Massacre at Rock Springs, Wyoming

The massacre of the Chinese at Rock Springs, Wyoming, Library of Congress

First, read this primary account of the Massacre at Rock Springs, Wyoming in 1885. For further information about the experience of Chinese laborers in the US, read this article by William Wei.

Anti-immigration sentiment existed throughout the 19th century, but Chinese immigrants were the first group to be specifically excluded from immigrating solely on the basis of race. The Massacre at Rock Springs is a particularly brutal example of violence in the west and hostility to Chinese workers. Compare and contrast the different immigrant experiences discussed in class, the conditions of Native Americans in the west and the Rock Springs Massacre. In what ways did economic development change the meaning of "freedom" in the United States?