Chapter 6:Diversity and its Discontents. Who is an American?

1. Chapter 6:Diversity and its Discontents.Who is an American?

2. The Chinese • Started coming to America during the 1849 Gold Rush to California. • The 1790 Naturalization Act denied them citizenship in the US. • The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act stopped almost all immigration from China. • They were forced to move to Chinatowns to find work. • They usually worked in small businesses, like restaurants and laundries. • Even if they went to prestigious colleges like MIT or Stanford it was still hard for them to find a job. • After Pearl Harbor Chinese were discriminated against even more because they looked like the “Japs” • two weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor Time magazine released an article to show the difference between the Chinese and the Japanese.

3. The Chinese cont. • They saw the war as an opportunity to be accepted as Americans. • Many young Chinese men joined the military. • During the war the Chinese found jobs in the defense industry. • After decades of low wages the Chinese started to prosper. • Many restaurants in Chinatowns had to shut down due to lack of workers. • Chinese weren't just fighting for America they were also fighting for China. • The Japanese used propaganda to turn other Asian countries against the US. • To avoid conflict the US allowed a certain amount of Chinese to become citizens.

4. Filipino Fighters from America • The Philippines was annexed by The U.S. in 1898. • Most of them came to America to earn some money and return to the Philippines and buy some land. • In the Philippines you are respected by other people if you own land. • On the West Coast it was very difficult for them to find jobs. • Some businesses had signs outside their door declaring that Filipinos were not allowed inside. • In 1934 the Philippines was established as a commonwealth and immigration was prohibited. • At the Battle of Bataan Filipino fighters and American soldiers fought side-by-side against the Japanese. • After the battle Americans started to treat Filipinos better. • Like the Chinese many young Filipinos joined the army.

5. Filipino Fighters from America cont. • 40 percent of the Filipino population in California signed up for the draft. • Filipino soldiers went to Marysville, Ca. during their weekend pass, but they were told “We don’t serve Filipinos here.” • Filipinos who had served in the US Armed Forces were allowed to become citizens. • A year after the war ended, Congress allowed Filipino to become citizens.

6. Korean American: A War to Free Their Homeland • Even though the Koreans hated the Japanese they were mistaken as Japanese. • Even the government recognized them as Japanese. • The Koreans were also not allowed to become citizen. • Came to America to earn some money, but they found out it was harder that they thought. • Japan annexed Korea in 1910 and many Koreans lost contact with their relatives in Korea. • A Korean man who served in the US Armed Forces during WWI petitioned for citizenship but was denied because Koreans were part of the Mongol Family. • During WWII The Korean Immigrants weren't trusted but the ones who were born in America were recruited to translate secret Japanese documents.