Most of the early Chinese immigration to the United States can be traced to the mids. These early immigrantsโsome 25, in the s aloneโcame seeking economic opportunity in America.
The Chinese arriving in San Francisco , who came primarily from the Taishan and Zhongshan regions as well as Guangdong province of mainland China, did so at the height of the California Gold Rush , and many worked in the mines scattered throughout the northern part of the state. As is the case with most immigrants, life in their new home was challenging for the hundreds of thousands of new Americans arriving from Asia, even as San Francisco became a hub of Chinese culture in the United States.
Most of the immigrants coming from China were desperate to workโnot only to survive but to send money to their families back home. Some also had to repay loans from Chinese-American merchants who had sponsored their passage to America.
These financial pressures meant that many Chinese immigrants had to accept work at reduced wages, and work longer hours with fewer days off. The state of California initially tried to create legal blockades to Chinese immigrationโand integration into American societyโby requiring special licenses for businesses run by Chinese-Americans.
However, many of these discriminatory laws were overturned by the federal government, as they violated the Burlingame-Seward Treaty of , which eased immigration restrictions and limited American influence in the political affairs of mainland China.
