The Chinese Exclusion Act

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was the first significant law restricting immigration into the United States. This book is a learning tool that explores stories about Chinese immigrants through primary source document analysis. It weaves together documents from the Immigration Service, custom houses, ports of entry, and Angel Island Immigration Station. The stories also reveal how Chinese Exclusion laws affected the democratic rights of American-born children of Chinese immigrants. This book includes interactive features, questions for topic exploration and reflection, transcriptions for highlighting, and review activities.  Analyzing the stories that emerge from primary sources provides perspective on U.S. immigration history.


This project was made possible through a collaboration of the National Archives and Apple Distinguished Educators Cheryl Davis and Mia Morrison. Apple Distinguished Educators (ADEs) are part of a global community of education leaders recognized for doing amazing things with Apple technology in and out of the classroom. The collaboration was supported through the ADEs in Residence Program, which places selected ADEs in some of the world’s leading museums, archives, science centers, and cultural organizations to develop innovative teaching and learning resources.


Materials created by the National Archives and Records Administration are in the public domain.