Immigration played a big role in the history of the world, influencing economics, and shaping the culture of many countries. It is especially obvious in the example of America, which has been attracting people from around the world ever since the land was first discovered by European colonists. The Chinese Exclusion Act is one of the most famous laws aimed at restricting entering the United States by people from a specific origin. This law had a major impact on all spheres of life in the county and the course of its development.
The purpose of the Chinese Exclusion Act was to make it more difficult for Chinese workers to come to the United States. The act that prohibited the immigration of workers from China was signed in 1882. The reason for it was that the American settlers of European origin who lived on the West Coast at the time were concerned with the competition in the labor market (Moore, 2018). The Chinese population in the region was increasing rapidly during that period, making them seen as a threat. It led to multiple complaints against Chinese workers, which often included violence (Hooper & Batalova, 2015).
The negative attitude towards Asian Americans created the situation when the people from this racial group were not treated equally, and The Chinese Exclusion Act provided a legal base for discrimination. Additionally, the law impacted society, creating a precedent for ethnically biased legislation. Looking at these events through lenses of history helps improve our understanding of the nature and origins of ethnic and cultural tension in the United States, allowing finding new ways to resolve such conflicts.
The Chinese Exclusion Act was signed because of the growing antagonism towards Chinese immigrants, and this law contributed to further escalation of the problem. Creating an unequal situation, such legislation put Asian American workers in a vulnerable position, making them an easy target for discrimination, violence, and abuse. Thus, leading to the escalation of the confrontation between different ethnic groups, the act had a dramatic negative impact on American society.
References
Hooper, K., & Batalova, J. (2015). Chinese immigrants in the United States. Migration Policy Institute, 28. Web.
Moore, K. (2018). The Chinese Exclusion Act: A Review of the Literature. Web.