制作ppt基于以下内容From Yellow Peril to Model Minority-Script

The United States is known as a nation of immigrants, and the 19th and 20th centuries witnessed two major waves of Chinese immigration to the United States. The first wave of Chinese immigrants arrived in the mid-19th century during the California Gold Rush, while the second wave came after the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act. These two waves of Chinese immigrants have had vastly different experiences in the United States, from being seen as a dangerous "Yellow Peril" to being celebrated as a successful "Model Minority." What happened during the 100 years in between that caused such drastic changes of perception? This micro course aims to compare these two waves of Chinese immigration and analyze the transformation of the Chinese-American image over time by looking at different push and pull factors at work behind the two waves. 

Why do the Chinese want to go to the United States? Generally, Immigration to the United States is driven by a combination of push and pull factors. Push factors refer to circumstances in a person's home country that encourage them to leave. They include political instability, economic hardships, lack of job opportunities, poverty, natural disasters, and so on. By contrast, pull factors are the attractions and opportunities that draw individuals to the United States, such as political stability, economic prosperity, more job opportunities, higher wages, better education, and the chance for a better quality of life. Overall, push and pull factors work together like the two sides of the same coin. Let’s use the push and pull factors to analyze the two waves of Chinese immigration to the US. 

The first wave of Chinese immigrants came to the United States in the mid-19th century primarily to escape poverty and political turmoil in China. During the late Qing Dynasty, China experienced economic decline and political instability, as frequent floods, droughts and famine in southern China pushed many individuals to search for a more stable life. Meanwhile, the Opium Wars and the Taiping Rebellion disrupted societal order and created an environment of insecurity and uncertainty, compelling many Chinese to seek better opportunities abroad.  

On the other hand, the United States was long regarded as a land of opportunities. The discovery of gold in California in 1848 attracted thousands of Chinese laborers who sought fortune in the gold mines. The construction of the Transcontinental Railroad also provided employment opportunities for Chinese immigrants. 

Many of the early Chinese immigrants worked as laborers in mines, on the railroad or in the laundry business. They faced discrimination and hostility from white European immigrants, who saw them as a threat to their jobs and way of life and referred to them as the Yellow Peril. They were also portrayed in the media as exotic, sinister, and unassimilable. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was a clear sign of the government's hostility towards Chinese immigrants. 

The second wave of Chinese immigrants came to the United States after the 1965 passage of Immigration Act which eliminated the national-origins quota system. Here we see more pull factors at work, because the United States experienced a post-war economic boom, creating demand for labor in various sectors, including education, technology, and healthcare, and. Many of the Chinese immigrants were highly educated professionals, such as scientists, engineers, and doctors, who were recruited by American universities and companies. 

These Chinese immigrants faced a more welcoming reception from mainstream society. They were often seen as the "Model Minority," a term coined in the 1960s to describe Asian Americans who were perceived as successful, hardworking, and law-abiding.

The second wave of Chinese immigrants faced a more welcoming reception from mainstream society, although they still faced discrimination and stereotypes. They were often seen as the "Model Minority," a term coined in the 1960s to describe Asian Americans as a successful and assimilated group, who had overcome the obstacles of discrimination and prejudice through education and hard work.

In conclusion, the experiences of the two waves of Chinese immigrants to the United States have been vastly different, from being marginalized and discriminated against in the 19th century to becoming integral contributors to American society in the 20th century. However, even the model minority stereotype had negative consequences for both Asians and other minority groups, as Asian Americans are expected to be quiet and submissive, while other minority groups are discriminated against because of their perceived inferiority to the Chinese Americans. Understanding this transformation and its root causes and consequences can help shed light on the challenges faced by Chinese immigrants, and their resilience in shaping a positive Chinese-American identity.