Chapter 23
More About Immigrants
Most immigrants and Americans knew and believed in the words of the Dec.
of Indep. We all have unalienable rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit
of Happiness.
Some Americans did not want to share their message of fairness with
newcomers.
Why were some immigrants unwelcome?
 They cost a lot to educate
 They needed increased services like police and fire.
 They were often poor with problems with poverty
 They took jobs at a lower pay than most Americans would accept.
Newcomers did many of the jobs Americans no longer wanted to do such as:
Dishwashers, ditch diggers, railroad workers, Dunkin’ Donut cashiers.
It was hard to predict the benefits of immigrants and their children to our
country.
Prejudice included most of our ancestors: Catholic, Jewish, black, Irish, or
Asian. The Know-Nothing party even elected governors throughout the
country (including CT). The KKK and Workingmen’s Party grew.
Chinese began to immigrate to California in 1849 (Gold Rush). They took
jobs for much less money than Americans. Then they too asked for more.
Many Asians, as well as Greeks, Italians, and Poles took their money and
went home after they made enough in America.
When times turned bad in California, and in China at the same time. The
Workingmen’s Party asked for a law excluding Chinese from immigration.
Even though many Easterners never met Chinese people before, they agreed
to the law.
The racist law of Chinese Exclusion lasted over 70 years.
Homework: Why were the Chinese excluded from immigration in 1882
when other ethnic groups were not?