 |
| Year | Periods and Events | *U.S. Pop (in 1000’s) | Male to Female Ratio |
| 1850–1860 | Sojourner male immigration from Southern China to Gold Mountain | ||
| 1870’s | Brutality and violence; discriminatory legislation | 60 | |
| 1880 | California Constitution adopted with anti-Chinese provisions | 100 | 55–65 |
| 1882 | Chinese Exclusion Act banning immigration of Chinese laborers | ||
| 1882–1920 | Declining immigration; decline of agriculture, mining, and railroad occupations; rise of urban service occupations; immigration of “paper sons” and “treaty merchants” through “the Shed” | ||
| 1890 | 101 | 27:1 | |
| 1900 | 90 | ||
| 1900–1930 | Rise of family associations and “tongs” (secret societies) | Children | 55–65 |
| 1910 | Boarding Schools | 72 | |
| 1920 | World War II Service | 62 | 7:1 |
| 1924 | Immigration restrictions eased slightly | 75–85 | |
| 1930’s | Pearl Buck novels portray Chinese peasants as heroes resisting Japanese invasion; “mutilated families” | 75 | |
| 1940–1946 | 16,000 Chinese Americans served in Armed Forces | 78 | |
| 1943 | Repeal of all 15 Chinese Exclusion Acts; quota set at 105 per year | ||
| 1946 | Law passed allowing “alien” wives to immigrate | ||
| 1947–1952 | Over 9000 wives immigrated; increased educational attainment; continued discrimination; high birthrates | ||
| 1950’s | Cold War, two Chinas; fear of Communist threat from Chinese Americans; half of Chinese Americans are American born; increased acculturation | 107 | 55–65 |
| 1953 | Refugee status available for 2000 if approved by Taiwan government | ||
| 1960’s | Continued discrimination in unionized employment | 237 | 1.1:1 |
| 1965 | New Immigration Act passed, persons with kin in U.S. favored | ||
| 1970’s | Two Chinese American communities: one suburban, well-educated; the other with little education and low income; immigration of Chinese from Vietnam | 436 | 55–65 |
| 1980’s | Image of “model minority”; heavy immigration from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan including older adults | 812 | |
| 1990 | 1,079 | ||
| 2000 | 2,400 | ||
| 2005 | 3.100 |
Source: Yeo et al, 1998
