Angel Island and Chinese Immigration

Angel Island, known as the Guardian of the Western Gate, served as an immigration station from 1910 to 1940, primarily to control Chinese entry into the U.S. due to the Chinese Exclusion Act. Immigrants faced harsh conditions, including grueling interrogations and humiliating medical exams. Many were detained for months, during which they wrote poetry expressing their struggles and emotions. The station's history highlights recurring themes of fear and discrimination against immigrants seeking better lives in America.

What was the primary purpose of Angel Island when it was first opened?

• To process European immigrants

• To serve as a military fort

• To control Chinese immigration

• To act as a quarantine station

What was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882?

• A law that encouraged Chinese immigration

• A law that prohibited all immigration of Chinese laborers

• A law that allowed free immigration of Chinese laborers

• A law that restricted European immigration

What term did Chinese immigrants use to describe the process of buying papers to enter America?

• Paper sons and daughters

• Immigrant papers

• Fake citizens

• Adopted children

How did some Chinese immigrants claim American citizenship after the 1906 earthquake?

• By marrying American citizens

• By working in government jobs

• By applying for native-born citizenship

• By purchasing land

What was one of the first experiences for immigrants upon arriving at Angel Island?

• A job interview

• A language test

• A welcome ceremony

• A medical examination

What was the purpose of the interrogation process at Angel Island?

• To provide medical care

• To teach English

• To ensure paperwork validity

• To welcome immigrants

What activities did detained immigrants engage in on Angel Island?

• Attending school

• Playing card games and writing poetry

• Working in factories

• Gardening and farming

What did the poems written by immigrants on Angel Island express?

• Excitement

• Indifference

• Anger and sadness

• Joy and happiness

What recurring theme is highlighted in the history of immigration to the United States?

• Economic prosperity

• Cultural exchange

• Fear of the other

• Acceptance and integration

What does the poem at the end of the transcript symbolize?

• Hope and optimism

• Joy and celebration

• Confinement and exclusion

• Freedom and liberation