BETA
Chapter 1
Gold, railroads, and the first enclaves
Chapter 2
Survival through segregation and laws
Chapter 3
Designing an exotic tourist safe-haven
Chapter 4
Modern Chinatowns and suburban shifts
YOUR GOAL
Master of The rise of American Chinatowns
Ch 1 · Gold, railroads, and the first enclaves
sloane Chinatowns, Gold, and Railroads
Seeking gold and building rails so long, they made their own spaces, where community belongs.
sloane San Francisco's Sacramento Street became the birthplace of America's first Chinatown as immigrants clustered for safety.
sloane Over 11,000 Chinese laborers built the western section of the Transcontinental Railroad under extremely dangerous conditions.
Fun Fact
Gold Mountain name: Early Chinese immigrants called California 'Gam Saan,' which literally translates to 'Gold Mountain' in Cantonese.
Glossary
enclave (noun)
A distinct area or group of people enclosed within a larger, different territory or community. In 1848, Chinese immigrants founded San Francisco's Chinatown after arriving for mining and railway construction.
A distinct area or group of people enclosed within a larger, different territory or community. In 1848, Chinese immigrants founded San Francisco's Chinatown after arriving for mining and railway construction.
Quiz
What year was gold first discovered at Sutter's Mill, sparking Chinese immigration?
Quiz
In which American city was the first and oldest Chinatown in North America established?
Quiz
What primary industry drew the earliest Chinese immigrants to California before railroad construction?
Quiz
Why did many Chinese workers transition from rural mining to urban enclaves in the late 1860s?
Quiz
Which company hired thousands of Chinese laborers to build the western half of the Transcontinental Railroad?