Answer :
Tongs were formed in America as a response to intense discrimination and violence against Chinese immigrants, offering them much-needed support. They provided social, educational, and healthcare services, and served as cultural centers to foster community solidarity, especially as anti-Chinese sentiments and legislation, like the Chinese Exclusion Act, grew.
The formation of Chinese tongs in America was motivated by several overlapping social and political factors. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Chinese immigrants faced discrimination and violence, particularly as economic conditions worsened for white Americans in the West. In this atmosphere, tongs arose as crucial support systems providing social aid, healthcare, and educational services, while also serving as cultural centers. As White Americans formed anti-coolie clubs and lobbied for legislation like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, Chinese immigrants increasingly relied on tongs for protection and community solidarity.
The anti-Chinese sentiment and violence against the community, such as the massacre in Rock Springs, Wyoming, further solidified the need for tongs as a means of self-help and mutual defense. Additionally, the geopolitical tensions of the time, exemplified by the so-called Bamboo Curtain and U.S. support for Taiwan over Communist China, complicated and intensified the challenges faced by Chinese immigrants in America. Tongs thus represented a response to both internal community needs and external pressures, offering a semblance of security and belonging in a hostile environment.
