Inquiry
How were Chinese immigrants treated in Washington Territory—and how did the Chinese Exclusion Act change their lives?
In the 1800s, Chinese immigrants arrived in Washington Territory to work in mining, railroad construction, fishing, and other industries. They built communities, contributed to the economy, and faced increasing hostility as anti-Chinese sentiment grew across the American West. In this inquiry, students examine how Chinese immigrants lived, worked, and were treated in early Washington, and how federal laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 shaped their experiences. Students analyze sources describing violence in Seattle and Tacoma, the expulsion of Chinese communities, and efforts to resist exclusion. This inquiry encourages students to explore the intersection of immigration, racism, and rights, both then and now.
- Regions: Central Sound, Columbia Basin, Northeast
HistoryLink Articles
- Chinese Americans in Washington
- 1880 Census: Tenth Decennial Census illustrates dramatic growth in the population of Washington Territory, influx of Chinese workers, and gains by Native and African Americans.
- The first salmon cannery on the Columbia River opens at Eagle Cliff, Wahkiakum County, in 1866.
- Chinese Workers in the San Juan Islands
- Spokane Neighborhoods: Old Chinatown — Trent Alley —Thumbnail History
- White and Native American hop pickers attack Chinese workers in Squak (Issaquah) on September 7, 1885.
- Anti-Chinese Activism in Seattle
- Mobs forcibly expel most of Seattle’s Chinese residents beginning on February 7, 1886.
- Tacoma expels the entire Chinese community on November 3, 1885.
- Chinese Exclusion Repeal Act, aka the Magnuson Act, is signed on December 17, 1943.
- Historic South Downtown Oral Histories: Bettie Luke Recalls Marches Commemorating Anniversaries of 1886 Chinese Expulsion.
