The Asian Race in America - Essay Sample

Introduction

The Asian population in the United States is a diverse one. Immigration can be considered as one of the real sources of stress for Asian American Population. "The Chinese represent the first large-scale migration to America" (Takara, 2011). The Chinese were the first of the Asian race to settle in the United States in the 1700s, some of them participating as Union armies in the civil war (Takara, 2011). The agricultural industry was developed and innovated by most of the immigrants, mainly the Japanese, contributing to an increase in the foods market.

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One of the laws protecting the Chinese in their new land was the Chinese Exclusion Act enacted in the year 1882. This law was issued with the intent of preventing immigration and naturalization on the grounds of race. The Chinese Exclusion Act restricted the immigration of the Chinese over the next sixty years. Another of these laws is the Congressional Exclusionary Act that had similar restrictions to the Chinese Exclusion Act. As a result of the enactment of these acts, the West Coast was inhabited by Japanese, Korean and Indian laborers. The Japanese laborers dominated the group, replacing the Chinese workers as cheap labor in various activities including farming, making railroads and fishing. After that, the anti-Japanese legislation and violence were enacted followed by the "Gentleman's Agreement" that restricted Japanese immigration between the United States and Japan. In 1924, every Asian immigrant including the Chinese and Indians was excluded by the laws protecting them hence; denying them citizenship and naturalization, and preventing the race from making intermarriages with Caucasians (Asia Society, n.d). However, all these were not discriminatory when "non-restrictive annual quotas of 20,000 immigrants per country were established" (Asia Society, n.d).

Women were treated as a unique species since some men worked as contract laborers from Southern China; in the 1850s. Following immigration, men played distinct roles in the development of China. These men worked as miners, railroad builders, fishers, factory workers, and farmers. Chinese men worked in California until there were the "anti-Chinese legislation and violence that contributed to violence to the entire West Coast" (Asia Society, n.d). Some women would work as prostitutes and receive no wages and on the condition that one becomes pregnant, they were supposed to work for an extra year (macintologist04, 2016). The year 1980 saw about half of the women at least half of the Asian population; these were who lived the harshest lives. However, most of them had a fear of out looking the terms of the contracts they had with their employers. There was only little value to them. They were denied the access to police and authorities hence, could not turn their cases to the authorities. It was considered indiscrete and improper for women to be seen out in public (macintologist04, 2016). Women would be returned to China in case they broke some of the laws imposed on them. However, as compared to my current experience, women have all the rights just as men considering there are laws that discriminate gender inequality and violence.

In 1890, the Chinese were against these laws and those who proposed their stay in areas that would discourage their well-being concerning health (Takara, 2011). As a result, their numbers increased up to about 17 million people to date, who are literate and diverse in regards to talents and dreams, and who contribute positively to the economy of the country.

References

Asia Society. (n.d.). Asian Americans Then and Now. Retrieved May 31, 2018, from https://asiasociety.org/education/asian-americans-then-and-now

[Maiko Takara]. (2011, October 31). The Making of Asian America - 2011 Who's Who in Asian American Communities Mini-Documentary [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ena3JtE1Djo

[macintologist04]. (2016, May 10). Becoming American - The Chinese Experience [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgLzWQ7MnhQ