Question

What fueled the anti-immigrant feelings that led to the passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act?

A. Escalating violence against Americans by Chinese immigrants
B. Labor unions' support of Chinese immigrants over American-born workers
C. Poverty in China
D. The belief that Chinese immigrants were responsible for California's economic downturn

Answer 1

D. The belief that Chinese immigrants were responsible for California's economic downturn

It is common in times when the economy struggles to look for scapegoats to blame, and immigrants often face such scapegoating. In California, after the Gold Rush (1858-1855) ended, there was an inevitable slowing of the economy. Then there was further economic decline across the country following the Civil War. Chinese immigrants were blamed for dragging down wages in California, and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was a result. It prohibited further immigration of Chinese persons to the United States.