Assignment:
History of immigration from China to Canada until 1900
Discuss the Chinese migration to Canada in the Second World War era. It will outline the period when the Chinese migrated to Canada, the positive impacts that the Chinese had as a result of their migration to Canada as well as how they got their social identity in Canada. Finally it will give a brief explanation of the sources used with regards to the Chinese migration to Canada.
When did the Chinese migrate to Canada?
Gold was discovered in 1857 in Canada along the Fraser Valley. This led thousands of miners joining the gold rush in British Columbia (B.C). The Chinese immigrants came from San Francisco to Canada in 1858 (Young, 2014). Afterwards, more Chinese workers came from Hong Kong, the capital city of China to Canada to look for better living standards in the gold mountain. There was a shortage of labour in Canada during the pioneer days which forced the government to ask for Chinese laborers from the Chinese contractors.
What Positive Impacts Did The Chinese Make?
According to Chui (2005), The Chinese immigrants assisted in wagon roads and trails, drained swamps and got involved in other strenuous tasks. Most of the unemployed white workers blamed the Chinese for taking up their jobs as they were willing to do the toughest jobs at low pay. The Chinese not only helped in creating communities but also back in their mother country using the money that they earned working in the gold mines and other sectors. They also built many villages in the southeastern part of China.
How Did The Chinese Get The Social Identity In Canada?
Despite the tension that existed between the old and the new immigrants, the Chinese developed a strong network of kinship. The Chinese reflected the cultural traditions of the Canadians kinship system which gave them the social identity (Lai, 2017). The Chinese communities also integrated the characteristics of the North Americans. Similarly, they generated voluntary organizations that are modified from the models in Hong Kong to provide community and personal welfare services, political activity and social contact. These associations helped the Chinese communities to adapt to the culture of the Canadians and manage discrimination, prejudice and racism.
Conclusion
The Chinese immigrants came from San Francisco to Canada in 1858. The Chinese immigrants assisted in wagon roads and trails, drained swamps and got involved in other strenuous tasks. The Chinese not only helped in creating communities but also back in their mother country using the money that they earned working in the gold mines and other sectors. The Chinese reflected the cultural traditions of the Canadians kinship system which gave them the social identity.
Bibliography
Chui, T., Tran, K., & Flanders, J. (2005). Chinese Canadians: Enriching the cultural mosaic. Canadian social trends, 76(2).
Chui, Tran and Flanders explains the reasons why the Chinese migrated to Canada in their article.
Lai, D. C. (2017). 2 Transnational Motilities in Canadian Chinatowns. Trans-Pacific mobility’s: The Chinese and Canada, 49.
Lai discusses the positive impacts of the Chinese migration to Canada in 1857.
Mallee, H., & Pieke, F. N. (2014). Internal and international migration: Chinese perspectives. Routledge.
Malee examines the way through which the Chinese adapted the Canadian culture and ways of life to avoid racial prejudice.
Ngai, M. M. (2015). Chinese Gold Miners and the “Chinese Question” in Nineteenth-Century California and Victoria. The Journal of American History, 101(4), 1082-1105.
Ngai discusses the roles of the Chinese immigrants in the gold mines.
Young, E. (2014). Alien nation: Chinese migration in the Americas from the coolie era through World War II. UNC Press Books.
Young highlights the Chinese migration to Canada while addressing the reasons for migration, the effects of migration and the consequences of this migration.
References:
Chui, T., Tran, K., & Flanders, J. (2005). Chinese Canadians: Enriching the cultural mosaic. Canadian social trends, 76(2).
Lai, D. C. (2017). 2 Transnational Mobilities in Canadian Chinatowns. Trans-Pacific Mobilities: The Chinese and Canada, 49.
Mallee, H., & Pieke, F. N. (2014). Internal and international migration: Chinese perspectives. Routledge.
Ngai, M. M. (2015). Chinese Gold Miners and the “Chinese Question” in Nineteenth-Century California and Victoria. The Journal of American History, 101(4), 1082-1105.
Young, E. (2014). Alien nation: Chinese migration in the Americas from the coolie era through World War II. UNC Press Books.
Your answer must be in 6 to 7 pages, typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman font (size 12), one-inch margins on all sides, APA format.