A Look at Asian American Studies - Emery McKee - Ryan Caragher - Emma Rohrer - Gabe Velazquez

The Social and Political Significance Following the Anti-Chinese Movement

Social Implications: As first introduced as crafty, dishonest heathens by traders, diplomats, amid missionaries from China, the Anti-Chinese movement was initiated by Americans out of fear for suppression of wages, spreading disease, promoting gambling and corruption, and the encouragement of prostitution and opium. With the 19th century popular culture of theatres and magazines, racist depictions of Chinese immigrants were circulated around the world. Represented as people brought filth, disease, and ruin to white labor, the racial movement quickly spread to many radical laws and acts targeting Chinese immigrants. Political Significance: With an established opposition for Chinese immigration, federal laws such as the 1862 Coolie Act, the 1875 Page Act, and the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act were instated in the U.S. All laws pushed the agenda of preventing Chinese immigration and naturalization. With these laws in place, the Chinese were systematically harassed throughout the 1850s to 1890s. The Chinse experienced being rounded up, driven out of town, lynched, and killed throughout cities, and even the burning of their businesses and homes, all while local police stood idly by. Throughout the violence, politicians only worked harder to stop the “Grasping Tendencies of the Mongolian”.