TEXANS ONE AND ALL: THE CHINESE TEXANS
NAME: ________________________________________________________________________DATE: ___________________ PERIOD: __________________
The “push-pull” theory says that people migrate because things in their lives push them to leave, and things in a new place pull them.
Instructions: Decide what economic factors push and pull people. Complete the graphic organizer below using the word bank.
Economic Push Factors
WORD BANK
Economic Pull Factors
Lost Job
Higher Wages
Available Work
Low Pay
Chinese Settlers in Texas
Groups of Chinese men came to Texas more than 120 years ago. They came to help build the
railroads across the state. Hearne, Toyah and El Paso were some of the towns where they
settled.
Why did Chinese men first come to Texas in the
1800s?
Between 1882 and 1943, the U.S. Government did not allow many Chinese people to enter the
United States. However, in 1917, about 500 Chinese people were allowed to settle in San
Antonio. These people had been living in Mexico. When an expedition of American soldiers
went to Mexico, the Chinese gave them food and supplies. When the Americans left Mexico,
the Chinese followed them. They were permitted to enter the U.S. because they had helped
the soldiers.
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Since 1943, many more Chinese people have come to Texas. They live mostly in cities. Houston
has more Chinese Texans than any other city in the state. There are shopping centers with
signs in Chinese. A Chinese-language newspaper is printed there. Chinese is spoken in theaters
and churches. Cities throughout the state celebrate Chinese cultural traditions such as the
Lunar New Year.
How is Chinese culture represented in our state
today?
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Why were some Chinese people allowed to settle in
San Antonio after coming from Mexico?
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Digging Deeper
Using Texans One and All: The Chinese Texans, answer the following questions about why Chinese immigrants moved to Texas and what their life
was like in the state.
Striking it Rich
General John J. Pershing
Who were the first Chinese immigrants to arrive in Texas and what did they
hope to accomplish?
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General John J. Pershing is remembered in Texas history for many reasons,
and one of those was helping a group of Chinese immigrants come to Texas
from Mexico.
What kind of work did early Chinese immigrants do?
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In 1870, Chinese railroad workers were paid a salary of approximately $20
per month. Inflation is a rise in the prices of goods and services over time.
This means that what you could purchase with $1 in 1870 could not be
purchased with $1 today. $1 in 1870 is worth about $17.50 today.
Complete the equation below to determine how much Chinese workers
earned in 1870 by today’s standards.
$ _____________ X $17.50 = $ __________________
Do you think this was a fair salary? Why or why not?
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Chinese immigrants were not welcome in the United States in the late
1800s. How did Judge Roy Bean view Chinese immigrants? Explain your
answer.
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Why was Pershing sent to Mexico in 1917?
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How did Chinese living in Northern Mexico help Pershing and his army?
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Approximately 500 Chinese families were granted special permission
to immigrate from Mexico to the United States because they helped
Gen. Pershing. Where did most of these family settle?
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Why do you think few Chinese returned to California or China once
they were in the United States?
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Summarize What You Learned
Write 2 sentences to summarize what you learned about Chinese
Texans and economic push and pull factors.
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