Chinese Exclusion Act: Closing Door
- Rosie Jayde Uyola
- Dec 15, 2025
- 3 min read
Target: I can explain how the Chinese Exclusion Act changed American immigration by analyzing the law and a political cartoon.
Key Vocabulary
Exclusion: The act of denying someone access or keeping them out.
Laborer: A person who does physical work for wages.
Nativism: A policy of favoring native-born inhabitants over immigrants.
Scapegoat: A person or group who is unfairly blamed for the problems of others.
Repeal: To officially cancel a law.
Part 1: Do Now (5 minutes)
Directions: Read the prompt below and write a 5-8 sentence response.
Prompt: Imagine a club has a sign on the door that says "Everyone Welcome!" But when a specific person tries to enter, the members slam the door and say, "Everyone EXCEPT you." In a complete paragraph, answer: How does this exception change the meaning of the club? Is it still an "open" club? Why do groups often try to exclude one specific type of person while welcoming everyone else? |
Sentence Starter: When a club excludes one specific person, it changes the meaning of the club because... Even if the sign says "Everyone Welcome," the club is actually... Groups often exclude specific people because they are afraid that...
Part 2: Analyzing the Sources
Directions: Analyze the two documents below and then answer the questions that follow.
Source 1: The Chinese Exclusion Act (Adapted Excerpt, May 6, 1882)
Original Text | Simplified Text |
"Be it enacted... That from and after the expiration of ninety days next after the passage of this act, the coming of Chinese laborers to the United States be, and the same is hereby, suspended..." | "This law states that starting 90 days from now, the immigration of Chinese laborers (workers) to the United States is officially stopped (suspended)." |
"...and during such suspension it shall not be lawful for any Chinese laborer to come, or having so come after the expiration of said ninety days, to remain within the United States." | "...During this time, it is against the law for any Chinese worker to enter the country. If they arrive after the 90 days are up, they are not allowed to stay." |
Source 2: Political Cartoon, "The Anti-Chinese Wall" (Description, 1882)
Image Description | Symbolic Meaning |
The Action: A group of diverse laborers (Irish, German, French, etc.) are building a wall to keep out a single Chinese man. | Meaning: Even though these workers are immigrants themselves, they are uniting to exclude the Chinese. |
The Wall: The blocks in the wall are labeled "Jealousy," "Competition," "Fear," and "Prejudice." | Meaning: The wall is not built on good reasons; it is built on negative emotions and racism. |
The Caption: "The Anti-Chinese Wall: The American Workingman's Protection." | Meaning: The cartoon is questioning whether this wall really "protects" workers or just serves their fears. |
Analysis Questions
Directions: Answer questions 1-2 on your own.
Then, work with a partner to answer question 3.
Look at Source 1. Who exactly is banned by this law? Does the law ban all people from China, or just a specific group?
Sentence Starter: According to Source 1, the specific group banned by the law is... This means that the law targeted people based on their...
Look at Source 2. The blocks in the wall are labeled "Jealousy" and "Fear." According to the artist, are the workers building the wall because they are brave and strong, or because they are afraid? Explain.
Sentence Starter: The artist suggests that the workers are building the wall because... The labels on the blocks prove this because "Jealousy" and "Fear" are emotions that show...
(Work with your partner) Supporters of the law said they were just "protecting American jobs" (Economics). The cartoonist says they were building a wall of "Jealousy" (Racism). Based on the evidence, was this law driven more by economics or racism? Can it be both?
Sentence Starter: I believe the law was driven more by (economics/racism/both) because... While some people were worried about jobs, Source 2 shows that... This suggests that the real motivation was...
Part 3: Exit Ticket (5 minutes)
Directions: Answer the following prompt in a complete paragraph (5-8 sentences).
Prompt: The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first U.S. law to ban a specific group of people based on their race and class. In a detailed paragraph, explain how this law changed the definition of the "American Dream." If the dream wasn't open to everyone anymore, what did it become? |
Sentence Starter: The Chinese Exclusion Act changed the definition of the "American Dream" because... Before this law, the U.S. was seen as... However, by banning Chinese laborers, the government declared that... This meant the American Dream was only available to...
