Chinese Exclusion Act
Definition
The Chinese Exclusion Act was a U.S. federal law signed by President Chester A. Arthur in 1882, prohibiting all immigration of Chinese laborers.
Analogy
Imagine if you owned a restaurant and decided one day that no one from a specific neighborhood could come eat at your place anymore - that's essentially what happened with the Chinese Exclusion Act, but on a much larger scale involving an entire country and ethnicity.
Related terms
Angel Island Immigration Station: The primary point for enforcing immigration policy and processing immigrants from Asia, where many Chinese immigrants were detained due to this act.
Gentlemen’s Agreement (1907): An informal agreement between U.S. and Japan whereby U.S agreed not to impose restriction on Japanese immigration or students, provided Japan did not allow further emigration to U.S.
Immigration Act of 1917 (Asiatic Barred Zone Act): This act added to restrictions on Asian immigration following similar principles as the Chinese Exclusion Act.
"Chinese Exclusion Act" appears in:
Subjects (2)
Study guides (3)
Practice Questions (6)
- What was the Chinese Exclusion act?
- What did the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 specifically restrict?
- How did the Chinese Exclusion Act impact society during politics in the Gilded age?
- What lasting impacts could there have been if the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was not enacted?
- What was one significant impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act passed in the USA in 1882?
- How did Chinese Exclusion Act impact Chinese immigrants' life significantly post its implementation?
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