Teaching Chinese and American History through Worthy: The Brave and Capable Life of Joseph Pierce

Read the story of Joseph Pierce, born in Canton, China, in 1842. Sold as a child, he arrived in Connecticut in the 1850s and later enlisted to fight in the American Civil War. In this course, you will explore the Canton trade through MIT’s Visualizing Cultures resource, examine the conditions in China that prompted migration to the United States, and learn about the challenges Chinese migrants faced upon arrival. You will also discover the little-known history of Chinese soldiers who fought in the Civil War. The course includes two mandatory webinars:

– October 14 webinar with Professor Madeline Hsu on the push-pull factors that led many Chinese to emigrate to America in the 19th century.

– October 27 webinar with Andrea Wang, the author of Worthy