Writing A News Article                                            

Introduction

This activity is designed to make you aware of the challenges early Chinese immigrants
faced coming to California during the mid to late 1800's. You will also learn how the
Chinese influenced history and terrain--especially in California.  You may be surprised to find
out how much influence early Chinese immigrants had on California's history.  If you live near
Sacramento,California, several questions might especially interest you.

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The Task

Use the Internet and find the answers to the following questions.  You are then to write a news
article that relates to one or more of the areas discussed.

                        1.  Find out why Chinese immigrants originally came to California in the mid 1800's.
                        2.  For what purpose did Congress pass the Foreign Miners License Law of 1850?
                        3.  In California, early Chinese immigrants provided labor for many projects.  Name at least
                               three major projects or uses for their labor.
                        4.  The Chinese worked with the Irish in providing labor for which major railroad project?
                        5.  Once the railroad (answer to #4) was completed in 1869, the Chinese were then hired at
                               $1.00 a day to build which major project along the Delta area of the Sacramento River?
                        6.  The West's only all-Chinese town is a small town fairly close to Sacramento, California.
                               What is its name?  (Note: This is NOT Chinatown of San Francisco.)
                        7.  Only a mile down river from (answer to #6) is another town that once held a high popula-
                               tion of Chinese.  What is its name?
                        8.  One famous Chinese entrepreneur of Sacramento came to California to look for his father.
                               He lived in the catacombs beneath Sacramento while working as a dishwasher.  He is
                               commonly referred to as the second governor of California.  A famous restaurant in Old
                               Sacramento bears this man's name, and his family has opened other restaurants using
                               the family's name.  Who was this?

Use the following web sites to help you answer the above questions:

                        1.  http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views3.htm

                        2.  http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/locke/locke.htm

                        3.  http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/locke/losetting.htm

                        4.  http://www.locketown.com

                        5.  http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views3h.htm

                        6. http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views3g.htm

                        7.  http://www.fatsrestaurants.com/calfats/index.html

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How You Will Be Graded:

Your newspaper article must:

• provide brief background information on Chinese immigrants to California
• describe one of the areas about which information was found (i.e., unfair treatment/types of labor provided/the West's only all-Chinese town/early immigrants/etc.)
• be written in a clear, direct newspaper style
• marshall evidence in support of a thesis--convey information and ideas primary and secondary sources, recognize significant facts and ideas, use accurately, and be well organized

Taken from <http://lessons.ctaponline.org/~bbrennei/student/studentjoyluckclub).html#activity 1>