The ChinesePatriarchy: The Chinese operated under a patriarchy, or a male-dominated system of lifeClans: Family linked by blood or marriage that all lived together (women leave their former clan to join their new clan of their husband); eldest male led the clan and made all final decisionsSurname: Chinese go by their last name FIRST (introducing yourself as an extension of your family – you represent them at all times; individualism (living for you) does not exist within the clan “Guadong” (Canton Province): Chinese who immigrated to U.S. were from here; eastern China, wealthy -trading economy (import/export goods)- rice, tea, opium Toishan/Taishan: Major city in Canton Province Why did Chinese leave?Overpopulation: When a population does not have enough resources to accommodate its people - emperor feared losing power in 19th century- began to raise taxes in Canton Province, which is ran by major clans (Gov’t is not making money it should) -clan leaders refuse to pay taxes, so food circulation is cut down drastically in China, which leads to Canton Province’s overpopulation Imperialism: Opium wars (countries coming in were taking over business); brining western culture and transforming traditional ways (ethnic enclaves in U.S. better attained culture than China) Weather: Tsunamis (2 hit Toishan, destroyed harbors)War & Rebellion: Rebellion with China about taxes; war with Russia and Japan in 19th century Why Come to U.S.?Numbers: 300,000 by 1882, and consisted of 1/10 CA populationGum Saan (Gold): “Gold Mountain;” U.S. sold a story that gold poured out of the mountains because we needed workers for the railroad Return Migration: immigrants (strongest males eldest male in clan picks) plan on returning back home-works-saves money & brings it back- has sex (to make children so they can come over one day)-does this for a span of 30 years Sojourners: Always going back and forth; never in one nation; constantly in motion (Chinese immigrants)Bachelor Society: Only men migrated over – no family, 98% male immigration; WASPs fear they will take and rape white women Chinatown: Ethnic enclave in San Fran, CA; all mandarin language, absolutely no assimilation/acculturation; completely self –ran (WASPs had nothing to do with Chinatown)The Six Companies: Six import/export companies out of China - each of these companies manage several clans; members of each clan act as “eldest male” to the immigrants representing their clans back in China - six companies enemies of each other- help clansmen find jobs, places to stay, friends of clans back in China, etc. - control Chinatown Kongsi / Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Society: buildings set up in Chinatown to represent each company; Chinese Consolidated… is one of these kongsi; centers to help immigrants from certain clans Tongs: makeshift six companies; helped immigrants of clans that had no friends, were not liked, etc. - made fun of by Six Companies; thought little of them (street rats) - organized crime, street gangs JobsCoolies: derogatory name for Chinese; people who work extremely hard but for very little payGold Miners: Thought that gold poured from American soil – worked on hourly wage for people who owned landed Foreign Miners Tax, 1852: taxed $3 every month (due to the Chinese stealing and hoarding gold, which in turn subject them to strip and cavity searches) “Feminine Jobs”: Domestic duties: cooks, maids, launderers to miners; paid a lot of money, high demand to wife-less men; not taken care of, but given decent pay Fishermen: WASPs not eating fish, but Chinese were; migrant group actually working for each other Transcontinental Railroad: worked as lighters (use explosives to clear way for railroad)- extremely dangerous, paid ahead of job (good $)- once railroad was done, no more need for lighters Migrant farm workers: move from farm to farm – perfect for Chinese, since they practiced return migration Appearance Scientific Racism: new map of scientifically proving that the current racial hierarchy is biologically correct; applied animal evolution to human evolution Un-assimilate-able: 1) Queue: long braid in back of hair; 2) Effeminate clothes (slippers, silk robes, etc.); 3) Small stature (shorter than WASPs) ***4) Perpetual foreigner since they practiced return migration – WASPs kept watching them come and goYellow Peril: Idea that the Chinese were sent here to take over America (taking over jobs is just a scheme to truly take over the entire country) People vs. Hall, 1854: concluded that immigration laws passed by state are constitutional and the Chinese could not testify against whites *** Judges’ opinion: “a race that nature has marked as inferior” Naturalization Act of 1870: only white and black people can become citizens (basically stating that the Chinese cannot become citizens; WASPs didn’t want another voting block like Irish)** but Chinese didn’t care, since they are return migrants Page Act of 1875: no “undesirables” and prostitutes allowed (assumed all women were prostitutes, so they were not allowed to come into the country) Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882: No Chinese entering the U.S. from China is allowed in- renewed every 10 years until 1942- Chinese weren’t told, so when tried to come back into the country, were denied entry Chae Chan Ping vs. US 1889: Chinese exclusion act IS constitution (now declared that federal government is in charge of immigration, NOT state government) *** Judges’ opinion: U.S. can pass whatever immigration law it wants 1906 Earthquake: Huge earthquake that destroyed city hall in CA, all birth records and documentation were burned Paper Sons: Chinese began forging birth records of illegal Chinese; younger men claimed to be children of older Chinese immigrants that have been here (now the older immigrants can go home) Angel Island: 1910-1940; processed all of the paper sons and daughters - “punish” them by making them wait until they can “prove” that they are citizens Chinese Americans in Film/Stereotypes Lee Tung Foo: started in vaudeville shows; comic relief, side character Anna May Wong: always played same role of prostitute – grew tired and left the U.S. to act in Europe Yellowface: yellow/dirty makeup; eyeliner, squint eyes, talk in short, staccato accent “Orientals”: the stereotype that all Asians are the same, regardless of what country they are fromFu Manchu: Evil character, uses spirits and dark arts to
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