The US Congress passed an Exclusion Act in 1882 barring Chinese immigrants because many American citizens resented these laborers.
Chinese immigration, especially in California, began to pick up during the California Gold Rush of 1848. This need for workers resulted in a huge movement of Chinese citizens into America. These individuals were not well received, especially by nativists. Nativists were a group of Americans who disliked immigrants, as they felt these immigrants took jobs from American citizens. This anti-immigration movement gained significant momentum in California, resulting in the Chinese Exclusion Act.
