Question

Why were Chinese immigrants targeted by the Chinese Exclusion Act?
• They populated urban spaces.
They were treated better by
• employers than their White counterparts.
They were wealthier than other
Americans.
They suffered growing discrimination.

Answer 1

Correct answer: They suffered growing discrimination.

Why: The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) was driven mainly by racial prejudice and widespread anti-Chinese sentiment, especially on the West Coast. White workers and political leaders blamed Chinese immigrants for taking jobs and depressing wages during economic downturns; labor organizers and nativist politicians mobilized that resentment into calls to stop Chinese immigration. Employers actually often preferred Chinese labor because it was cheaper and seen as reliable — that increased white resentment rather than meaning Chinese were treated “better.” Chinese immigrants were generally not wealthier than other Americans. While many lived in concentrated urban neighborhoods (Chinatowns) and in certain industries, that concentration was not the primary reason for the law; the key causes were racialized discrimination and economic scapegoating.