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 2 · Survival through segregation and laws
sloane Build a thriving neighborhood to discover why Chinatowns first formed in American cities.
sloane Chinatown American Urban History
Chinatown's heart beats strong, Laws pushed them apart. Community formed, where they belong.
sloane A devastating earthquake in 1906 accidentally created a loophole to bypass strict immigration laws.
sloane Immigration bans on women created Chinatowns populated almost entirely by men for decades.
Fun Fact
Paper sons loophole: The 1906 San Francisco earthquake destroyed city hall records, allowing many immigrants to claim they were born in America.
Glossary
enclave (noun)
A distinct area or group of people enclosed within a larger territory. In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act pressured immigrants to cluster in these protective urban neighborhoods.
A distinct area or group of people enclosed within a larger territory. In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act pressured immigrants to cluster in these protective urban neighborhoods.
Quiz
Which president signed the Magnuson Act in 1943, finally repealing the Chinese Exclusion Act?
Quiz
Why were early American Chinatowns historically referred to as 'Bachelor Societies'?
Quiz
For how many decades did the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 remain actively in effect?
Quiz
What was the prominent self-governing coalition of Chinese merchant groups in San Francisco called?
Quiz
What primary service did early Chinatown family associations provide to new arrivals?
Quiz
What term described immigrants who bought fake identity documents claiming American citizenship after 1906?
Quiz
What natural disaster in 1906 accidentally helped Chinese immigrants bypass exclusion laws?