Chinese Exclusion Act

Quick Facts: Who was Chinese Exclusion Act?

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Chinese Exclusion Act

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US federal law (1882) banning Chinese laborers' immigration, significantly shaping 20th-century policy.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was a United States federal law signed by President Chester A. Arthur on May 6, 1882, prohibiting all immigration of Chinese laborers for 10 years. The law made exceptions for travelers and diplomats. The Act also denied Chinese residents already in the US the ability to become citizens and Chinese people traveling in or out of the country were required to carry a certificate identifying their status or risk deportation. It was the first major US law implemented to prevent all members of a specific national group from immigrating to the United States, and therefore significantly shaped twentieth-century immigration policy. Passage of the law was preceded by growing anti-Chinese sentiment and anti-Chinese violence, as well as various policies targeting Chinese migrants.

Career & Major Achievements

The act followed the Angell Treaty of 1880, a set of revisions to the US–China Burlingame Treaty of 1868 that allowed the US to suspend Chinese immigration. The act was initially intended to last for 10 years, but was renewed and strengthened in 1892 with the Geary Act and made permanent in 1902. These laws attempted to stop all Chinese immigration into the United States for ten years, with exceptions for diplomats, teachers, students, merchants, and travelers. The laws were widely evaded. In 1898, the Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Wong Kim Ark that the law did not prevent the children of Chinese immigrants born in the United States from acquiring birthright citizenship.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The law remained in force until the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Repeal Act in 1943, which repealed the exclusion and allowed 105 Chinese immigrants to enter the United States each year. Chinese immigration later increased with the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which abolished direct racial barriers, and later by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which abolished the National Origins Formula. During the 19th century, China was in a state of sociopolitical upheaval due to poverty, droughts, famines, and conflicts such as the Opium Wars and Taiping Rebellion. These conditions led to large waves of Chinese immigration to Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas. In particular, many of the Chinese immigrants who entered the United States during the 19th century were refugees who were fleeing the Punti-Hakka Clan Wars, which claimed as many as one million lives.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1880: 1880 Milestone — The act followed the Angell Treaty of 1880, a set of revisions to the US–China Burlingame Treaty of 1868 that allowed the US to suspend Chinese immigration.
2. 1882: 1882 Milestone — The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was a United States federal law signed by President Chester A.
3. 1892: 1892 Milestone — The act was initially intended to last for 10 years, but was renewed and strengthened in 1892 with the Geary Act and made permanent in 1902.
4. 1898: 1898 Milestone — In 1898, the Supreme Court ruled in United States v.
5. 1943: 1943 Milestone — The law remained in force until the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Repeal Act in 1943, which repealed the exclusion and allowed 105 Chinese immigrants to enter the United States each year.
6. 1952: 1952 Milestone — Chinese immigration later increased with the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which abolished direct racial barriers, and later by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which abolished the National Origins Formula.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Chinese Exclusion Act

True or False: “The Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Wong Kim Ark established that Chinese immigrants born in the US could not acquire birthright citizenship.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The *Wong Kim Ark* ruling actually affirmed that children of Chinese immigrants born in the U.S. retained their right to birthright citizenship.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. A. Milne — Historical peer (Born in 1882) (1882): Celebrated English author, famed for Winnie-the-Pooh and children's literature.
• Abd el-Krim — Historical peer (Born in 1882) (1882): Moroccan revolutionary leader who spearheaded the revolt against French and Spanish Protectorates.
• A. Wyatt Tilby — Historical peer (Born in 1880) (1880): British author, journalist, and traveler known for his writings on history and philosophy.
• Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani — Historical peer (Born in 1880) (1880): Bangladeshi statesman and founder of the Awami League, known for advocating for the poor.
• Abdülmecid II — Historical peer (Born in 1868) (1868): Last Ottoman Caliph and prominent Turkish aesthete, head of the Osmanoğlu family.
• Adah Isaacs Menken — Historical peer (Died in 1868) (1868): American actress, painter, and poet known for sensational stage performances.
• Afanasy Fet — Historical peer (Died in 1892) (1892): Master of Russian lyric verse, Afanasy Fet's poetry captured the ephemeral beauty of life.
• Agnes Smedley — Historical peer (Born in 1892) (1892): American journalist and activist supporting Indian Independence and Chinese Communism.
• Abe Saperstein — Historical peer (Born in 1902) (1902): Founder of the Harlem Globetrotters, revolutionized black basketball.
• Agness Underwood — Historical peer (Born in 1902) (1902): Pioneering American journalist and city editor, breaking gender barriers in print media.

Frequently Asked Questions about Chinese Exclusion Act