Chinese America – The Perseverant Underdog

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Since the birth of America, many different people from all around the world flocked to North America in hopes of making a good life for themselves, or their families. Many came from the west, as well as a large amount came from the east. Most of these eastern immigrants hailed from China. These people were welcomed with open arms and kindness for a short time, at least at first. Afterwards, there was a long period of racial tension, due to social differences. How did the Chinese immigrants integrate themselves into the American culture, and what difficulties did they face? One thing is sure; the Chinese have stood fast throughout history, and made their place in American society.

Before arriving anywhere near the United States, the Chinese people first spread across the Pacific Ocean, as seafarers. Starting between Acapulco and Manila, some made their way as far as Mexico City, during the 17th Century. And while it wasn’t on the mainland, the Chinese finally entered what would become part of the United States eventually on the island-state known as Hawaii. Finally, the first three recorded arrivals of the Chinese made it to Baltimore, in 1785. Their names were Ashing, Aceun, and Achun. This was only the beginning. The number of Chinese immigrants to America would only explode in the 1850s. (Tong 1)

It was during the 1850s that the number of Chinese-Americans increased. Why is this? The answer is tree simple words: “The Gold Rush”. Almost everyone and their mother grew really excited by the prospect of making it big in new frontier that was “The West”. In addition, some adventurers and travelers were enthusiastic about the idea of expansion in itself. Many people heard the call of Manifest Destiny. With these large droves of Ch...

... middle of paper ...

...only regret. Eh, méi bànfǎ (There’s nothing you can do), as they say in Mandarin Chinese. What else can I do? Regardless, in the end, I feel as though I appreciate Chinese American society culture a great deal more, more so than I did beforehand, so that’s always a good thing, right?

Works Cited

Cao, Lan, and Himilce Novas. Everything you need to know about Asian American history. New York: Plume, 1996. Print.

"Immigration: The Chinese." ThinkQuest : Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. .

"Lue Gim Gong." Volusia County Homepage. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. .

"Lue Gim Gong." Volusia County Homepage. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. .

Tong, Benson. The Chinese Americans. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2000. Print.

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