Chinese Immigrants in America in the 19th Century: A Study Module
Institution: Johnson County Community College
Location: Overland Park, KS
Participant: Vincent A. Clark
Year: 2016
As a result of work in the Bridging Cultures program and further study, I have prepared the following module on Chinese immigrants for my US history survey classes. The materials consist of an illustrated introduction, excerpts from four contemporaneous articles, an online quiz (not included in these materials), and an assignment for an e-mail discussion. The introduction describes not only the life of the immigrants in the United States but their economic and cultural background in China. The goal is to expand the students’ knowledge to include the China from which these immigrants came. Two of the articles oppose Chinese immigrants; two praise them. They are designed to let students see the varying perceptions of the immigrants, the arguments for and against Chinese immigration, and the complex class and ethnic dimensions of this controversy.