The impact of the World Wars on migration to and from Britain
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can recall that many soldiers from Britain's colonies fought for Britain in both World Wars, and that this had impacts on both migration and empire.
Key learning points
- During World War One thousands of Indian soldiers fought on the Western Front, then moved to Britain.
- Many African and Caribbean soldiers joined the navy, leading to the 1919 riots in Liverpool and Cardiff.
- Many colonial soldiers also served in World War Two, though they often returned to the colonies.
- WW2 created a labour shortage that meant that the government encouraged immigration from the Commonwealth.
Keywords
Colony - a country or area under the control of another country and occupied by settlers from that country
Commonwealth - an international organisation consisting of states which once belonged to the British Empire
Windrush - the name of the ship bringing the first cohort of migrants from the Caribbean to Britain after the Second World War
Common misconception
Non-white soldiers and citizens of the Commonwealth played a small role during and after both World Wars.
Non-white soldiers and citizens of the Commonwealth played a significant role during and after both World Wars.
Teacher tip
Ensure students appreciate the diversity of experiences and contributions of soldiers and immigrants from colonies and non-white backgrounds during and after the World Wars.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word describes the view that colonisation is justifiable because it involves bringing cultural, political and scientific advancement to colonies?
Q2.The expansion of the British Empire allowed Britain access to valuable resources like...
Q3.How did the expansion of empire help Britain?
Q4.Complete the sentence: The British government employed as a tool to gain support for the expansion and maintenance of the Empire.
Q5.What was released in 1887 as part of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee celebrations?
Q6.How did war correspondents portray imperial military campaigns?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word describes a country or area under the control of another country and occupied by settlers from that country?
Q2.Which word describes an international organisation consisting of states which once belonged to the British Empire?
Q3.How many Indian soldiers were awarded medals for thier contributions to World War One (WW1)?
Q4.After WW1 where did many African and Caribbean soldiers settle in Britain?
Q5.The poor experiences of soldiers from British colonies in WW2 fuelled what when many returned home?
Q6.When was the British Nationality Act passed?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The impact of the World Wars on migration to and from Britain, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The impact of the World Wars on migration to and from Britain, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Britain: Migration, empires and the people - c790 to the present day unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.