contract made prior to the transportation would be voided and a fine and jail time sentenced. The fourth section stated that any person who made a deal in the present or past to illegally supply "coolie" labor would be penalized with a fine and jail time. The fifth section stated that any foreign person convicted of a crime not including political crimes and any woman transported to work as a prostitute would be denied access to the United States. All ships were subject to inspection if there was any suspicion of illegal immigrants on board or any one that is annoying or disturbing. All illegal immigrants that had been denied had the right to contest in a court of law. http://library.uwb.edu/guides/usimmigration/1875_page_law.html

Chinese American Women: A History of Resilience and Resistence

The Yellow Peril -- Asians were associated with all manner of social evils and were assumed to have low moral character. Think of this caption in light of today's debate about Mexican immigration.