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Case of Yick Wo vs. Hopkins

Read the facts regarding a case he took all the way to the Supreme Conrt.

Then hypothesize about how you think the Supreme Court ruled in łiis case.

The Case of Yick Wo vs. Hopkins

1.    In 1886, there were 310 laundries built of wood in San Francisco; 240 of these laundries were owned by Chinese i mmi gran ts and the rest were owned by European Americans.

2.    A San Francisco ordinance was passed that said, due to fire hazard, all laundries must be built of brick.

3.    Sheriff Hopkins arrested all of the Chinese laundry owners and one female European American laiuidry owner; the other 79 European American małe laiuidry owners were not arrested.

4.    The arrested laundry owners went on trial, were convicted, and fmed. If they did not, or could not, pay the fine, they were jailed.

5.    Lee Yick, one of the convicted laiuidry owners, had operated liis laundry in San Francisco for 22 years. He thought the judgment by the local court was racist and unfair. With the help of the other Chinese launderers, he appealed liis case to the Califomia Supreme Court.

6.    The Califomia Supreme Court upheld the decision of tlie lower San Francisco court. Lee Yick appealed liis case to the United States Supreme Court.

7.    The United States Supreme Court agreed to hear the case.