Read the ReadWorks Article, "The Chinese Exclusion Act", and answer the questions below.
Who were the primary workers on the Central Pacific Railroad during the 19th century?
What economic event in 1873 influenced the attitude toward Chinese workers?
Which treaty originally allowed free migration between China and the United States?
What was the main purpose of the Angell Treaty signed in 1880?
How long was Chinese labor immigration suspended under the revised Chinese Exclusion Act?
Why did labor organizations want to stop Chinese immigration during the 1870s?
Why did President Chester A. Arthur initially veto the proposed bill banning Chinese laborers?
How did the Chinese Exclusion Act affect immigration processes for Chinese people?
Why might merchants, students, and government officials have been exempt from the law?
Do you think the Chinese Exclusion Act was fair? Why or why not?
What could have been done differently to address the economic concerns without targeting a specific nationality?
What does bureacracy mean in the context of this text?
Explain the meaning of "suspend" as used in the excerpt of the Chinese Exclusion Act.