Ethnic Groups Compared
Chinese
Timeline
- 1864/1865 arrived at Wildhorse
Creek
- 1885 let go by the company
that built the Canadian
Pacific Railway
- 1885 first Royal Commission
on Chinese Immigration
- 1885 first headtax put into
place and set at $50
- 1901 headtax raised to $100
- 1902 second Royal Commission
- 1904 headtax raised to $500
- 1908 third Royal Commission
- 1923 the Chinese Exclusion
Act stops the immigration of Chinese people/lifted in 1947
Why Came to British Columbia
- to earn money in order to
support their families in China
- an opportunity for a better
life
- Some came merely to get
rich, like European miners.
How Traveled From Their Country
of Origin to British Columbia
- in a ship with many others
- dirty/crowded/little food
- Ship sailed into the western
ports, either Victoria, Vancouver or an American port.
Common Stereotypes Created
About Them
- labourers felt they were
intruding and taking the labourers' jobs
- upper classes felt there
was a need for Chinese because they worked hard for little wages and
were excellent housekeepers
- uneducated
- Had no morals or values
because they were not Christian
- Were addicted to opium and
gambling
Living Conditions
- many in small houses/shacks/tents
- Others lived in large rooming
houses run by their own, like in the Joss House in Revelstoke.
- Others lived in the businesses
or homes they worked in.
Food
- rice, meat, tea
- traditional Chinese foods
- But were also very adaptable
to the foreign foods that were available.
Family
Acquired Money
- through hard labour
- railway/laundry/gardener/cook/housekeeper
- Long, meticulous placer
mining on what were thought to be worked out claims.
How They Dressed
- in traditional Chinese clothing
when available or appropriate
- in North American clothing
such as pants and a buttoned shirt
Standing Under the Law
- could not vote
- could not own Crown Land
- forced to pay a Headtax
when entering Canada
- following 1923 were excluded
from entering Canada
- Could not be absent from
Canada for a prolonged period of time without losing status and having
to pay the headtax again.
- Could not work on public
works or in mines.
Which Areas of the Kootenays
They Settled In
- Wild Horse Creek/Fisherville
- Nelson Chinatown
- all communities in which
they were able to work
What They Did For Recreation
- games such as checkers
- visited socially
- Mahjong, Fantan and other
games of chance
Religious Affiliation
- Buddhism
- Could also be Confucianist.
What Happened to Most
- died and their bodies were
exhumed after 7 years and returned to China
- others remained in British
Columbia where they raised their own families
Italian
Timeline
- 1898 beginning of large
scale Italian immigration/arrived to build the Crowsnest line of the
CPR
- 1899 mining and smelting
operations in Trail and Elk Valley where many Italians immigrants work
- 1910 onwards Italian immigration
continues
Why Came to British Columbia
- to earn money in order to
support their families
- an opportunity for a better
lifestyle
How Traveled From Their Country
of Origin to British Columbia
- in a ship with many others
- less dirty and crowded than
Chinese immigrants but still dirty and crowded
- Ship usually sailed into
Montreal, Boston or New York.
Common Stereotypes Created
About Them
- Northern Europeans saw them
as 'lesser Europeans'
- uneducated
- hard workers who were willing
to do a lot for low wages
- Unstable and prone to violence.
- Unambitious and shiftless
Living Conditions
- tents/shacks/company houses
- Others saved money and
built their own small dwellings.
Food
- breads/pasta/meat/cheese/desserts
- traditional Italian foods
- Wine.
Family
- in the majority of cases
the Italian family came with the man, or coming soon
Acquired Money
- through hard labour
- mines/railway
- Often private businesses-
especially grovery, ice cream parlours, barbershops, etc.
How They Dressed
- pants/button-up shirts/suits/hats
- Different styles for work
and for non-work activities.
Standing Under the Law
- Had all rights under the
law as soon as they became citizens.
Which Areas of the Kootenays
They Settled In
- mainly Trail and the Elk
valley region
What They Did for Recreation
- games such as bocci
- Italian lodge, such as Cristoforo
Colombo Lodge in Trail
- visited socially
Religious Affiliation
What Happened to Most
- Most remained in British
Columbia and settled with their families
- Some returned to Italy
once work dried up, or they became too old to work
Remittance Men
Timeline
- 1880's began to come to
British Columbia
- World War One begins and
many of the men leave to fight in the war
Why Came to British Columbia
- where either second sons
who did not have an inheritance or the men where no good and
troublemakers who their families wanted to be free of
How Traveled From Their Country
of Origin to British Columbia
- most likely first class
accommodation on a ship
- Came into the Eastern Canadian
and American ports.
- own bedroom/filling and
well-cooked fine meals/had trunks full of their possessions
Common Stereotypes Created
About Them
- foolish lay-abouts who were
spoiled and unaccustomed to Canadian life
- pompous men, with little
or no work skills, if they chose to work at all
Living Conditions
Food
- traditional foods shipped
specially from Britain
- items they had hunted and
others they had bought
Family
Acquired Money
- allowance or investments
such as mines or ranches
How They Dressed
- typically British clothes
such as suits, hats, long jackets that were not suited for their British
Columbian lifestyle (on ranches, cabins)
What Standing They Had Under
the Law
- They had standing as British
citizens in part of the British empire
- Could become full citizens
of Canada if they so chose.
Which Areas of the Kootenays
They Settled In
- mainly Golden, Windermere,
Nelson
- other communities as well
What They Did For Recreation
- hunted & fished
- played polo, cricket and
croquet
- visited socially
Religious Affiliation
What Happened to Most
- returned to fight for Britain
when WWI began and many did not return
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