Question

Which of the following is not true about Chinese immigrants?

1) They had been coming to the United States, mostly to the West, since the 1850s
2) Most of them were male
3) They came in families and lived on the East Coast
4) They came to work in mines and on railroads

Answer 1

The incorrect statement about Chinese immigrants is that they came in families and lived on the East Coast. They were predominantly male and settled in the West largely due to labor demands in mining and railroad construction.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement about Chinese immigrants that is not true is “They came in families and lived on the East Coast.” In reality, the vast majority of these immigrants were male and they settled predominantly in the West due to employment opportunities in the Gold Rush, the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, and other manual labor jobs like mining and agriculture.

Chinese immigrants faced significant discrimination and legal challenges in the United States, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. This Act curtailed Chinese immigration for a decade and prevented existing Chinese immigrants from becoming U.S. citizens. Despite these challenges, Chinese immigrants contributed significantly to the development of the American West, particularly in California where they took on menial jobs and formed communities.