ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES
Chinese Americans and the Making of American History
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How have Chinese Americans shaped different parts of American history?
Chapter objectives
- Learn about the history of Chinese Americans from the mid-nineteenth century to today, starting with the Gold Rush to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Understand the historical connections between Chinese Americans in the past and their conditions today as they relate to migration, labor, and life in the US.
- Explore how several factors that contribute to migration can change over time, shaping a community’s status and identity in the US.
As the first Asian national group to immigrate to the United States in large numbers, the experiences of Chinese immigrants and their descendants became a blueprint for immigration policies directed towards all immigrants from Asia. Chinese Americans have made significant contributions to the economic and political development of the US. In particular, Chinese American history invites us to think more deeply about belonging and exclusion as they relate to race, gender, and labor. Over time, Chinese Americans have continued to navigate the challenges of being both Chinese and American, grappling with their status and identity in the US following global political and cultural shifts. Spanning over 150 years of history, this chapter provides an overview of the history of Chinese Americans, the largest ethnic group represented among Asian Americans today.
Modules in this chapter
Overview
Chinese Immigration and Labor from the Gold Rush to the Golden Spike, 1849-1869
Chinese American Community Formation: The First Generation
Living in the Era of Chinese Exclusion
Becoming Chinese American: The Second Generation
World War II and the Cold War to 1965
Chinese America Today
Overview
Chinese Immigration and Labor from the Gold Rush to the Golden Spike, 1849-1869
Chinese American Community Formation: The First Generation
Living in the Era of Chinese Exclusion
Becoming Chinese American: The Second Generation
World War II and the Cold War to 1965
Chinese America Today
Chapter Sources
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Chan, Sucheng. Chinese American Transnationalism : The Flow of People, Resources, and Ideas
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