Oriental Exclusion Acts, a series of actions and acts approved by the United States government, restricted and prohibited Asians from entering the United States.
Chinese first came to the United States in large numbers after the discovery of gold in California in 1848. They were initially well received, but met hostility as they moved into urban areas. Between 1864 and 1869, Chinese laborers were brought to the United States to help build the Central Pacific Railroad. In 1868, China and the United States signed the Burlingame Treaty to protect this immigration.
During the 1870’s, however, the immigration of Chinese coincided with an economic depression, and the Chinese were made the scapegoats. Americans accused them of unfair competition in business, of lowering wages, and of immoral and unsanitary habits. In some instances, they were victims of mob violence. Despite the treaty of 1868, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. This law and an extension of it passed in 1892 were intended to be only temporary, but Congress made exclusion permanent in 1902.
After the Chinese were barred, Japanese immigrants began coming to the United States in increasing numbers during the late 1800’s. Many of them settled on the West Coast and became farmers. Their innovative farming methods, thrift, and low living standards made them a competitive force and aroused the anger of white farmers. California petitioned Congress to extend the Chinese exclusion law to the Japanese. In 1908, a “gentlemen’s agreement” between the United States and Japan provided a temporary solution. Japan agreed to stop emigration of its workers to the United States, and the United States agreed to halt discriminatory immigration laws against the Japanese (see Gentlemen’s agreement ). The Immigration Act of 1924 prohibited the entry of all Asian laborers.
During World War II (1939-1945), Congress repealed the laws against the Chinese, permitting a limited number to enter the United States each year and be eligible for citizenship. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 extended the same privileges to other immigrants, including the Japanese. The national quota system was abolished in 1965.
