"Voices from the bottom of the South China Sea"

[Anonymous]

Being an Environmental Studies major from UCSB I greatly appreciated the technical aspect by Bob Wells. I had a great time comparing and contrasting (in my mind's eye) Bob Well's work and research with Bob Ballard's work and discovery. Ballard being a Navy Man as well but also a UCSB alum. I am crossing my fingers that China and the US if not China and California, will one day be ready to salvage this vessel together and create an historic project in the future.

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

This week's class was enlightening on many levels. First, I appreciate the way the discussion was organized. Each teacher was asked to announce their particular area of interest, then guest shared his research, and then we wrapped up the class with a review of Chinese history. Everything was connected to something else which makes learning engaging and fun for me.

So, what did I learn? Abraham Lincoln authorized four steamships to go to China. The names of the steamships were the China, Japan, the American, and the Great Republic. The ships carried passengers and cargo back to the United States during the time period between 1868 and 1874. Unfortunately, the SS Japan left San Francisco with 400 Chinese passengers and never returned to the United States. Until now, the story of what happened to the passengers and cargo has been untold.

Mr. Wells presented a wealth of information that connected to what we have been learning in this Seminar. The most compelling part of his presentation was when he showed graphs, charts, maps and pictures. One picture showed Chinese workers who had ponytail hair styles. Before taking this seminar I would have brushed over that. However, I remember from the previous session that when the Manchus took over China in the 1600's, they forced Chinese men to shave their heads as a form of submission. That part of the picture stood out to me because the Manchus were fresh on my mind.

I also learned about the connection between San Diego, San Francisco, and South East Asia. As trade cities these spots were places that Chinese workers went to work. I have visited these places many times and never even thought about how the "China towns" came about. Now I think about that.

Finally, the discussion helped me focus on my interests. I am in the process of doing research to uncover the things that fascinate me as a teacher and learner. My goal is to write a history book that tells great stories in a way that appeals to young people. The hard part of this is narrowing down a topic. At least now I have a sense of what resources are available and where to begin. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Mr. Well's presentation really helped get my wheels spinning. I have decided to shift the focus of my lesson plan from the Chinese bureaucracy and the civil service exam to 19th and early 20th century Asian immigration to California. I want my students to explore push and pull factors in China, Japan, and the U.S. and ultimately the nativist response in America. The age of immigration is included in the U.S. History standards. Textbooks are traditionally East Coast centric and focus on European immigration in their coverage of the standard. I would like to find as many local connections as possible for lesson. I think history is more relevant to students if they can find connections in their own community. In my initial research, I discovered there was a bloody anti-Chinese riot in the 1870s that took place near Olvera Street. I will write a separate post on this subject.

[Author]

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