Migration to 18th and 19th century Britain
I can explain the reasons for, and the experiences and impacts of, migration to Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Migration to 18th and 19th century Britain
I can explain the reasons for, and the experiences and impacts of, migration to Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The Industrial Revolution, expansion of empire and increasing civil liberties in Britain led to increasing migration.
- Migrant experiences varied, but depended largely how much they could contribute to the economy.
- Migrants had the most significant impact on the economy, politics and built environment.
Keywords
Lascar - a sailor, usually from Britain’s colonies across Africa and Asia
Ayah - a nurse, maid or nanny who is usually of Indian descent
Civil liberties - a person’s right to be subject to laws that are only for the good of the community
Refugee - a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or natural disaster
Common misconception
All migrants in the 18th and 19th centuries migrated for economic reasons and led successful lives in Britain as a result.
Although most migrants settled for economic reasons, the expansion of the British Empire and greater civil liberties also attracted a greater number of migrants in this period.
To help you plan your year 10 history lesson on: Migration to 18th and 19th century Britain, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 history lesson on: Migration to 18th and 19th century 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.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Migrants in Britain, c800–present unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Complete the sentence: Antisemitism exploded into violent after the assassination of the Russian Tsar, Alexander II, in 1881.
Q2.Why did many Jewish migrants choose to settle in Britain in the 19th century?
Q3.Complete the sentence: Many unskilled Jewish migrants who settled in the East End worked in as cloth makers, shoemakers and furniture makers.
Q4.How much support did the Board for the Guardians for the Relief of the Jewish Poor provide Jewish migrants with in 1908?
Q5.How were Jewish migrants perceived by many English workers in the East End?
Q6.Which of the following are examples of the ways in which Jewish migrants impacted the built environment of the East End?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word describes a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or natural disaster?
Q2.Complete the sentence: The Industrial Revolution, expansion of the British Empire and increasing in Britain led to increasing migration in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Q3.Why did the verdict of the 1772 Somerset case lead to increased migration?
Q4.Which group of European migrants came with the newly crowned King George I to Britain in 1714?
Q5.Which group of migrants came from wealthier backgrounds but had largely negative experiences in Britain?
Q6.Match the example to the migrant impact on Britain.
Dadabhai Naoroji became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1892
Irish navvies’ contribution to the building of railways and canals
the establishment of Russian vapour baths in the East End
petitioning by the Irish community led to the 1829 Emancipation Act
by 1750 there were over 80 German-owned sugar refineries in Britain
a German hospital was opened in Hackney in London in 1845