Chinatown

BY: Kathryn Cannon, PrachiGandhi, Renee Perkowski, and Karina Smolyar

EXPLORING CHINATOWN

How We Got There:

Chinese Americans fled persecution on the west coast after anti-Chinese violence had broken out during a

decline in the American economy. This was facilitated by the completion of the First Transcontinental

Railroad, whose work force was 80% Chinese. The first Chinese arrived in Chicago in the 1870s. Mr. T C Moy --

considered to be the first Chinese pioneer in Chicago--wrote to his family and friends on the West Coast

saying that he found Chicago to be a more agreeable place. The population of Chinese Americans grew

steadily, and many Chinese people opened businesses such as restaurants and Laundromats. During the

1950s and 1960s, the population of Chinese people doubled as a result of communism in China. A boycott of

American trade in China led to suspicion of Chinese people in Chicago, which led to landlords increasing

rent prices. Chinese Americans were forced to find a new place to live, and soon Wentworth Avenue and

Cermak Road became the "hub" of a new Chinatown. The construction of highways eventually cutting

Chinatown into a smaller section combined with crowding led to the need to purchase new land for public

housing. In the 1970s as a result of the construction of a new State Detention Center, a new location of

Chinatown was founded in the Argyle and Broadway sections of Chicago. Today, Chinatown continues to be

a center where many Chinese immigrants find jobs and many visitors go to shop."Chinatown History." Chicago Chinatown. Travel Services, 2014. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http:// www.chicago-chinatown.info/chinatown-history.html>."History."Chicago-Chinatown.com. Vision I Systems Inc., 1 Jan. 2003. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.chicago-chinatown.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?li=6>.

History of Chinatown:

• Area: 0.454 square miles• Population:7,377• Majority of the population is of Asian descent • Median Household income (2011): $32,545• Males: 3,516• Females: 3,861• Percentage of foreign born residents: 46%

Demographics of Chinatown:

• Attractions: Ten Ren Tea and Ginseng Co.• One of the most popular tea shops in Chinatown• Samples before purchasing• Large selection of teas• Choose tea by the bag to fit into your budget

• Attractions: Autumn Moon Festival• Assortment of booths and tents• Great inexpensive shopping opportunities• Cultural activities• Crafts for the whole family• Famous delicacy: moon cakes

• Attractions: Chinatown New Year• Family event• Food, shopping, fun• Parade• Traditional/cultural activities• Wearing red is considered to be lucky• Takes place throughout Chinatown

• Sources• http://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Chinatown-Chicago-IL.html• http://www.chicago-chinatown.info/chinatown-attractions.html

Attractions of Chinatown:

• 2014 is the Year of the Horse on the Chinese zodiac calendar.• The turtles sold at Chinatown are called red-eared slider

turtles.• Their sale in Chinatown is actually illegal.• There are over 40 Chinatowns in the US.• In Chinese, the name for Chinatown translates to "Tang

people's streets" after the Tang Dynasty.• Bruce Lee was born in Chinatown in San Francisco.• A scene from Rush Hour was filmed in Chinatown in Los

Angeles.

Fun Facts about Chinatown:

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Our Trip to Chinatown!

Our Personal Reflections & Tips!

• Visiting Chinatown was a great way to get to know the ethnic neighborhoods of Chicago. Because I am new to Chicago, I had never been to this part of town. It was fun to get to know new girls in a new part of the city! I learned to open up and be friendlier- an important skill for my first year of college. It was exciting to see the little turtles and all of the other things vendors were selling. I also loved the architecture of Chinatown-it really embodied the Chinese culture! I am so glad I got to go on this trip- I will definitely be back for some more yummy Chinese food.

Kathryn

• Will discuss orally in front of group

Prachi

• Visiting Chinatown was an original experience for me: although I have briefly visited the Chinatown in San Francisco, I have never visited the Chinatown nearby. Chinatown covered a larger area than I had expected, but the neighborhood itself was unlike the surrounding area. The neighborhood consisted of many shops and vendors that someone can only find in Chinatown, from miniature turtle vendors to fish markets where we saw a woman run outside onto the sidewalk to show the man across the street the fish she was holding. All of these unique shops and restaurants were interesting to see, especially since I had expected Chinatown to be a small, touristy city rather than an authentic cultural hub. Although it may seem that because Chinatown is so different from the surrounding area visiting Chinatown was not an "authentic Chicago experience," Chinatown and all the various ethnic neighborhoods make up Chicago. Chinatown has always been a key neighborhood in Chicago and it is a section of the city that is worth visiting for its distinct attractions.

Renee

• As a kid I used to come to Chinatown sometimes and I always remember it being a huge, strange place, with people selling strange things. My favorite thing and the thing I looked forward to the most were the turtles they sell on the streets. I was really hoping that they didn't get rid of those, considering they are illegal to sell. I was definitely not disappointed. We found the turtles a couple blocks in and I almost died when I saw how they cute they were. At any rate, compared to my childhood, I think this trip definitely brought Chinatown back down to Earth in my mind. It was not as strange and exciting as it used to seem, although that may have been because as a kid I was never really exposed to all of this anywhere else. However it was still great to be there. I love the culture and the food. I would definitely go back although if I do, I run the risk of having to sneak a turtle into my dorm.

Karina