Historical Timeline

History is often told through events, personal accounts, recorded information, and through artifacts from another time and place. The timeline is essential in serving as a starting point for further research into human trafficking and its prevention. This chronologically-organized foundation includes background context, primary source documents used to trace the history of human trafficking, and other important events which may have directly impacted human trafficking awareness and legislation.

A Brief Background

1850-1900

As the U.S. saw a boom in the job and industry opportunities after the Central Pacific Railroad and California Gold Rush, many Chinese immigrants were attracted and migrated to the U.S. for supposedly lucrative jobs. However, the scene was different when they arrived to find out they were targets of threats and hatred from Americans fearing job insecurity. Individuals began contracting low-wage Chinese labor for jobs that threatened worker's rights. The Page Act of 1875 sought to reduce and remove any opportunity for specifically women from "China, Japan, or any Oriental country" to move or be transported to the United States "for lewd and immoral purposes" (The Page Act). This also included unfree laborers. The Page Act of 1875 would create a stigma surrounding Asians, particularly Chinese immigrants, migrating to the U.S. during this time that would last for years after.

20th Century Historical Timeline

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