美籍华人的历史The History of Chinese Americans

The History of Chinese Americans 美籍华人的历史 Immigration to the United States from China began primarily in the middle of the 19th century. As more of the American West was becoming settled, several waves of Chinese immigrants arrived in the country, eager to pursue the opportunities awaiting them. For the most part, these immigrants consisted of young male land workers who came in search of economic success. Drawn by news of the California Gold Rush, they arrived in America looking to strike it rich with hopes of being able to send money back to their poor rural homes, or of returning to China in a few years with newly acquired wealth. Unfortunately, this wealth was never realized for most of the newcomers in this newly stage of Chinese immigration. While some looked for the elusive "Gold Mountain" of California, most moved to fill the void of low-paid labour created by America's rapidly expanding industries. Wool mills, as well as shoe and clothing manufacturers were among the most common employers of Chinese immigrants. Some immigrants even started their own factories, profiting from the highly competitive atmosphere. Others moved to support the growing need for labor in areas such as the mining, land development and irrigation. In particular, the advanced agricultural knowledge passed by many of these first immigrants from China was greatly appreciated on the developing farms of the West. Chinese farming techniques along with thousands of migrant agricultural laborers combined to allow the new western states to become more self-sufficient in their food production. Until this point, the American West had been largely dependent upon suppliers in the East. In addition to this vital contribution, many scholars now credit Chinese workers with easing tensions in the South following the Civil War, as they moved to make up the labor shortage there and helped the ailing southern economy to recover. Still another crucial American accomplishment that was achieved primarily with the hard work of Chinese immigrants was the Transcontinental Railroad. Approximately 15,000 Chinese men built the Central Pacific Railroad which stretched into the western frontier. These workers were good at using the gunpowder that was used to blast through the mountains and they created a vast network of track that opened up untrapped resources not only in California but the northwest as well. The path of the railroad also spurred development of the surrounding territory, which many immigrants cultivated into profitable farmland. However, this acceptance did not last for the Chinese immigrants. There was a Chinatown in virtually every major U. S city and these became targets for anti-immigrant protests and riots that often resulted in violence. Chinese immigrants may have been targeted due to the increasing belief that immigrants were occupying too many jobs in a city. However, new policies enacted by the government sought to prevent further immigration from China. In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act which prevented the Chinese without family already in the U. S from entering the country. In time, America began to realize that the treatment of Chinese immigrants was contrary to the very foundations of the country. Finally, in 1943 the Chinese Exclusion ct was repealed. During the 1960s, Chinese Americans were able to make progress and enter professional arenas such as medicine, corporations, and politics. It was a hard struggle, but the 1964 Immigration and Nationality Act removed the last barriers to Chinese immigration, initiating a new era in the history of america's a melting pot. 朗读：高贵成 2021. 06.01