The Chinese in California, 1850-1925
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As a collection of primary source materials, The Chinese in California, 1850-1925, provides the opportunity to practice critical thinking skills while learning about the collection's historical topics. Study the history of U.S. immigration policy and trace its development on a timeline to foster chronological thinking skills. Investigate a series of photographs documenting law and order in Chinatown to foster and test historical comprehension. Practice analysis and interpretation by examining cartoons or compare texts on Chinese labor to practice issue-analysis and decision-making. Finally, use texts and images as starting points for a variety of interesting research projects.
Chronological Thinking Skills: Immigration Timeline
Creating a timeline provides an opportunity to practice chronological thinking while also testing comprehension of a historical topic. Use the collection's materials to create an illustrated timeline reflecting the development of U.S. immigration policy from the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to the establishment of the quota system in the 1920s.
Refer to page seven of High Lights on Chinese Exclusion and Expulsion for a brief history of treaties and legislation regarding Chinese immigration. Use images from the collection, such as cartoons and illustrations from The Wasp and Harper's Weekly to reflect contemporary public opinion about the events, treaties, and laws included on your timeline.
- What events other than the establishment of treaties and laws do you think were significant in the development of U.S. Chinese immigration policy?
- What do the cartoons suggest about public sentiment towards Chinese immigrants?
- How would you characterize the cartoon images of the Chinese? What can you infer from the nature of these images?
- Do the cartoons in the collection show a change in attitudes over time or were feelings towards the Chinese consistent?
- What might account for the different perspective taken by Harper's Weekly illustrator, Thomas Nast?