Gentlemen's Agreement

Definition

The Gentlemen's Agreement was an informal arrangement between the United States and Japan, reached in 1907-1908, that restricted Japanese immigration to the U.S. while preventing outright legal restrictions. This agreement emerged as a response to growing anti-Japanese sentiment in America and sought to ease tensions by regulating immigration without formal legislation. It had significant implications for Japanese and Korean immigration patterns and also affected perceptions and treatment of other Asian immigrant groups.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Gentlemen's Agreement was never formalized through a treaty but was instead a diplomatic understanding between the two nations.
2. As part of the agreement, Japan agreed to limit the issuance of passports to laborers intending to migrate to the U.S., effectively reducing Japanese immigration.
3. The agreement aimed to address racial tensions in California, where hostility toward Japanese immigrants was particularly strong.
4. While it reduced Japanese immigration, it did not stop discrimination against Japanese Americans or alleviate the anti-Asian sentiment prevalent in American society at the time.
5. The Gentlemen's Agreement set a precedent for future immigration policies and contributed to an environment of exclusionary practices against all Asian immigrants.

Review Questions

• How did the Gentlemen's Agreement reflect the attitudes towards Japanese and Korean immigration during its time?
  • The Gentlemen's Agreement reflected a growing hostility toward Japanese immigrants in the United States, particularly on the West Coast. It showed how racial prejudices influenced immigration policies, as many Americans were concerned about competition for jobs and housing. By limiting Japanese immigration without formal laws, it revealed a compromise that attempted to quell nativist sentiments while still maintaining some level of diplomatic relations with Japan.
• What were the long-term effects of the Gentlemen's Agreement on other Asian immigrant groups in the U.S.?
  • The Gentlemen's Agreement had significant long-term effects on other Asian immigrant groups by setting a precedent for exclusionary immigration policies. The agreement fostered an environment where discriminatory practices against all Asians became more acceptable. This led to heightened scrutiny and restrictions on not only Japanese immigrants but also other groups, contributing to the broader narrative of exclusion that characterized U.S. immigration laws in the early 20th century.
• Evaluate how the Gentlemen's Agreement shaped future immigration policies in America, particularly regarding race-based exclusions.
  • The Gentlemen's Agreement played a crucial role in shaping future U.S. immigration policies by establishing a framework for race-based exclusions that would culminate in more formalized laws like the Immigration Act of 1924. This agreement demonstrated how diplomatic negotiations could reflect racial attitudes and biases, leading to systematic discrimination against entire ethnic groups. As such, it laid the groundwork for decades of restrictive policies that marginalized not just Japanese but all Asian immigrants, reinforcing notions of racial hierarchy within American society.

Related terms

Immigration Act of 1924: A U.S. federal law that established strict quotas on immigration, significantly limiting the number of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, as well as virtually banning immigration from Asia.

Asian Exclusion Act: A series of laws and agreements that systematically excluded Asian immigrants from entering the United States, particularly affecting Japanese, Chinese, and later, other Asian groups.

Nativism: A political policy that favors the interests of native-born inhabitants over those of immigrants, often leading to anti-immigrant sentiment and legislation.