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My Birth Date
My name is Chen and I'm 14 years old. My family lives in Turpan, China. It's fun living were I live but it's hard finding work. My inspiration for coming to America was the California Gold Rush. My parents never wanted to admit it to us, but they were running out of money and we knew it. My brother, Chanming, and I wanted to do something and had heard about the gold rush so we left and hoped to gain a fortune for our parents. This timeline is to show you that your life can be gone in a second. -
The Ride to Angel Island
The ride to Angel Island was quite the experience, but first we had to travel 2 days before we actually got to the ship dock. There was up to 3,000 people on the ship at a time. We were sorted out by class. My brother and I were in the lower class. It didn't bother us though. The boat was filled with Chinese, Japanese, Russians, and Indians. It was hard to communicate to people thats for sure. We were on the ship for a week and a half, than we went through the registary stuff, than we were free. -
California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush of 1848The California Gold Rush was the first place Chanming and I stopped at after registering into America. It was the reason we came. It started in 1849 so most of the easy stuff was picked out, but that didn't stop us or any other immigrant. I seen so many immigrants there, and actually, the Gold Rush led to one of the greatest miagrations ever in history. Anyways, the Gold Rush lasted nearly 10 years and started when James Marshall descovered the gold in 1848 and tried to keep it secret. -
The Civil War
America's Story from America's Library -Civil WarAmerica's Story from America's Library -Civil WarChanming and I both were drafted to the Civil War. It was the most horrific thing I have ever seen. I was 24 at the time and there were many boys younger than me. There were body parts everywhere and people dying beside you all the time when in battle. Out of the battle was fatal too with diseases caused from bad hygiene. I got so sick from drinking contaminated water that I was just a nick away from death. Chanming was one who wasn't effected badly. The Civil War will never ever be forgotten. -
The Chicago Fire
After Chenming and I got back from the Civil War, we lived in Chicago. One early Sunday morning, I went out to buy some groceries and on my way back to our apartment, I see buildings on fire and the fire spreding quickly. Everyone started going hecktic. I ran as fast as I could to our apartment but it was on fire. I didn't know where Chenming was so I saved myself. The fire happened after a very dry summer and lasted 2 days killing 300 people, including my brother, and leaving 100,000 homeless. -
The Chinese Exclusion Act
After my brother died, my life was changed, but I kept working and making money. At end of 1851, I had more than enough money. By that time, people started getting mad at the Chinese too because we always worked for less and there were a lot of us so we took most of the jobs. The goverment finally passed the Chinese Exclusion Act and stopped alowing Chinese to miagrate for 10 years. At that time, I hadn't seen my family for close to 30 years, so I went to see them and stayed the rest of my life.
