Final answer:
Chinese immigrants in the 19th century faced harsh conditions and discrimination while contributing significantly to construction and labor industries in the U.S., particularly through railway construction like the Central Pacific Railroad. They encountered severe bias and lobbying against them, leading to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 that prohibited their immigration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The description of Chinese immigrants entering the United States through New York as restaurant workers reveals the challenges and discrimination they faced in the 19th century. These immigrants originally arrived with the hope of earning money through the Gold Rush and were often employed in demanding jobs such as building the Transcontinental Railroad. The Central Pacific section of the railroad alone hired thousands of Chinese laborers to tackle the formidable terrain of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Despite their significant contributions, Chinese laborers on the West Coast faced severe discrimination, with their hard work and low wages being viewed as threats to the economic opportunities of white Americans. Groups such as the California Working Men's Party lobbied aggressively against Asian immigration. Eventually, public sentiment and political pressure culminated in the enactment of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, which was critical of Chinese laborers and sought to prevent their entry into the United States.