Final answer:
The San Francisco Vigilance Committee was created to eliminate criminal elements and corruption, therefore the answer is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The San Francisco Vigilance Committee was established in the 19th century with the main goal of eliminating criminal elements and corruption from the city. Thus, the correct answer is C. Criminal elements and corruption. This movement was part of a broader change in urban America, where reform-minded individuals and groups aimed to tackle issues such as sanitation, healthcare, workers' rights, and government integrity.
While there were significant anti-Chinese sentiments and actions during the period, notably with the establishment of anti-immigration organizations like the Asiatic Exclusion League and the passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act, these were separate from the objectives of the San Francisco Vigilance Committee. The context of the time saw heightened racial tensions and the scapegoating of immigrants for economic and social issues.
The Chinese community, specifically, faced harsh discrimination and violence, although this was not the targeted mission of the vigilance committees.