Migration All

Who were the Anglo-Saxons and how did they settle in England?

In the 1st Century AD, native Britons were conquered by Romans - after Romans left, the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invaded from Europe and conquered southern and eastern England

Native Britons were pushed into Wales, Scotland and Cornwall

Different Anglo-Saxon groups began to integrate and live alongside native britons

These groups created seven states and by late 8th century, they stronger states took control of weaker ones

Describe the Viking raids and the creation of Danelaw

In the late 8th century, vikings began raiding the coast and settling in the North and East

The Danes were defeated by Anglo-Saxon king Alfred

Alfred and the Danes made a treaty that split England in half - The Danes got the north east - known as danelaw

Anglo Saxons took back the Danelaw and created a united kingdom under one king

More vikings attacked in the 11th century and defeated the Anglo-saxons - from 1016 to 1042, Danish kings ruled England. Anglo-saxons took control again in 1042

How did William of Normandy take control of England in 1066?

In 1066, the Anglo-Saxon king Harold was defeated by William of Normandy at the battle of Hastings

William gave lands to Normans who fought for him and Thousands of Norman nobles and followers migrated to England

By 1086, William replaced most Anglo-Saxon nobility with Normans. Most Anglo-Saxon nobles in government were replaced by Normans

Normans only ever made up a small minority of the population - majority were Anglo-Saxon peasants and slaves

What were the primary changes the Normans made to English society?

William built castles (new to England) to keep control - they became centres of local government, tax collection, and law enforcement

Castles provided secure places for trade - some markets moved into castles and Normans spending money locally was good for the economy

Normans spoke a dialect of Old French so many French words were added to Old English - Latin became the written language of the government

Normans founded monasteries, reformed the Church, and rebuilt Anglo-Saxon churches in their own Romanesque style

Peasants paid more taxes and higher rents as Norman lords wanted to make money for their lands

How did the Normans build on existing Anglo-Saxon structures?

William based his government on the organised Anglo-Saxon system and their good tax system

William kept most Anglo-Saxon laws but added:

Trial by combat - Accused criminals could prove innocence by fighting their accuser

Forest Laws - Huge areas of the country were set aside for the king to hunt

Murdrum Fine - if a Norman was murdered and the killer escaped, the whole village had to pay a large fine

Describe the resistance William faced at the start of his reign

King Harold’s sons attacked from the sea in 1068 . In 1069, nobles of Northumbria joined forces with Scots and Danes in a major rebellion

In response to the norther rebellions, William’s army marched through Northern England burning villages, killing people, destroying food and causing famine

Eadric the Wild rebelled in 1067

Hereward the Wake led a rebellion in 1070 - 71

The people of Exeter rebelled over taxes in 1068

In 1075, William crushed the last major rebellion and gained full control of England

Why were Jews invited to England and what was their legal status?

Invited by William I in 1070 because their presence was good for the economy and they established trade links with Normandy

They were under the king’s direct protection and authority so he could impose special taxes on them

They could hold land from the king and had a right to physical protection so harming a Jew was seen as harming the king’s property

Why did Jews become moneylenders and how did this benefit the King?v

Christians weren’t allowed to charge interest when lending moneys - but jews were allowed to offer loans and demand interest from non-jewish people

The king and his nobles could borrow money to fund wars and building projects

Kings realised the prosperity of Jews was a source of income - Richard I taxed them heavily to fund the Third Crusade

Describe the escalation of “Bad feeling” and persecution against Jews from the 12th to 13th century

English people were jealous of Jewish wealth and angry that some had become rich at their expense

Blood Libel (12th century) - Jews were falsely accused of killing Christian children as part of rituals -
in 1255, Jews were killed following such rumours

In 1253 - Henry III put restrictions on mixing. - Jews were ordered to only live in towns where Jews already lived

In 1278 and 1279 - Jews were accused of “coin clipping” (cutting pieces of gold/silver coins) - hundreds were executed

In 1290 - Edward I expelled all Jews from England and took their property

Who were the ‘aliens’ living in England during the Middle Ages?

People born in a foreign country were called ‘aliens’, ‘foreigners’ or ‘strangers’

Most were from other parts of the British Isles (Scotland, Wales, Ireland) or the Low Countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) and France.

Immigrants lived all over the country in towns, port towns, and rural villages

What was ‘denization’?

1370s
A process where ‘aliens’ - foreigners - could become denizens - giving them similar rights to English citizens

They had to give up loyalty to their birth country, pay a fee, and receive a letter of denization

It was mostly accessible to richer immigrants

How did wars and conflicts affect the treatment of foreigners?

Due to tensions between England and Ireland in 1390s, Irish people were ordered to leave unless they bought licenses to stay

Constant war in France led to hostility

in 1377, a ‘leave england’ order was issued for all foreigners

After England lost an ally in the Low Countries - the government became suspicious

Migrants had to take an oath of allegiance - refusal meant forced departure

What were the ‘alien subsidies’ and the resentment behind them?

It was a tax on foreigners introduced between 1440 and 1487

All people in England born in a different country were the target

Cause - English people were jealous of privileges given to foreign traders, especially while the economy struggled and the war with France went badly

Many foreigners avoided the tax, which further angered the English

What were the different reasons Africans migrated to England in the 1500s?

Servants brought by nobles/tradesmen

As trade routes opened, Africans arrived as sailors or workers in merchant households

In 1555, five Africans were brought to learn English to act as interpreters for traders

Between 1585 - 1604, English ships captured Spanish crews that included Africans and brought them to English ports

What was the legal status and professions of Africans?

Africans in England were legally free, not slaves

Some had prestigious roles, such as John Blanke, a black musician/trumpeter for Henry VII and Henry VIII from 1057

While many were servants, others were independent, successful craftsmen

What evidence exists for the integration of Africans into local 16th century communities?

Church records of baptism, marriages, and burials show Africans lived and worked alongside English people

Several were baptised as Christians and buried in English churchyards

Records show Africans had relationships and children with English people

What was the significance of the merchant incident involving Queen Elizabeth I?

1596 - A merchant got permission to take Africans to Spain to exchange for English prisoners

He failed because the Africans’ employers refused to let them be taken

Some argue Elizabeth wanted to 'get rid of Africans, but other say this was a one off deal and the employers’ refusal proves Africans were valued members of their communities

How did the English slave trade compare to the presence of Africans in England in the 1500s?

English merchants began the slave trade in 1562, buying and selling Africans

Most victims were taken to the Americas

Africans within England were legally free during this century

When and how was the East India Company established?

1600, Queen Elizabeth I gave English merchants permission to sail to the Indian Ocean to trade

Wool and silver were traded for spices, cotton, tea and silk

Why did Lascars begin to settle in England?

The monsoon season meant some had to stay in English ports for months before their next journey

The Navigation Acts (1660s) - Charles II passed laws limiting the number of lascar sailors allowed on ships. Some ships abandoned their lascar crews in England as a result

By 1813 - there were around 10,000 lascars living in Britain

Where did Lascar immigrants live and what jobs did they do?

Lived in port towns. Many came from Bengal and Goa

They worked in docks or on ships - some became cooks or ran hostels

Those without jobs lived on the streets and were beggars - In the 1800s, some English women helped by running shelters

What was the cultural impact of Lascar immigrants on Britain?

Curry is believed to have come to Britain in 1700s

The vindaloo even gave its name to an English football anthem in 1998

The first vapour baths opened in the early 1800s, giving Britain the word shampoo

Who were Ayahs and why were they hired by English families in India?

Servants, nurses, and nannies hired in the 18th and 19th centuries

English nurses were scarce in India

Doctors warned English women against breastfeeding their own children due to the warm climate

Company employees were wealthy, making it easy to hire Indian nurses

describe the relationship between Ayahs and the children they cared for

Ayahs often stayed with a family for life, bringing up several generations

English parents were largely absent, so children spent most of their time with Ayahs

Children often became closer to their ayahs than their parents, picking up the Indians’ language or way of life, which caused resentment from parents

Why did Ayahs migrate to England and what happened when they arrived?

They traveled with families when officials were sent elsewhere or returned to England to care for Children on the long sea crossing

They rarely used their own name - instead using the family name

Families often promised a return ticket but abandoned ayahs upon arrival

What social challenges did Ayahs face in Britain?

English families looked down on them, viewing them as inferior and using the offensive term ‘natives’

Most people made little effort to help them

What was the Ayahs’s home and what was their impact on the English language?

1825, The ayahs home was a shelter in London that provided for stranded ayahs, helping them pay for return tickets or find new jobs

Words like mama and papa became part of the language through ayahs

Hindi words like bungalow, chutney and pyjamas also entered the language

How did Britain manage the slave trade in the 17th century?

Ships from British ports went to West Africa, brought slaves, and transported them to America and the Caribbean

Thousands were transported every year

Some were brought to Britain by Empire officers or Farm owners

How did the American Revolution lead to freed slaves coming to Britain?

In 1775, Lord Dunmore, a British governor,, announced that slaves who ran away and joined the British army would be set free - they were called ‘black loyalists’

Thousands fled their owners, and Britain kept their promise and took freed slaves to Jamaica and Britain, mainly London.

Who were the Sons of Africa and how did they help end the slave trade?

A group of former slaves/immigrants who campaigned for abolition in the late 1700s

The slave trade was stopped in 1807 and slavery itself was banned in Britain in 1833

Why were Jews looking for safe refuge in the 1650s?

Jews had been expelled from England In 1290

In 1648, a series of attacks in Eastern Europe killed around 100,000 people, leading many to seek refuge

The Rabbi in 1655 asked Oliver Cromwell to formally allow Jews back into England to find safety

How did the readmission of Jews happen legally?

Cromwell supported the proposal, but a committee failed to agree

In 1656, a group of Jewish refugees took their chances and came anyway and Cromwell welcomed them, giving permission to practice Judaism and build a synagogue

In 1661, Charles II continued Cromwell’s policies and gave Jews his support

What was the economic impact and social treatment of Jewish communities?

Many became successful bankers, money lenders, businessmen - They helped build the City of London into a financial hub

Many Londoners blamed them for poor living conditions and dirty streets

1753 Naturalisation Act - passed to remove barriers for Jews but it was so controversial that it was withdrawn a year later

Why did the Huguenots flee France for Britain?

Huguenots were French protestants and in 1685, King Louis XIV outlawed Protestantism

Most settled around London or small villages on the River thames

They were skilled and wealthy, bringing new methods to the English wool and silk trades, boosting economy

Who were the Palatines and why did they migrate in 1708 - 9 ?

Farmers from Rhineland faced a very cold winter and the threat of invasion by French catholic armies

The foreign protestants naturalisation Act 1709 allowed them to settle in England without restrictions

Why was the Palatine migration considered unpopular compared to the Huguenots?

Unlike the Huguenots, Palatine had few skills other than farming

Londoners saw them as a burden

The government tried to resettle them in Ireland and New York - 1711 the naturalisation act was withdrawn

How did the Industrial Revolution drive migration?

Large factories were built in towns, creating lots of jobs

People moved from the countryside to industrial towns

The 1840s Potato Famine cause mass starvation, forcing thousands of Irish to move to England

Highland Scots faced starvation and eviction by Landlords and Lowland Scots moved during economic depressions

What conditions did internal migrants face in industrial towns?

Most lived in squalid conditions in slums

Worked manual jobs in factories or as nannies

Often disliked for low pay, which undercut English wages

Irish migrants were stereotyped as violent and drunk - facing anti-irish riots

What were the positive outcomes of Irish and Scottish migration during the Industrial Revolution?

High intermarriage rates between Irish and locals suggest successful integration

Many migrants took up important roles in law, acting, medicine

Who were the key immigrant leaders in the Chartist movement

Feargus O’Conner - Irish immigrant who gave speeches in industrial cities

James O’Brien - Irish immigrant who became a main voice of the movement

William Cuffay - son of a former African slave who became a journalist and helped organise the 1839 meeting on Kennington Common

What did the Chartists campaign for and what was the outcomes?

for greater democratic freedoms, such as the vote for all men, secret ballots, and for poorer men to be able to run for election

While their petitions were initially rejected, they inspired later reforms in 1867 and 1884

How did the 1844 Naturalisation Act change the process of becoming a British Citizen?

It made the process simpler and cheaper

Before 1844, becoming a denizen was expensive and complicated

The new act allowed foreigners to gain citizenship more easily

What were the requirements of the 1870 Naturalisation act?

Give job, age and address

Explain why they wanted to become a British citizen.

Have lived in Britain for at least five years

Show they intended to stay in Britain

Swear and oath of allegiance to the crown

Why did thousands of Jews flee Eastern Europe in the late 19th century?

Fled disease, hunger, and persecution in Russia, Poland, and Lithuania

Britain was relatively close and cheap to travel to

What were the working and living conditions of jewish immigrants in British cities?

Worked in clothing industry, often in small “sweatshops” with long hours and low pay

Lived in cramped, poor conditions in East London, Manchester, and Hull, build vibrant communities

What was the 1905 Aliens Act and why was it passed?

Britain placed official restrictions on migration

Sparked by backlash from politicians and the ‘British Brothers’ League"“ who used Jews as scapegoats for poor housing and unemployment

What power did the 1905 Aliens act give the government?

Allowed government to stop immigrants considered ‘undesirable’ which often meant poor and disabled people

Set up immigration boards to decide who could settle and who couldn’t

How did Port Communities grow in the early 20th century?

Ports like London, Liverpool, Cardiff and Hull saw growth in ‘chinatowns’ and communities of immigrants - south asian, African, Caribbean

What was the status of Aliens Act 1914?

A law introduced to deter British women from from marrying immigrants

A British woman would automatically lose her British nationality if she married a foreign man

What was the Kindertransport?

A program that brought around 10,000 unaccompanied Jewish children to Britain on temporary visas - were taken to foster homes (1938 - 39)

How did British attitudes toward Jewish refugees change after Kristallnacht ()?

British public opinion shifted due to extreme anti-semitic violence in Germany. The government relaxed restrictions for some refugees 1938

Who were the BUF and how did they react to Jewish refugees?

British Union of Fascists - held anti-semitic views similar to the Nazis and tried to march through Jewish communities

How were German immigrants treated during World War I

Alien Restriction Act 1914 - passed the day after war was declared - immigrants had to register with police

The government was given power to confiscate German-owned businesses

Germans were accused of being unpatriotic or spies - shops were ransacked and people were assaulted

In 1915 - the government began taking German men away to prisoner of war camps

What was the HMT Dunera incident during WWII

In 1940, Britain feared ‘enemy aliens’ were spied

Thousands of Germans and Italians were arrested

Around 2700 people were sent to camps in Australia on the HMT Dunera

The ship had awful conditions - Passengers were put in rooms with little air, no facilities to was and some were assaulted by crew members

The horrors forced the government to rethink - many were released by 1941

Why did polish people migrate to Britain after WWII

After the 1939 invasion, many Polish soldiers joined the British army

At the end of the war, Poland fell under the soviet union’s sphere of influence - many felt they couldn’t return

The polish resettlement Act 1947 enabled 120,000 Polish troops to settle in Britain

How were Polish communities received in Britain?

They integrated very quickly and marriages between Poles and British people were very common

There was some resistance from trade unions who feared Poles would take jobs

They were largely welcomed with no riots or major attacks reported

What was the British nationality Act? 1900s

1948 - Gave British citizenship to all people living in British colonies and the common wealth - allowing them to enter Britain for free

What were the different experiences of Commonwealth citizens?

Commonwealth migrants came since Britain needed more people to work after World War 2
West Indians - many settled in London. they often faced dirty and overcrowded housing and racial abuse

Indians/Pakistanis - Many worked in factories and transport - faced racism, set up their own community banking religious centres

Kenyan/Ugandan Asians - Fled persecution in 60s and 70s. British government initially tried to resist them, but charities helped them settle

Describe the impact of the 1958 Race Riots and the 1962 Immigrants Act

Violent attacks by white gangs on West Indian immigrants in Notting Hill

In 1962, the government introduced a law to control the number of immigrants by requiring a ‘work voucher’

It was criticised for being based on violence and racial discrimination

What were the Race relations acts?

(1965 and 68) - Laws were introduced to tackle racism by outlawing racial discrimination

In 1968, the race relations board’s power were extended to cover housing and employment

Who were the national front and how did people oppose them?

Believed only white people should be able to migrate to Britain

Groups like the Anti nazi league and the Campaign against racism and fascism formed to protest

The battle of Lewisham 1977 - violent clashes between the NF and anti-racist protesters

How did Thatcher’s 1981 British Nationality Act change citizenship?

1981 - Created three levels of citizenship

Restricted automatic right to live and work in Britain to those who were already British citizens or had specific ties

What is the debate surrounding “multi-cultural society’?

Many see it as encouraging tolerance and understanding between different cultures

Some worry Britain might ‘lose its own identity’ or that communities have become too ‘segregated’

What challenges do Asylum seekers face in Modern Britain?

Since the 1980s, people have fled conflict

They are often housed in poor accommodations or detention centres

Campaigners have criticised their ‘poor living conditions’

What is the debate regarding European migration?

EU citizens have the right to live and work anywhere in the EU

Supporters argue immigrants help the economy and fill job gaps

Critics argue the ‘open borders’ put a burden on Britain’s health, education, and welfare systems

Normans (medieval) - Why they moved and initial reception

Following the Battle of Hastings (1066), William of Normandy took the throne.

Thousands of Norman nobles, knights, and clergy migrated to claim land and administrative power.

Hostile reception

They faced major rebellions in Exeter (1068), Northumbria (1069), and the Fens (Hereward the Wake 1070).

William crushed resistance with the "Harrying of the North," salted the earth, and burned crops, leading to a famine that killed thousands.

Normans (medieval) - Experience and Social Control

Lived as a fortified minority

They used Old French for speed and Latin for administration

William kept most Anglo-Saxon laws but added Trial by Combat and the Murdrum Fine (if a Norman was murdered and the killer wasn’t caught, the entire local village area had to pay a massive fine)

Build over 500 stone castles to serve as military hubs and symbols of permanent occupation

Normans (Medieval) - Impact and Relationship with the World

Replaced 95% of Anglo-Saxon nobility by 1086. Introduced the Feudal system and Romanesque architecture

Jewish migrants (medieval) - Why they moved and status

Were specifically invited by William I in 1070 from Rouen, France.

He need their capital and international trade links to stabilise the economy

They were “Wards of the King'“ - meaning they were the King’s personal property.

He provided physical protection however the public resented them as “foreigners” with special royal privileges

Jews could give loans and demand interest - prosperous

Were very heavily taxed due to their prosperity - used to fund the crusades

Jewish migrants (Medieval) - Experiences and Persecution

Resentment from the public due to their growing prosperity - They faced “Blood Libel” - the false 1144 claim in Norwich that Jews murdered Christian children for rituals

The 1253 Statue of Jewry forced them to live only in towns with existing Jewish communities and mandated the wearing of yellow felt badges on their outer clothing

Massacres occurred at Richard I’d coronation in 1189 and at Clifford’s Tower in York (1190), where 150 Jews committed suicide to avoid a murderous mob

Jewish migrants (medieval) - Impact and Relationship with the world

Funded the construction of Lincoln and Westminster Cathedrals and major royal wars

Edward I expelled all Jews in 1290 to seize their assets and cancel his own debts

This isolated Britain from certain European Jewish trade networks and led to a reliance on Italian bankers

Lombard Bankers - Medieval - Why they moved

Moved from Northern Italy to fill the financial vacuum left by the 1290 Jewish expulsion

They came to manage the Pope’s tax collections and provide credit from the booming wool trade

Lombard Bankers - Medieval - Reception and Experiences

Favoured by the King and the Church, who gave them tax exemptions and residency rights

They lived in London’s financial heart (Lombard Street)

During the Peasants’ Revolt (1381), Italian houses and records were targeted by rebels who blamed them fro the country’s financial misery

Lombard Bankers - Medieval - Impact and Relationship with the World

Revolutionised English finance by introducing double-entry bookkeeping, “bills of exchange”, and maritime insurance

Linked England directly the the mediterranean’s sophisticated commercial networks, making London a major European financial hub

Flemish - Medieval - Why they moved

Henry III invited Flemish migrants to England and
Edward III issued a royal proclamation in 1331 protecting Flemish weavers that settled in England to teach local high-end cloth-making.

Others fled the constant Hundred Years’ War battles in Flanders

Flemish - Medieval - Reception and Experiences

Protected y the Crown but hated by English craft guilds

In the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt, rebels used a shibboleth - they asked people to say “bread and cheese”

If the person had a Flemish accent, they were executed on the spot

They settled in wool towns like Lavenham and Worstead

They brought secrets of dyeing and fulling wool that the English lacked

Flemish - Medieval - Impact and Relationship with the world

They transformed England from an exporter of raw wool into a world-leader in finished cloth - This became England’s primary export for over 400 years

Allowed England to break the monopoly. of the Low Countries, making the English economy a dominant force in Northern Europe

Hanseatic League - Medieval - Why they moved

A powerful alliance of North German merchants (from cities like Hamburg) who established da permanent base in London to dominate the trade of timber, grain, wax, and furs

Hanseatic League - Medieval - Reception and experiences

They had tax-free status and their own courts, which infuriated London’s Lord Mayor and local traders

Lived in the Steelyard, a fortified warehouse complex on the Thames

They lived under monastic rules - no wives allowed, strictly enforced curfews, and communal living to keep them separate from the English

Hanseatic League - Medieval - Impact and Relationship with the world

Provided the raw materials (timber and hemp) required to build the Royal Navy. They were a vital source of custom duties for the King

Integrated England into the Baltic and Russian trade routes, ensuring a steady supply of northern resources

Huguenots - Early modern - Why they moved

French protestants fleeing extreme religious persecution, including the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre and the 1685 Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which made Protestantism a crime in France

Huguenots - Early modern - Reception and Experiences

The government as very welcoming - Charles II granted them “denization” - limited citizenship

English weavers in Spitalfields rioted against them, claiming they worked fr lower wages and used “foreign” machinery

Around 50,000 arrived

They were often middle-class and brought 4 million in investment capital

They were famous for their work in silk-weaving, silversmithing, and watchmaking

Huguenots - Early modern - Impact and Relationship with the World

Transformed Spitalfields into a global silk centre.

They helped found the Bank of England (1694) and provided 10% of the officers in the British Army during the Wars against France

Helped Britain overtake France as the world’s leading industrial power

African Migrants - Early modern - Why they moved

Some arrived as free sailors or musicians (like John Blanke, a trumpeter to Henry VII)

However, by the late 1600s, most were brought forcibly as domestic servants or “luxury slaves” by merchants in the Royal African Company

African Migrants - Early modern - Reception and Experiences

In the Tudor era, they were often accepted and could earn wages

By the 1700s, as the slave trade grew, they were increasingly viewed as status symbols

Wealthy families often gave African servants “classical” names and dressed them in turbans and silver collars to show off Wealth

Free Africans like Olaudah Equiano ( who published an autobiography in the 1700s) fought for abolition

African Migrants - Early modern - Impact and Relationship with the World

Enslaved labor int eh Caribbean created the wealth that built Liverpool, Bristol, and London

Tied Britain to the Triangular trade

Asian Migrants - Early modern - Why they moved.

Brought to Britain via the East India Company

Lascar sailors were hired to fill crews when British sailors died

Ayahs (nannies) were hired by British families to care for children on the long voyage from India to London

Asian Migrants - Early modern - Reception and Experiences

Treated as disposable labor.

The EIC often refused to pay for the Lascars’ food or housing once they reached London, leading many to living in destitute conditions in the East End

Lascars were paid a fraction of white sailors’ wages

Ayahs were often abandoned once the ship docked - this led to the opening of the Ayahs’ home in Hackney to prevent them from becoming homeless

Asian Migrants - Early Modern - Impact and Relationship with the World

tHeir labor made the EIC the most powerful company in history

They introduced Indian spices and curry to the British diet and formed the first permanent South Asian communities in Britain

Gypsies - Early modern - Why they moved

Migrated from Northern India through Europe, reaching Britain in the early 1500s

They were nomadic groups working as horse dealers, metalworkers, and entertainers

Gypsies - early modern - reception and experiences

Met with extreme state violence

The Egyptians act (1530s) expelled them, and a 1554 Law under Mary I made being a Gypsy a death penalty offence

Faced constant push from local parishes who viewed them as a threat

They were often whipped, had their ears branded, or were forcibly deported dot work in the American colonies

Gypsies - Early modern - Impact and Relationship with the World

Provided essential seasonal labor for English harvests and enriched folk music and horse-breeding traditions

Had no foreign king to protect them - most legally persecuted groups in British history

Palatines - Early modern - Why they moved

In 1709, 13,000 refugees fled the Palatinate due to war, famine, and a winter so cold the rivers froze

They were encouraged but he 1709 Foreign Protestants naturalisation Act, which promised them an open door

Palatines - Early modern - Reception and Experiences

Initially Londoners donated 50,000 pounds as they were sympathetic (Palatines were protestants)

But as thousands settled in tents on Blackheath, locals rioted, fearing the Palatines would take jobs and lower wages

They were poor farmers rather than skilled craftsmen, making them hard to integrate

The government eventually spent massive sums to move them elsewhere

Palatines - Early modern - Impact and Relationship with the World

Led to the 1711 repeal of the Naturalisation Act, ending easy migration for a century

3000 were sent to Ireland to increase the protestant population there, while thousands more were sent to New York to work in the colonial timber industry