What did the Chinese workers do on the transcontinental railroad?
This was exhausting work, with Chinese workers shoveling twenty pounds of rock over 400 times a day to make their way through 1,659 feet of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to complete the project. The Transcontinental Railroad shaped America in countless ways by facilitating domestic commerce and international trade.
Why did Chinese workers first come to America apex?
A. To build railroads B. Nine out of 10 workers on the transcontinental railroad were Chinese. In the 1850 s, Chinese workers migrated to the United States, first to work in the gold mines, but also to take agricultural jobs, and factory work, especially in the garment industry.
Why were the Chinese considered an important part of the workforce of California?
For Chinese laborers, though, it represented a chance to enter the workforce, and they accepted lower wages than many native-born U.S. workers would have. Many of the shops, restaurants, and laundries in the growing mining towns of California were operated by Chinese immigrants.
Why did Chinese immigrants come to America in the 1900’s?
With the gold rush, the Chinese were prompted to exploit other western state resources, providing products of use to the American society. In conclusion, three reasons why the Chinese immigrants wanted to come to the US because they were poor and they wanted to make more money to send back to their poor families.
Where did the Chinese work on the railroad?
Chinese workers made up most of the workforce between roughly 700 miles of train tracks between Sacramento, California, and Promontory, Utah. During the 19th century, more than 2.5 million Chinese citizens left their country and were hired in 1864 after a labor shortage threatened the railroad’s completion.
What did Chinese immigrants do in the Gold Rush?
Chinese immigrants in the 19th century worked as laborers, particularly on transcontinental railroads such as the Central Pacific Railroad. They came not only for the gold rush in California, but were also hired to help build the First Transcontinental Railroad.
Who are the descendants of the Chinese railroad workers?
Ms. Yu’s great-grandfather helped build the railroad, and her mother was the only descendant of the Chinese workers at the 100th celebration of the golden spike ceremony in 1969. The centennial was a bitter disappointment for the descendants of the Chinese railroad workers, she said.
What did Chinese immigrants do in the 19th century?
Chinese immigrants in the 19th century worked as laborers, particularly on transcontinental railroads such as the Central Pacific Railroad. They also worked as laborers in mining, and suffered racial discrimination at every level of society. Industrial employers were eager for this new and cheap labor,…