Chinese Immigration in the Western United States: The First 100 Years

Chinese Immigration in the Western United States: The First 100 Years

Chinese Americans played a significant role in the development of the United States. Though they were key in helping build the infrastructure of the Western U.S. , Chinese Americans were subjected to discriminatory laws, social ostracism, and violence. Despite continued hardships, mistreatment and having their hard work overlooked, the Chinese have persevered and continue to make great contributions in all facets of American life.

It is debated on when the first Chinese immigrants arrived in the U.S. , but it is agreed that the majority of Chinese immigrants began to arrive here after the 1948 California Gold Rush. Around that time, China had just been in heated battle with Great Britain during the first Opium War. This conflict was over trade relations between China's Qing Dynasty and the British Empire and lasted from 1839­1842. The Chinese government tried several times to prohibit the trade in opium, but the British knew how lucrative the trade was and were against China's ban. The conflict was won by the British and ended with treaties in 1842 and 1843. These treaties saw the defeated Chinese paying a twenty one million dollar "restitution" to the British, the seizure of five ports for British trade and residence, and the right of British citizens in China to be tried in British courts. Hong Kong came under British rule after these treaties. The conflict ruined China's already weakened economy, continued to fuel widespread opium addiction, and lead to several peasant revolts. The largest of these revolts wound up spiraling out of control and developing into the Taiping Rebellion. The Taiping Rebellion turned into a civil war that lasted from 1850 to 1871. Many citizens blamed the Manchus (Qing Dynasty) for allowing China to be taken over...