Chinese Sojourn Labor Summary

Carson,Scott Alan. “Chinese Sojourn Labor and the American Transcontinental Railroad.” Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics JITE J Inst Theor Econ 161.1 (2005): 80-102. Web
In this paper by Scott Alan Carson, Carson writes about Chinese Sojourn Labor. Carson writes how institutional arrangements and labor market forces that interacted in the construction of America’s railroad led to the demand for Chinese Laborers. Carson writes more about these relationships and the work given to the Chinese than writing about the more personal details of the workers. For instance, Carson writes that because of land grants given by the government Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads earned more capital by completing more railway tracks. Carson also writes how the Chinese did the jobs no one else wanted to do, and they did them for lesser wages. Therefore, Carson writes specifically about the work of the Chinese and the factors that caused the hiring of Chinese more so than the personal aspects of the workers.
This paper by Scott Carson is extremely useful in that shows all the different forces that came together to cause the Central Pacific railroad to begin hiring the Chinese railroad workers such as labor queuing, demand side

labor, and land grants given by the government. The paper provides multiple details that are not present in any other sources, and it also touches upon the discrimination the Chinese faced. This paper seems extremely reliable, and objective, and thus is a good source to use.
This article will play an important role in helping compose my paper. It provides specific details on the factors that caused the Central Pacific railroad to begin hiring Chinese. It also provides some quotes from James Strobridge that will be useful for different parts of my paper. Carson’s writing is useful for two parts of my paper: discussing what led to the Chinese being hired and the discrimination they faced, and how what the Chinese dealt with is similar to what Mexicans face today. Therefore, this paper will be helpful in my writing.
"American Experience: TV's Most-watched History Series." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 31 July 2016
In this article by PBS, PBS paints a fairly broad history of Chinese workers and the Central Pacific Railroad. PBS begins by describing how in 1865 there was enough jobs on the Transcontinental railroad for 4000 men, yet contractor Charles Crocker was only able to keep hold of 800 workers at a time due to the strenuous work. While Crocker suggested hiring Chinese workers, foreman James Strobridge opposed, but he changed his mind when Irish workers disputed their wages. The Chinese workers that were hired displayed impressive work ethics, and impressed by this, Strobridge and Crocker recruited workers. PBS also goes on to mention however that the Chinese received less pay than their Irish counterparts as they made $27 ($30 later) minus room and board while the Irish made $35 with room and board provided.
This article by PBS is fairly useful in that it does a good job of framing the history of the Chinese railroad workers, and it gives some good details on certain things the Chinese dealt with such as lesser pay and examples of the Chinese’s work ethics such as the ten-mile day. Also, the material seems fairly reliable and objective. However, the article is fairly broad and does not give significant details to write a research paper on. Furthermore, this article is very similar to the FAQs by Stanford University, in that both paint histories of the workers, yet the FAQs were far more detailed. Therefore, while this resource is objective and reliable compared to other resources it seems a bit lacking.
Looking back at it now it seems that this article does not seem that useful for composing my paper. The other FAQs article plays the same role as this resource in that both help frame this history and help provide a general narrative, but the FAQs article is much more detailed and generally more useful. The author does not provide any special examples or quotes that are not present in the FAQs article. Therefore, I do not think I will be using this resource as I have another resource that plays the same role, and is far more detailed.
FAQs. “Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project. Stanford University, n.d. Web. 31 July 2016.
In this portion of a study done on the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project, the authors for this study answer frequently asked questions on the Chinese Railroad Workers. By answering these frequently asked questions the study is able to depict a fairly more detailed history for the Chinese workers. For instance, one question was ‘When did Chinese workers begin to be hired?’. For this question, the authors write workers began to be hired around 1865. A new question the study answers is regarding the strike of 1867, and how the Chinese workers protested for higher wages and shorter hours, but were cut off from food and other resources and thus were forced to end their strike with the contractors not accepting any of their demands. Therefore, the Stanford Study provides a more detailed history of the Chinese railroad workers.
This study is extremely useful as it also paints the history of the Chinese railroad workers like the PBS article but does so in a much more detailed way. Furthermore, it seems reliable and is also objective, and while it does not provide any specific quotes it is still useful as it helps provide a general narrative. It is similar to the PBS article but as stated above it answers more questions and thus provides a better narrative.
This study will prove useful in my paper as it will help frame my paper. It will almost serve as an outline for me to pick points to elaborate on. As stated above it does not provide too specific questions, but it does focus quite a bit on the personal details of the workers, like what the workers ate. These personal details will contribute to my paper when I write specifically about the lives of the workers. Its general framing and personal details will be helpful in composing the paper.
Steiner, Stan. “THE CHINESE RAILROAD MEN.” THE CHINESE RAILROAD MEN. Harper and Row, n.d. Web. 31 July 2016
In this paper by Stan Steiner, Steiner also writes a history of the Chinese railroad workers, however, Steiner focuses more on the personal aspects of the Chinese railroad men and the discrimination they faced.

For instance, Steiner writes how in the photograph at the completion of the railroad the Chinese workers were missing from the photograph. Steiner also writes about how many of the white workers thought the Chinese were effeminate and did not have the ability to do their hard work. Steiner also writes a more detailed description of what happened at Cape horn, and he also writes how the Chinese were forced to work from dawn to dark 7 days a week. Thus, Steiner writes a more detailed a personal history of the

workers.
This paper by Steiner seems very useful in that it greatly focuses on the personal details of the Chinese. It also mentions how the Chinese were beginning to be ‘erased’ from history at this point by mentioning how they were not included in the final paragraph. Furthermore, it discusses the racism the workers dealt with, and other personal things. The material also seems well cited with Steiner providing a comprehensive bibliography, and while the paper is not too objective, and perhaps slightly biased, it is not so bad that the source cannot be used.
This paper will be extremely helpful in my paper regarding all the personal details of the workers, the racism they dealt with, and how they were beginning to be erased from history. It also provides a few quotes that will help establish my points, and for the most part, will help establish the lives the workers lived. Thus, this paper will be useful as it will help provide a glimpse into the workers' lives.
Pegler-Gordon, Anna. "Chinese Exclusion, Photography, and the Development of U.S.
Immigration Policy." American Quarterly 58.1 (2006): 51-77. Web.
In this paper by Anna Pegler-Gordon, Gordon writes about how while many people think that the Chinese were simply erased from history this is not the case, but rather they were closely observed, documented and photographed. Gordon writes how the Chinese were the first group that had to show visual identification, and this was done so they could be regulated long before other ethnic groups. Furthermore, this visual identification led to more and more immigration restrictions starting with the first exclusion act in 1882, the Scott Act, and the Geary Act. Gordon also writes how Chinese eventually had to have certificates to prove they belonged in America, and no other group had to do this. Thus, Gordon writes on how closely the Chinese were observed and regulated so they could be ‘erased’ from American history.
This paper by Anna Gordon will be very helpful in composing my paper. Not only is it reliable, objective and well cited, but it also discusses the ‘erasure’ of the Chinese like no other of my sources do. It provides numerous examples of how the Chinese were regulated, closely observed by the government and it also mentions several of the discriminatory laws passed that were meant to restrict the Chinese. It is a good source and will be used in my paper.
This paper will be invaluable in writing about the erasure of the Chinese from history. Gordon provides numerous quotes and examples that illustrate the attempts to regulate the Chinese and restrict them as much as possible and make sure no credit was given. Gordon also illustrates how people tried to associate criminality with the Chinese and make people assume Chinese were involved in some crime. It provides several personal examples that will help illustrate the Chinese’s lives, and Gordon's overall argument will contribute to my paper as I will also discuss how the Chinese were erased and closely monitored like illegal immigrants are today.