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Chinese Immigrants
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Chinese
Immigrants
Why did the Chinese go to California and what benefits did they hope to gain?
Why?
Many Chinese Immigrants were fleeing famine and starvation in China.
Other Chinese Immigrants were fleeing economic hardships.
Many Chinese Immigrants had heard rumors of "Mountains of Gold" in California.
Many of the Chinese Immigrants hoped to strike it rich and then return home to their families as rich men.
What risks did the Chinese Immigrants take and What dangers did they face?
Danger and Hardships
Leaving China was very risky for the immigrants. If they were caught trying to leave China they faced the very real possibility of losing their heads....literally.
If the immigrants made it out of China with their heads intact their next hardship was a 7,000 mile journey to reach California.
When the Chinese Immigrants arrived they were admired for their patient hard work, they would often take over sites that other miners had given up on.
The good feelings toward Chinese Immigrants did not last long and soon they began to face discrimination and racism.
Soon, any Chinese Immigrant who wished to continue mining had to pay a monthly tax of $20 (that would be approximately $628 today).
The Chinese Immigrants faced all of the mentioned dangers and hardships that were unique to them, but they also faced dangers and hardships that all miners faced such as:
- Backbreaking work
- Sleeping in tents
- Exposure to the elements
- Crowded towns and mining camps
- Unsanitary Condition
- Lack of clean water
- High prices for food and supplies
- Thieves and lawlessness
One of the most notable Chinese Immigrants was Lai Chun-Chuen.
Notable Chinese Immigrant
He originally came to California to make his fortunes in the gold mines, but he eventually became a merchant.
He is most well know for speaking out against discrimination against the Chinese and opposing the $20 monthly tax on the Chinese.
Chinese Immigration Video
So, as you might have guessed most of the Chinese who came to California did not strike it rich. Many did remain in California and made a new life for themselves and their families. The Chinese in California formed the first Chinatown in the United States in San Francisco. San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest in the U.S. They did this by pursuing other forms of work....