"How John May Dodge the Exclusion Act," July 12, 1905

Cartoon with six images of potential Chinese immigrants in “disguise.”

Courtesy of Library of Congress, Pughe, J.S., "How John May Dodge the Exclusion Act," J. Ottmann Lith. Co., 12 July 1905

Description

This illustration shows Uncle Sam's boot kicking a Chinese immigrant off a dock as part of an anti-Chinese immigration campaign. Vignettes show how the Chinese can possibly emigrate to the United States, by coming as "a cup-challenger" in yacht races, "as an industrious anarchist," "disguised as an humble Irishman," "as an English wife-hunter" with "pedigree" in his pocket, or wielding knife and handgun, as a mean-looking "peaceful, law-abiding Sicilian."

Transcript of "How John May Dodge the Exclusion Act"

Source-Dependent Questions

Using evidence from the illustration, what can you infer was the intent of the Chinese Exclusion Act?
How are the Chinese characterized by the image? Use evidence from the source.
How does the characterization of the Chinese in the image and the Chinese Exclusion Act reflect the prejudices and biases prevalent in American society at the time?

Citation Information

Pughe, J.S., "How John May Dodge the Exclusion Act," J. Ottmann Lith. Co., 12 July 1905. Courtesy of Library of Congress