AAS 033B Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Central Pacific Railroad, Profit Margin, Anna May Wong
Document Summary
Asian immigration prior to ww 2 largely inspired by capitalism"s quest for labor. Asian hawaiians tended to work for others more than on the mainland, but were more likely to work as professionals or para-professionals. Asian americans on the us mainland were more likely than asian-hawaiians to own their own, small-scales enterprises but were much less likely to work as professionals or para-professionals outside of their ethnic communities. Asian american workers were the backbone of the industry for a while. Central pacific railroad starts to hire chinese for a dollar a day to do hard and dangerous work. Chinese bodies are buried throughout sierras and rocky mountains. Profit margin is erratic due to competition throughout mass. Manufacturers decide to bring in chinese for inexpensive labor to get rid of white union workers. Brought to work in shoe and cigar factories which leaves white union workers angry. Cooking, cleaning, yard work, links major ethic groups.
