Diversity Quiz of the Month: Asian Indian Americans By Janna Charles QUESTIONS: The first Asian Indians arrived in America as early as the middle of the 19th century. By the end of the 19th century, about 2,000 Indians, most of them Sikhs (a religious minority from India's Punjab region), settled on the west coast of the United States, having come in search of economic opportunity. Today, the Asian Indian population is among the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States. Asian Indian Americans are the third largest Asian American ethnic group, after Chinese Americans and Filipino Americans. Take this quiz to test your knowledge of this diverse ethnic group! What was the first Asian Indian religious subgroup to have a distinct presence in the United States? Hindu Muslim Buddhist Sikh What was the Asiatic Exclusion League? A group that expanded throughout the East Coast of the United States in opposition to laws that severely restricted Asian Indian immigration. An organization working to help Asian-Indian immigrants assimilate into American society. An organization that formed in San Francisco to encourage the expulsion of Asian workers, including Asian Indians, from the United States. An organization that advocated Asian Indian rights in the 1940's. Who was the first and only Asian Indian senator to be elected to Congress? Dalip Saund Satveer Chaudhary Brandon Chillar Mohini Bhardwaj What was significant about July 1946 for Asian Indians in America? The first Asian Indian was elected to Congress. A series of laws barred Asian Indians from many factions of the workplace. The first large-scale organization for the protection of Asian-Indian American rights was established. Congress passed a bill granting naturalization rights to Asian Indians. Approximately how many Asian Indians immigrated to the United States between 1947 and 1965? I million 6,000 89,000 Less than a thousand What was significant about the Supreme Court decision in the "Thind Case" of 1923 for many Asian Indians ? It was a landmark case in establishing protection from discrimination for the Asian-Indian American population. It resulted in a bill that limited Asian-Indian immigration in the United States. It made Asian Indians ineligible for citizenship and stripped those who had become legally naturalized of their citizenship. It granted a number of rights to Asian-Indian Americans that had previously been denied to them and other minorities. What is the Ghadar party? An organization that formed in the United States and championed Indian Independence from British Rule . An Asian-Indian American Communist organization that emerged in the United States in the mid-1900s. An India-based Sikh extremist group that sought asylum in the United States in the early 1900s. A group promoting the rights of Asian-Indian Americans that formed in the United States within the past decade. About how many different languages are spoken in India? 200 1600 18 6 What are the primary religions practiced by Asian Indian Americans? Sikhism and Hinduism Hinduism and Maoism Islam and Zoroastrianism Islam and Hinduism What is a popular Asian Indian holiday known in the United States as the "festival of lights"? Diwali Holi Dassehra Gandhi Javanti About what percentage of the motel industry in the United States is run by Asian-Indian Americans? 70 percent 50 percent 28 percent 17 percent ANSWERS: D. Sikh. Between 1902 and 1908 over 2000 AsianIndians arrived in the United States. A great majority of these early immigrants were Sikhs, a religious minority from the northwestern region of India called Punjab. They were usually young, uneducated men who were either single or had left their families in India in the hopes of attaining a small fortune and returning to their homeland. While Sikhs are a small minority group in their own country, they nonetheless represented from 85 to 90 percent of the original Asian Indian immigrants to the United States at the turn of the century. Source: http://www.jstor.org/pss/2545683 C. The Asiatic Exclusion League (AEL) was organized in 1907 to encourage the expulsion of Asian workers, including Asian Indians. Founded in San Francisco, California, the AEL tried to turn public opinion against Asian Indian immigrants all along the western coast of the United States. Many laws were passed in years that followed that would prevent Asian Indian immigrants from truly experiencing the opportunities they believed the United States offered. Source: http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Asian-Indian-Americans.html A. Dalip Saund was elected to Congress in 1957. Like many early Indian immigrants, Saund came to the United States from Punjab and had worked in the fields and farms of California. He had also earned a doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley. Source: www.infoplease.com D. Congress passed a bill granting naturalization rights to Asian Indians. On July 2, 1946, partly due to the assistance India provided to the Allied Forces in World War II, Congress passed the Luce-Celler Bill. This removed restrictions on Asian Indian immigration and gave India an annual immigration quota of one hundred. Most importantly, all Asian Indian immigrants now had naturalization rights. This caused a second wave of immigration, and between 1948 and 1964 over 6,000 Asian Indians came to the United States. Another 1,700 became American citizens. Source: http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Asian-Indian-Americans.html 6,000. Immigration restrictions and tight quotas ensured that a relatively small number of Asian Indians entered the country prior to 1965. From 1965 onward, a second significant wave of Indian immigration began, spurred by a change in U.S. immigration law that lifted prior quotas and restrictions and allowed significant numbers of Asians to immigrate. Between 1965 and 1974, Indian immigration to the United States increased at a rate greater than that from almost any other country. This wave of immigrants was very different from the earliest Indian immigrants - Indians that emigrated after 1965 were overwhelmingly urban, professional, and highly educated and quickly engaged in gainful employment in many U.S cities. Source: http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Asian-Indian-Americans.html C. It made Asian Indians ineligible for citizenship and stripped those who had become legally naturalized of their citizenship. Bhagat Singh Thind's US citizenship was rescinded four days after it was granted. Eleven months later, he received it for the second time but the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which sent the case to the next higher court for ruling. Thind valiantly fought his case in the US Supreme Court, but the judge revoked his citizenship simply due to the color of his skin. The Court verdict in Thind's case, United States v. Thind confirmed that the rights and privileges of naturalization were reserved for "Whites" only. Source: www.bhagatsingthind.com/legacy.html A. An organization that formed in the United States and championed Indian Independence from British Rule. The movement for Indian Independence from British rule affected the lives of many Asian Indian Americans. Political activity among Asian Indians in the United States began as early as 1908, when young, exiled Asian Indian revolutionaries arrived in the U.S. seeking asylum. These political refugees eventually established the Ghadar Party, which literally means "revolution" or "mutiny." The Ghadar Party organized protests, distributed pamphlets, and published a newspaper to foster support for Asian Indian independence. Some leaders of the Party urged their countrymen to return to India and lead the fight against the British government, and it is estimated that as many as one hundred did. Many Asian Indian Americans actively participated in the independence movement by attending meetings and donating to the cause. Source: http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Asian-Indian-Americans.html C. There are about 18 major languages that are spoken in India and over 1600 regional dialects. Hindi is the official language, yet many people do not speak it. English is widely spoken in the urban areas. States in India have their own respective languages and dialects. Source: www.indiafolks.com A. Sikhism and Hinduism. While India is home to many different religions, the majority of Asian Indian Americans are followers of Sikhism and Hinduism. The first Hindu Temple was built in San Francisco in 1906 and since then Hindu and Sikh Temples have been popping up in cities across the United States for the past five decades. Hindu Temples and Gurdwaras (Sikh Temples) serve important functions in the community. They are often the social, political and governing institutions of a community. The Temples serve not only religious purposes, but also as community centers, language schools, and offer classes in dance, religion, and culture. Source: http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Asian-Indian-Americans.html A. Diwali. One of the most widely celebrated Asian Indian holidays is Diwali. This is also commonly known as the "festival of lights," and lasts for five days. During Diwali, people light small oil lamps or candles and place them in rows along the tops of temples and houses. Diwali lights are meant to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. It is a time to visit friends, exchange gifts, and set off fireworks displays. It signifies the renewal of life and for many Hindus is also the New Year's celebration. Source: http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Asian-Indian-Americans.html B. 50 percent. Many Asian Indians own small businesses like travel agencies, Indian groceries, and garment stores, particularly in neighborhoods like Flushing, in Queens, New York, where a strong Asian Indian community exists. Asian Indians own or operate about 50 percent of the motels in the United States, and almost 37 percent of all hotels and motels combined. Extended families often help relatives with the initial investment necessary to buy a motel, further strengthening Asian Indians' dominance of this business niche.  Around 70 percent pf all Indian motel owners share the same surname, Parel, indicating that they are members of the Gujarati Hindu sub caste. Source: http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Asian-Indian-Americans.html Take more quizzes! "In God We Trust: How Many Gods Do We Trust? By Jennifer Kreger It's Greek to Me! Asian/Pacific Americans By Janna Charles Diversity, or lack thereof, within the US Prison System By Emily Sugiyama back to top

Home | Diversity Store | Diversity Events | Jobs | Consultants | Submissions | Customer Service | Search the Site

 

© 2009 The GilDeane Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Information on this site may not be reproduced in part or in full in any form without written permission from The GilDeane Group, Inc. 13751 Lake City Way NE, Suite 210, Seattle, Washington, 98125-8612.