Annapurni+S.


 * What is your general belief about who or what is most responsible for causing the conflict? **

I believe that the Americans and the West Europeans are at fault when it comes to the Chinese Exclusion Act, then, don't forget the lack of maturity shown by the government at that point. The Americans and Europeans were very racist and very quick to blame the hardworking Chinese for their inability to become employed. If the Chinese immigrants looked the same as the Americans and Europeans, not a word would be said. Now that the Americans (Americans meaning the Europeans and Americans) have gotten away with this, it will lead to a new revolution of problems having to do with racism. Now, the Congress and President, those who lead our country and set an example for each and every one of our citizens. Their decisions affect us all, for better, or for worse in my opinion. They listened to the uneducated and racist remarks of the citizens. Credit should be given where credit is due and I admire the fact that they listened to the people, I would be awestruck if the reason wasn't so incredibly farfetched. The legislature acted, and they banned the Chinese from immigrating. Such vile and cruel prejudice from a government was unheard of in the books. How could they make such a silly mistake as to openly discriminate against one group of people? These "innocent" civilians, and government are responsible for lives being taken away and the hopes and dreams of soon-to-be American citizens crushed. Whether you're in the mindset of someone in the 19th century or the 21st century, the injustice of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 will ring in our ears, minds, and our hearts.(Wasington, A State of Contrasts 244-247)


 * What is the relevant background information (i.e. who, what, when, where) **

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, was unjust to say the least. The main characters in this "story" are the Chinese immigrants, Americans, West Europeans, Congress, President Chester A. Arthur, and, of course, faulty judgment. The Chinese immigrated to America to work on the transcontinental railroads that were being built, and the gold mines. When the transcontinental railroads were finished they left a lot of people unemployed, especially the Chinese who were a majority in that project (Washington, A State of Contrasts). They moved west to find new opportunities. The owners of the canneries in Washington and Oregon started hiring the Chinese; it was a hard life, with a small salary and poor working conditions. At first, the Europeans and Americans were okay with the Chinese working instead of them, then, feelings began to change. The Caucasians started to feel that the Chinese were taking away their jobs, this feeling slowly escalated as the number of Chinese workers increased. Anti-Chinese clubs started forming, and before long Congress had passed the bill, and President Arthur, on May 6, 1882 (ourdocuments.gov) signed the Chinese Exclusion Act. This Act banned Chinese citizens from immigrating, forcing some American/Chinese out of work and out of the country. This insanity continued for 10 years. When the Chinese Exclusion Act expired, Congress renewed it with the Geary Act for 10 years. Actually the Geary Act controlled Chinese immigration until the 1920's. In 1943 Congress repealed all exclusion acts.(historylink.org)


 * What were three factors that helped cause the conflict (politics, economics, geography, history)? **

There are many factors that contributed to this conflict, the most obvious ones include the difference in looks, Chinese and Americans* are different colors and have different beliefs, the Americans* believed the Chinese were taking their jobs (politics), and the Chinese worked for less (economics). The different color is a big causal factor. The way I see it, the Americans* needed someone or something to blame for their lack of employment, so they picked on the Chinese. They could get away with this because the Chinese were different. It was unfair and unnecessary to punish a group of people for something beyond their control. Once again the Americans and West Europeans are at fault, they, irrationally, thought that the Chinese were stealing their jobs, incredulous, I know. Looking at it logically, the Americans* had no written birthright to occupy those professions, actually there was no mental birthright, or spiritual birthright. As far as anyone was concerned, becoming employed in the Pacific Northwest was fair game to Chinese, Japanese, Swedes, Americans, and Europeans alike. Then, why did the Americans and West Europeans seem to think that they were more important than the Chinese? In addition to that, the Chinese worked in the poor conditions of the canneries, gold mines, and railroads, not to mention the low salary that they received. This surely would have caught the attention of employers, yet the Chinese "stole" jobs. To put this all together is very simple. The Americans let the Chinese come over, to do work for them, there is not too much wrong with that. Then, the Chinese started getting hired instead of Americans, which equals more money. Now, this problem has turned from social to economic. The Europeans and Americans drove them out because of the money the Chinese received equated into power. That is a sad fact of then and today, nevertheless, true. Money equals power. Suddenly this problem has turned from social to economic to political. Getting partway into the minds of the people involved in the Exclusion Act has really helped me understand the thought process behind it, it does not justify the actions, but it definitely clears a few things up.(Washington, A state of Contrasts, (: and common sense!)
 * = Not only the Americans but the Europeans as well.


 * Explain why one factor is more important than the others. **

I think the most important causal factor would be the transition from social to economic to political. This specific conflict was very complicated so one basic factor will not be the main contributor to the conflict. This was the main culprit because it further complicated the problem, and it is a basic fact of life. Put in simple terms, money equals power, whether you were a Mesopotamian or a Microsoft geek of the 21st century, that is correct. In addition to that, this transition was the core of the problem. The social problems started it all, it was simple, the economic factor raised it up a notch, then the political took it into a league of its own. Basically, the main causal factor is the problem it self, what makes this simple problem complicated is the extra. . . "fruffy" fabricated bits of information such as the anti-Chinese clubs, and the murders of the Chinese people.(A little historylink.org)


 * How could the conflict have been avoided? **

This conflict could have easily been avoided with a little bit of clear thinking. The idea of the Chinese "stealing" the Americans and Europeans jobs is absolutely preposterous. The Americans and Europeans could have just thought that the Chinese were hard workers, and they should have took it as a challenge to work harder and become employed rather than being on strike for better pay. Also, the employers could take it on themselves to hire a healthy mix of Americans, Europeans Chinese, Asians. . . etc. The President and Congress could have spoken to employers about their hiring habits, or opened up a new railroad project. Also, an alternative that I think would have been favored more at that time would be controlling the Chinese that come into America. It is not totally banishing the Chinese from America, but it is not flooding the country with immigrants at the same time. The Chinese Exclusion Act hurt a lot of people mentally and emotionally, and sadly, that was completely avoidable.(Washington, Astate of Contrasts Pg. 244-247)


 * What sources of information have you used? **

2)"Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)." __OurDocuments.gov.__ 1989. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. 5/19/09. 

3)Lambert, Dale and Clark, Dustin. __Washington, A State of Contrasts.__ East Wenatchee, WA: Directed Media Inc., 2008.(pg.244-247)

1) Chelsey, Frank. "Chinese Exclusion Act." __HistoryLink.org.__ 4/24/09. WA State; Washington Dept. of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. 5/20/09. 