GCSE History- Migration

When was the Norman invasion?

1066

Why did the Normans invade England?

William decided to make his claim to the kingdom of England so Norman invaders came to take control of England.

He had some blood relation to the dead king, Edward the Confessor and he claimed that Edward had promised him the succession before he died.

King Edward the Confessor had several links with Normandy- he had lived in Normandy for 25 years and his other was a Norman. He also appointed a Norman as the Archbishop of Cantebury.

There was a power struggle between Normans and Anglo-Danish lords during Edward's reign and after his death- Harold Godwinson and William of Normandy claimed the English throne. William defeated Harold at Hastings.

What changes did the Normans make to land ownership?

William seized the land from Anglo-Danish lords and gave it to his Norman lords. This took power away from the original Anglo-Saxon landowners.

William set up the Domesday survey in 1085 to record who owned land, what it was worth and who lived on it so that William could see if he could take any land for profit.

What changes did the Normans make to daily life?

For many people in England, life did not change very much.

Most people still had few rights and little or no land of their own.

Around 70% of people were serfs, forced to work on the land and in constant conflict with the local landholders and the law.

What changes did the Normans make to law and order?

Normans took control of tax and justice systems, although they did not change much.

He developed the feudal system to make sure that the barons were loyal to the king, and this created a ruling class in England. This system remained in force for hundreds of years.

They imposed the punishment that is a Norman was killed then there would be a collective fine imposed on the whole community unless the murderer was caught within five days- murdrum fine.

Normans abolished slavery after the Domesday Survery which had shown that about 10% of people were slaves.

What changes did the Normans make to religion?

William took control of the Church, replacing Anglo-Danish bishops with Norman ones.

They build many abbeys to show religion but also to show their wealth and power.

What changes did the Normans make to names?

The Normans introduced the system of surnames to show people's occupations or where they had migrated from.

French names- William, Richard, Robert- became popular

What changes did the Normans make to language?

They introduced a new language, a dialect of Old French, although for some time only the conquerors would have understood it.

The language for the rulers and for the ruled were different.

French was associated with the upper class as it was more fashionable to speak French and peasants were associated with Anglo-Saxon English.

Many French words were introduced into the language, so there were different words for the same thing which is why English has so many synonyms.

Were there any examples of resistance to the Norman invasion?

Some of the Anglo-Danish nobles, helped by the Danish king were involved in an unsuccessful invasion in 1069. King William I put a stop to these rebellions quickly in 1069 through the harrying of the North. During this time, he completely laid waste to the North, destroying the entire landscape in order to suppress the rebellions.

Another example of English resistance to Norman control is the rebellion of the 'green men' which continued even after the harrying of the North. They used guerrilla tactics, especially in the Isle of Ely and killed many Norman people. It became so dangerous for Normans that King William had to introduce the murdrum fine, meaning that in the even of a murder of a Norman, the surrounding villages would be fined unless they were able to provide proof for the person murdered being English or the finding out who the murderer was.

What changes did the Normans make to terrorize people in England?

William's armies laid waste to North England where there was a rebellion. This was called the harrying of the North. Entire villages were razed and their inhabitants killed, livestock slaughtered and stores of food destroyed. He organised this to end the constant rebellions in the North.

Motte and Bailey castles were build to intimidate the local community and militarise England- these overlooked Anglo-Danish villages, intimidating the English citizens.

When and why did the Jews come to England?

Started coming in 1066 - were invited by King William as most Jews were literate and able to do accounts. Also it was forbidden in Christianity to loan money with interest, so most Jews were made to be moneylenders.

How were they treated by kings?

At first, they were given protection of the crown - they were invited by the king and in 1100, Henry I issues a Charter of Liberties. This meant that Jews could have access to castles if they were in danger.

However, after the coronation of the crusader king Richard I, violence and hostility against Jews rose and a spirit of religious intolerance was fostered.

In 1275, Edward I introduces a law prohibiting Jews from collecting interest - they became very poor. In 1290, Edward I issues an Edict of Expulsion forcing all Jews out of the country as they are no longer a source of revenue because Edward I has taxed the community and restricted their trading so heavily, they have become economically helpless.

How were Jews treated by other people?

They initially had extra protection from the crown, so were seen as 'others', especially since at the time the English public did not like the Norman invaders.

They were also moneylenders, and had to charge loans with very high rates of interest because the Jewish community was taxed so heavily and they needed to earn some money. So many people did not want to pay back the money with interest and so disliked them, the government especially.

In 1095, the Christians fought the Crusades - Jews were labelled as non-believers - religious hysteria against the Jews was fostered - death of Jesus was also blamed on Jews.

In 1144, a boy was murdered and was hailed as a martyr, which incited attacks against the Jewish community - a monk wrote a book with "insider knowledge" claiming that the Jews performed 'Blood Libels', where it was said that the Jews would use the blood of children they murdered for Passover

The church + government encouraged this negative propaganda, perhaps partially because they didn't want to repay the money

1190 - Clifford's Tower Massacre - Barons who did not want to pay back debts to Jews stirred people against them, so their families fled to the castle. They were surrounded by a mob, calling them to convert or be burnt alive - mass suicide took place.

What were the 'Blood Libels'?

Jews were accused of murdering Christian children and then use the blood to bake bread for Passover - used as justification for violence against Jews

Why were the Jews expelled from England?

In 1275, Edward I first prohibited Jews from charging interest. Then, when many became very poor and resorted to clipping coins and melting the metal for money, Edward I imprisons many of them (for coin clipping) and 293 were executed.

The Jews become economically helpless, and are no longer a useful source of revenue for the king, and so Edward issues an Edict of Expulsion in 1290.

What methods were used to persecute Jewish people?

-Violence

-Expulsion (from the country) - 3000 Jews forced to take boats to Europe - ethnic cleansing

-Separation from society

-Legal changes - forced wearing of the tabula - a distinguishing mark in 1218

-Economic sanctions - Jewish community heavily taxed

-"Encouraged" to convert to Christianity

When and why did the Flemish migrate to England?

First wave - early 12th century - fleeing a storm affecting the coast of Flanders - offered protection by Henry I and resettled in south west Wales.

Second wave - late 13th century - arriving due to effects of war across the Low countries but also the attraction of jobs and good wages - encouraged by Edward III (in the 14th century)- given protection of the crown.

Third wave - 15th century - Flemish weavers were in demand

What was the impact of Flemish migrants? What did they do?

Taught their way of making beer

Taught their way of bricklaying so their styles influenced house construction.

Most significant occupation was Flemish weavers, who were very skilled at working with cloth and even silk. Cloth production rose rapidly across the late Medieval period. England was producing its own cloth and was also exporting the cloth. This brought prosperity and business for others within the country- more work was created for sheep shearers, fullers (people who cleaned wool) and dyers.

Helped move England from a primary economy to a secondary manufacturing economy- they were the main source of wealth for several hundred years to come.

How were the Flemish migrants treated?

By the 1370s the Flemish were seen as abusing their special privileges from the crown and enjoying unfair economic advantages over the English workers.

They were also seen by some English workers as threatening their jobs.

From 1337, people had to be discouraged from making attacks on Flemings who had used this royal protection. A belief was accepted by many people that they open invitation to settle in England was attracting a criminal element and making trouble for the English.

It is said that some rebels of 1381, in seeking out the Flemings, attacked anyone who could not say 'bread and cheese' in English.

In 1440, a tax was introduced that was expected to be paid by all non-native-born people residing in England, showing how even the government may have viewed the Flemings as threats.

What was the Hanseatic League?

Group of merchants formed in Germany that dominated trade between Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea - traded items like fur, timber, honey, wheat and rye. Their main base was in London.

Why did the Hanseatic League migrate?

In 1157 they were licensed by King Henry II to trade, and they were also free from tolls and customs, and could freely trade at fairs

In 1252, King Henry III chartered more merchants, who became the most powerful Hanseatic colony

They emerged during the reign of Edward I, who granted the League a Merchant's charter in 1303, giving it certain tax and customs privileges

In 1474, King Edward IV continued to allow these privileges in return for their support in the Wars of the Roses and also gave them property rights to the Steelyard.

They wanted to make lots of money and turn the City of London into a world financial centre.

Were the Hanseatic League welcomed into England?

They were welcomed by the kings, as they were merchants and able to trade foreign goods with them.

They had many privileges - did not have to pay tolls/customs, were exempt from customs duties, free from arrest and later received property rights to the Steelyard in return for financial favours.

Example: Edward III pawned his crown jewels in the Hanseatic City between 1339 and 1340 to fund the early stages of the Hundred Years' War. In return, the king granted the Hansa privileges including concessions in many of the Cornish tin mines.

The privileges the merchants enjoyed caused lots of resentment from the public. English merchants who were threatened by the Hansa pressured the monarchy to revoke these privileges. In 1517, there were a series of riots against foreigners, especially the merchants called 'Evil May Day'. Attacks were incited by many poor Londoners who felt that immigrants were making money at their expense. The Steelyard was also attacked multiple times (e.g. during the 1381 Great Rebellion). Even the government was fearful that Hanseatic dominance of shipping was threatening England's emerging maritime prowess. In 1598, Queen Elizabeth I issued an edict, expelling the German merchants from England, and in 1598 the Steelyard was closed.

However they were not integrated into society - they were not governed by English law, but by the law of the countries they came from. They also lived in their own contained area - which needed a password to enter and had many facilities.

What was the impact of the Hanseatic League?

The city of London became an important centre of trade.

The merchants connected England to Northern Europe and the Baltic.

They dominated England's cloth export trade.

They brought goods and luxuries imported from countries far away.

They were associated with gentry - they were wealthy and exuded status. They even had portraits painted by Hans Holbein (who painted the monarchy), as the merchants gave Holbein many important commissions.

What was meant by the term, 'alien'?

Refers to someone born in a foreign country outside the king's realm.

What was the Letter of Denization?

By receiving a letter of denization from the king, someone's status as an 'alien' could be negotiated and someone born overseas could become 'pure English'.

The Middle Ages/Medieval.

1000-1500

Why did the Lombard merchants arrive?

The Jews were originally acting as moneylenders but anti-semitic resentment, increased taxes and decreased royal protection resulted in the expulsion of the Jews in 1290 by Edward I. As the Jews were being persecuted, attention turned towards wealthy Italian merchants from the trading ports of Northern Italy.

They saw an opportunity to make a profit in England's growing wool trade. The Italian merchants arrived at a time when England was changing from a feudal community (all its wealth in its land) to a commercial society based on exports and driving profit.

The new arrivals had in 1265 been granted special dispensation by the Pope to charge interest on loans, avoiding usury. This meant that the Lombard merchants were able to lend large sums of money to the crown and companies and also open up their own banking offices.

What was the impact of the Lombard merchants?

Banking dynasties from Florence such as the Bardis and the Corsinis grew very wealthy in 13/14th century London. They were also helped by the crown offering them letters of protection and special financial privileges.

Lombard money helped to finance King Edward I's military campaign in Wales and King Edward III's forces in the Hundred Years War, benefiting the crown and the bankers.

They helped to created the beginnings of London becoming the international financial hub it is today, as the money they invested encouraged trade.

The vocabulary of these migrants has left us with the words cash, debtor, creditor and ledger.

How do we know about the existence England's medieval immigrants?

We know about the foreign-born inhabitants of England because governments imposed taxes called alien subsidies on those who were born outside the king's realm. From these tax records we know the names of most immigrants, their occupations and where they came from.

What were some Islamic influences on culture and ideas?

New types of food, music and musical instruments as well as games such as chess were introduced to Europe from the Islamic world.

A wide range of skills also came from the Muslims, including irrigation, optics, navigation.

Educational centres were established in Muslim Spain and in areas reconquered by Christians. English scientists and translators traveled to these centres to learn the latest ideas.

Muslim scholars had translated the work of Aristotle and had then made their own contributions to the knowledge.

Many English words are derived from Arabic, including algebra, zero, cotton and alcohol.

What was the impact of these Islamic influences?

Muslim texts on mathematics, astronomy, medicine and physics had a major impact on the European medieval world and in the renaissance. Some were still in use as late as the seventeenth century. They helped create the conditions for the emergence of modern science.

Tudor England.

1500- 1603

Why did Africans come to England?

Some Africans came to England with Catherine of Aragon.

Others may have came later as refugees, after an unsuccessful rebellion against Spanish rule in 1568.

England's economy was growing due to trade, some of which was with North Africa, so some Africans followed trades.

What evidence do we have that Africans lived in Tudor England?

John Blanke is the only Black Tudor we have an identifiable image of as he appears twice in the Westminster Tournament Roll. He was a trumpeter in the royal courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII. He may have come to England with Catherine of Aragon in 1501 when she married her first husband, Prince Arthur Blanke successfully argued for a pay rise, and when he married in 1512 the king gave him a wedding present of a gown of violet cloth, a bonnet and a hat.

We have evidence that Africans lived in Tudor England because of parish records of births, marriages and deaths. Anne Vause was married to a trumpeter called Anthonie. Fraunces Negro worked for the queen and according to tax records, he was paid more than his white fellow workers.

What evidence do we have that Africans were accepted in Tudor England?

John Blanke successfully petitioned for a pay rise and even received a wedding present from the king, showing how he was respected and valued.

When a German merchant asked Elizabeth I for some Africans to sell into enslavement so that he could sell them for a very high price, the order was drafted, but never issued.

Court records show that Black people had the right to a voice and equal respect under the law. In 1547 Jacques Francis was one of the divers salvaging from the wreck of the Mary Rose. He gave evidence in court supporting his Italian employer when he was accused of theft. His rights were upheld in court.

In 1579, an African who refused to serve his employer won his case in court.

Once in England, Africans could not be legally enslaved- treated fairly.

They were accepted into society, Africans got baptised, married and buried alongside the rest of the population. They inter-married with the local population.

What evidence do we have that Africans were not accepted in Tudor England?

Some historians believe that Africans in Tudor England had a very low status as they were usually employed by other people and most were a part of the working-poor majority.

Many believed that they had the right to sell enslaved Africans.

Some lawyers argued that the testimoney Jaques Francis gave should be banned, due to his 'slave status'

Give examples of the lives led by different Africans in Tudor England.

Reasonable Blackman, the silk weaver- he lived in Southwark around 1579-1592 and had probably arrived from the Netherlands. He made an independent living as a silk weaver as the silk industry in England was becoming more popular. He had at least three children, but lost two to the plague in 1592.

Diego, the circumnavigator- he asked to be taken aboard Sir Francis Drake's ship in Panama in 1572. Diego and Drake circumnavigated the globe in 1577, claiming California for the crown in 1579.

Mary Fillis, servant- The daughter of Fillis of Morisco, a Moroccan basket weaver and shovel-maker, Mary came to London around 1583-4 and became a servant to a merchant. Later she worked for a seamstress from East Smithfield.

John Blanke

Jacques Francis

Early Modern Period.

1500- 1730

Why did Protestants migrate to England?

Henry VIII kick-started the Reformation in England in the 1530s.

This caused England, which was originally Catholic, to become the only secure Protestant power in Europe and so European Protestants sought safety here.

Protestants arrived from Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium as authorities in those countries persecuted them.

Give examples of Protestants being persecuted.

1560s- Walloons came from Belgium which was ruled by Catholic Spain under the rule of Duke of Alba. Walloons who opposed Spanish rule were persecuted.

1570s- over 10,000 Huguenots were murdered in France in the Massacre of St Bartholomew's Day.

1680s- the French king Louis XIV overturned a previous king's promise to protect Protestants. He banned their services, destroyed their churches and forced them to become Catholics. As a result, many more Huguenots migrated to safety in England.

How were the Huguenots welcomed to England?

The English media was full of stories of horrible things French Catholics did to Huguenots, to make the English to feel sympathy towards the migrants. Some were writing petitions to to accept the Huguenots as it would be good for the economy.

The Church collections raised money and food kitchens were set up for the refugees, who started to settle in London and the south.

They were welcomed by English authorities because they were Protestant and because France and Spain were enemy powers.

The immigrants in Canterbury were even allowed their own church.

Were there negative attitudes towards the Huguenot refugees?

The Huguenots risked beating during frequent anti-foreigner riots by poorer English people, who felt threatened by them and were angry that they were receiving special privileges. The English people were also worried about the competition for jobs.

What impact did the Huguenots have on England?

The refugees were skilled workers and entrepreneurs who played an important role in helping England move from an agricultural to an industrial economy.

By 1595, there were more than 3000 immigrants in Canterbury, weaving woollen and silk cloth on 800 looms

Hueguenot craftsmen often brought new trades, such as feather-work and the making of fans, girdles, needles, soap and vinegar.

Huguenot spinners, weavers and wood-carvers boosted trade across the south of England. They transformed the trade in silk cloth, increasing production so rapidly that England became a net exporter, where the value of its exports was greater than its imports.

Huguenot skills, money and hardwork set Britain on the path to becoming a world power. They played a key role in the development of a capitalist economy.When the Bank of England was founded in 1694, 10% of its capital investment came from Huguenot entrepreneurs and there were seven Huguenots on its board of directors.

Why did the government pass the Foreign Protestants Naturalisation Act?

1709

It allowed all European Protestants to come and live in England with full rights at the cost of only one shilling.

The idea was to attract wealthy entrepreneurs and skilled craftspeople from France and Holland.

Why did the Rhineland Palatines emigrate to England?

1709

The Rhineland Palatines were poor farmers suffering from bad harvests, a terrible winter, decades of war and landlords forcing them to become Catholics. Some were also suffering from religious persecution.

They were attracted to Britain because it was a Protestant country that was free from war and knew that Britain had also offered a place of safety for the Huguenots. The Palatines' main incentive to migrate to Britain was to avoid danger and persecution, rather than employment.

Why were the Palatines not the immigrants the government wanted to attract?

The Palatines decided on mass emigration to Britain. However, unlike the Huguenots, they had no money or ruling class-support as they were not the immigrants the British government was trying to attract. they were starving diseased and weak. Many children and elderly could not work or provide for themselves. Several thousand ended up in the world's first refugee camp on Blackheath.

Were there any positive interactions with the Palatines?

To begin with, they were treated kindly. Money was raised to help them and the government tried to disperse them around the country in small groups.

Were there negative attitudes towards the Palatines?

Soon after the Palatines were denounced as a threat as people were concerned that they would take their jobs. They were also seen as a drain on resources. Although some found work in the military or building canals, most were unemployed. There were health concerns and the cities' charities were overwhelmed. Many of these immigrants were Catholics- some Palatines in Kent were stoned by a mob.

How did the government get rid of the Palatines?

The government came up with a deportation programme to Ireland. However, this did not turn out well as they were given poor-quality land, unable to sustain the community and they were hated by the Catholic majority in Ireland. Many Palatines drifted back to the Rhineland.

In April 1710, 3000 of them set off for New York. Some died on the voyage, while many of those who did reach America were struck down by typhoid or killed by mobs.

In 1712, the Foreign Protestants Naturalisation Act was repealed which meant that Britain no longer had an 'open border' policy for European migrants, especially for those who were not economically useful.

Why did the Romani people migrate to England?

They had a nomadic lifestyle and had been moving around Europe for decades as borders were porous during the time. They came and went, living alongside the settled population and working with them as farmworkers and entertainers.

They migrated in regions in/around the Ottoman empire as it did not persecute them.

Anti Roma laws and practices were common across Central and Southern Europe in 15th and 16th century. E.g. in Spain during the Reconquista (from 1492) Romani communities were targeted as a group to be made into Christians or expelled from Spain.

Experience and impact of the Romani gypsies

Experience:

People had generally negative opinions of them - believed to have 'deceived' people and committed crimes.

They were originally allowed into the countries, but in 1530, Henry VIII ordered the expulsion of Gypsies from England.

In 1554, Mary I made it a crime punishable by the death penalty to be a Romani immigrant (many people also hanged for just associating with them).

In the 1650s, there were forced transportations of Gypsies to North America and the Caribbean.

Impact:

Some words derived from Roma language integrated into English

They contributed to the cultural life through music, acting, boxing, travelling theatres...

They developed skills that could be taken to different parts of the country/occupations that needed moving around (e.g seasonal work like agricultural farmers during harvest).

Why did Jews migrate again to England? What impact did they have?

Although Jews were expelled from England, in 1290, some may have stayed and converted to Christianity while others practised their faith secretly, under false identities.

In 1655, a rabbi from Amsterdam, Menasseh Ben Israel was horrified by the massacre of Jews in Ukraine so he travelled to London to persuade the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell to offer them asylum. Cromwell agreed that Jews could come to England and would be allowed to practice their religion.

The first Jews arrived quietly in 1656, settled mainly in the City of London and established a synagogue. Synagogues were built where there were large enough Jewish communities. Some families settled in London, Hull, Plymouth , Portsmouth and Liverpool.

How were the Jews treated when they returned?

A few Jews were able to settle quite easily, suggesting that attitudes towards people with different customs and beliefs had changed after the Reformation and the Civil War.

This may be because some believed that Cromwell's assertion that the 'Second Coming' of Jesus would only take place if there were Jewish people in England.

Cromwell may have also believed that Jewish merchants would help the economy, hence why they were welcomed into England.

However, Jewish people still experience discrimination. E.g. not until 1858 were Jews allowed to sit in Parliament as MPs.

What is emigration?

The act of leaving one's own country to settle permanently in another.

Non-conformist

Describes all Protestants who did not follow the CofE's brand of Protestantism (Anglicanism). They did not conform to the doctrine or practices of CofE. Can also be called dissenters.

How were Catholics persecuted in the Early Modern Period?

Reformation happened - those who didn't support CofE seen as threats to the state/social order

1559 Act of Uniformity - Elizabeth made Protestantism England's official religion. Retained some Catholic practices, hoping that this would be a good compromise and appease Catholics. However, those who refused to attend Church of England services were forced to pay a fine for not attending church on Sundays or holy days.

1559 Act of Supremacy - Elizabeth was made Supreme Governor of the Church - denying Elizabeth's position was treason

1581 Act to Retain - Catholics who refused to attend services in a Protestant church were forced to pay an increased fine of £20 per month. Anyone who persuaded someone to convert to Catholicism was treasonous and could be put to death.

1660 Restoration of the Monarchy - Charles II crowned king after 11 years of England being a republic - sought to enforce Anglicanism again within England

1662 Act of Uniformity - Reimposed Anglican Protestantism as the religion of the state - reinstated the terms of the 1559 act

1672 Test and Corporation Act - Holders of public office (teachers, MPs, clergy...) had to swear an oath upholding position of monarch as head of CofE. If you didn't you could lose your civil rights. Attending Catholic worship/non conformist religious meetings was illegal and punishable by fine/imprisonment.

1698 Popery Act - Disallowed Catholic schooling, inheritance and the purchase of land.

Why did people emigrate from Britain due to religion in the Early Modern Period?

Most Catholics went to the New World.

Catholics were persecuted through the laws in many ways (economically, socially)

Were mistrusted and feared in society - especially due to the 4 Catholic plots against Elizabeth in 1569, 1571, 1573, 1586 as well as the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, where Catholic conspirators planned to blow up Parliament and kill Protestant King James I.

The English Civil War (1642 - 49) was a period of intense political, social and religious transformation. Extreme Protestantism was instituted during this era.

Events such as Great Fire of London (1666) blamed on Catholics - this would've been encouraged by the crown + government

This created religious animosity and hostility towards Catholics, esp. due to the wars between Catholic and Protestant countries happening in Europe due to Reformation.

Non conformists also emigrated due to religious persecution.

Why did other people emigrate from Britain in the Early Modern Period?

From 1610-1776, half a million people left Britain for North American colonies

Some were convicts sent by the government to colonies to clear overcrowded prisons.

But around half were 'indentured servants'.

During this period, there were rapid population increases along with inflation, harvest failures, rural revolts and financial crises that caused people in extreme poverty to emigrate from Britain out of desperation.

Some chose to migrate however others (mostly children) were kidnapped by 'spirits' and sent to the colonies. This became illegal however it continued to happen.

Who were indentured servants?

People who signed a contract where they agreed to work without payment for a certain number of years in exchange for transportation to North America (esp. Virginia), along with food, clothes and shelter. This meant that the planters in North America were able to profit and fill their need for labourers.

They were completely owned by their owners and worked for them for 7-14 years. They were not allowed to break this contract.

Many children were kidnapped and made to work for a long time, although the cost of the transport to America would not have been that much and could have been compensated very quickly.

They were treated like slaves and there were harsh conditions along with deadly diseases - many were killed.

After serving their years, they were allowed to live freely in America.

Stuart England

1603- 1714

Describe the transatlantic slave trade and the impact it had.

England had been involved in the trade in enslaved people during the Elizabethan era as individuals such as Francis Drake and John Hawkins traded however, the Portuguese and Spanish empires dominated the trade.

During the Stuart era, England's involvement in the Transatlantic Slave Trade system increased significantly.

1660 Charles II granted a charter to set up the Company of Adventurers Trading to Africa, which became the Royal Africa Company. The RAC had a monopoly on the English trade in Africa: the king took half the profits and the army and navy were used to capture anyone caught trading and imprison them without a jury trial. The RAC transported enslaved African people to work on plantations in the Americas.

During the first 17 years of trading the RAC enslaved and transported 100,000 African people to the New World as chattel slaves.

The Transatlantic trade in enslaved people created huge wealth for the slave trader and set up a system of plantation slavery in the Americas. They invested some of the profits into the City of London.

Black people were bought and sold in British ports, their legal status was unclear.

The Transatlantic trade was based on hierarchical ideas of racial supremacy.

Why did Africans come to Stuart England?

The small number of free Africans in England were joined by others who arrived as a result of enslavement. Some came directly from the West African coast, while many came from the Caribbean and North America as servants to ship's captains or planters' families visiting England or settling permanently.

What occupations did Africans have in Stuart England?

Most Africans were servants, part of the working poor. Some may have been born in England, whereas others may have originally been enslaved, such as Ignatius Sancho.

Some Black children were employed as servants for the rich and fashionable- they appear in portraits and diaries.

From the late 17th century, it was a mark of status and fashion for rich families to have a Black child servant.

What were the experiences of Black child servants?

Black child servants were treated as toys/possessions- which can be seen through lost and found advertisements.

The children were seen as property, however this was at a time when legally all children were chattels that could be bought and sold.

Difficult to know if the advertisements and paintings represent the typical life of most Black servants.

Many children were abused but it is unsure if this is because they were Black/children/servants.

Seen as the lesser race.

In 1687, in York, a Black man called John Moore completed his time as an apprentice/paid his way and was admitted to the freedom of the city of York, showing that it was possible for Black people to live independent lives.

Mingo, a Black adult servant worked for Sir William Batten. They had jokes and adventures and Batten left his lighthouse to Mingo when he died.

What was the East India Company?

In 1600, Elizabeth I gave a charter to East India Company allowing it to set up a base in India and trade spices, silk, tea, etc. all over Asia and to Britain. The company set up many trading posts and soon they began to develop their own army to protect their trade interest - were then seen as a threat by Mughal leaders. They used their army to 'settle disputes' between the local princes during the decline of the Mughal empire. They took advantage of these conflicts and brought in their own army to conquer territory.

After defeating a Bengali and French army at the Battle of Palashi (1757), the company was the dominant power in India. Eventually the British government took over control.

Employees of the company became very rich - were known as 'nabobs'.

Why did Indians migrate to Britain 1600-1750?

Many of the men who emigrated to India to work for the East Indian Company as administrators, officers and soldiers married Indian women, some of whom migrated to Britain. Trade with India and expansion of East India Company meant that traders and sailors migrated between India and England.

Children were brought as servants - was fashionable to show off foreign child servants as it displayed their wealth (could also show links to East India Company). They were seen as status symbols or objects of curiosity. Treated as property and sometimes sold to other families as 'gifts'. They were even shown off in portraits.

Women known as 'ayahs' brought as nannies/wet nurses when the British families returned home. They wanted to continue to enjoy the opulent lifestyle they had in India when they returned to England.

How were Indian servants treated?

Varied from kindness to extreme violence

Child servants were often well looked after, but patronised a lot.

There is evidence that many servants lived comfortably.

There is also evidence that they were sold/given as gifts when the law should have protected them as slavery was illegal in Britain.

What were some of the experiences of Indian child servants?

Many children lived far from their families. They were often well looked after, but also patronised. They were also often accepted by English servants who shared the same conditions. Their lives may have been lonely, surrounded by people of an alien culture and language. Some, when they were no longer children, were abandoned.

Julian, a child servant from Madras, appeared in court in 1724 as he was accused of stealing money from his mistress and then setting fire to the house to cover up for his crime. He was executed, but was close to killing himself before this due to how he was being treated.

However, there are many records of white servants being treated like this as well, as children/the lower class generally had no rights.

This makes it hard to identify the root cause of discrimination as the idea of racial superiority had just begun to exist.

Why was there African migration in 1730- 1833? How were they treated?

Some came with their plantation owners from North America and the West Indies, brought to work as servants to the household. They were still treated as slaves and continued to suffer the same abuse as was the custom in the West Indies. Plantation owners did not know the law, or did not care.

Most arrived as servants and lived in Britain in similar conditions to other servants. Black people were held in conditions of enslavement here in Britain and some were violently abused.

A few were brought here to be sold on the quaysides and in the coffee houses of slave ports such as Bristol and Liverpool

How were enslaved Africans treated during 1730- 1833?

Although enslavement of Africans was permitted by law in the colonies, in England itself it was unlawful, there was no law permitting. However, there was no law forbidding it either. Black people had to assert their rights to a freedom that was denied, especially for those brought from the plantations.

Most plantation owners who came to Britain with their servants did treat them as slaves.

In the system of chattel slavery, enslaved people became their owners' property and could be bought, sold and treated like animals. Conditions on the ships and plantations were poor.

Africans were forced to work unpaid to grow crops that were taken to Britain.

What were the experiences of Africans in Britain during 1730- 1833?

An example of an enslaved African who came to England with her plantation owner was Mary Prince. She was viciously tortured in the West Indies and came to England in 1828. Although she was technically free in England, she was still tied to her owner. Mary would have been enslaved again on her return to the West Indies. So she escaped, with the help of other servants, and went on to dictate her life story. It was published as the first book in English by a black woman.

A few achieved social status. They included Ignatius Sancho, who composed classical music, owned property and had the right to vote. There were also Africans from high class families sent here for education.

Africans had a range of occupations, Cesar Picton ran a pub, Thomas Jenkins was a teacher in London. They filled a range of occupations at different levels of society, including in the armed forces.

Was it possible for Africans to gain freedom?

The usual route to independence for young working men was to be apprenticed to a trade. Once completed, they gained freedom of the city.

However, in 1730 the City of London banned Black people from being apprentices. 'Children of aliens' had not been permitted to serve as apprentices in 1574, but in 1730, the ban extended to all Black people so gaining independence through this route was no longer possible.

In one case, John Scipio was the servant of a slave trader who bought him in West Africa. He worked for the family all his life and his master granted him freedom in his will.

Why was the Somerset Case significant?

The case of James Somerset in 1772 was important. He had escaped from his master who then recaptured him and tried to force him to return to Jamaica.

Granville Sharp, was a White campaigner against slavery and he helped Somerset.

The Chief Justice, Lord Mansfield ruled that he could not be taken from Britain by force. While in Britain, he was free and could not be forced into enslavement. According to newspaper reports, several hundred black people celebrated Somerset's court victory in 1771 and a significant number organised against a movement to deport black people from Britain in 1787.

In 1772 it was ruled that it was illegal to kidnap Africans in Britain and transport them as slaves to the colonies.

What was the significance of the American War of Independence for Africans?

1775-83

The British government offered freedom from enslavement to encourage Black people in North America to fight on the British side.

When the war was lost, however, they had to leave the US and ended up destitute, begging on the streets of London because they were denied pay and had no work. Over 400 were transported to Sierra Leone in West Africa in a resettlement project by the Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor.

Why were the Napoleonic Wars significant for Black people?

1803-15

During the Napoleonic Wars, a large number of Black men joined the armed forces, where they were paid the same as White servicemen.

One example was George Rose, who was born into slavery in Jamaica. He escaped to England and joined the army. He was wounded during the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. After leaving the army he was able to return back to Jamaica as a Methodist minister.

-possible for Black people to be paid equal and gain freedom

How were people involved in the abolition movement?

The struggle for emancipation from slavery in the Americas was carried out by Black and White people on both sides of the Atlantic and British Africans were important members of the Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade.

Autobiographies by those who had been enslaved made people in Britain aware of the realities of enslavement. Mary Prince who suffered terrible treatment at the hands of her owners published her autobiography, The History of Mary Prince: A West Indian Slave in 1831 and was the first black woman to do so. Activists such as Olaudah Equiano and Ottobah Cugoano, both former enslaved people and authors were centrally active in the movement to abolish slavery and the slave trade as they worked closely with the leading abolitionists. Equiano, who brought his own freedom, spoke out against the slave trade all over Britain.

William Davidson and Robert Wedderburn were both the children of black enslaved mothers and white fathers who became radical political activists against slavery and for the rights of working people. Wedderburn became a leading member of the Spencean movement, which called for the sharing out of private land and an end to slavery. They were committed to Black liberation and the rights of the working class.

Slave rebellions took place all over the British West Indies- Barbados in 1816, Guyana in 1823 and Jamaica in 1831. The uprisings on the plantations made it clear that the system of the profit from trade based slave labour could not continue.

How was the slave trade finally abolished?

In 1807 parliament passed, abolishing the slave trade by Britain in enslaved peoples. Some British slave traders continued transporting Africans to the Americas using false documents. The Navy operated anti-slavery patrols but very few ships were appointed to monitor this until the 1840s and so the trade flourished until slavery was finally abolished in Brazil in the 1880s.

Following the 1833 Slavery Abolition Act which abolished the slave trade in the West Indies, Canada and Southern Africa, emancipation eventually came in 1838. Huge amounts of money were paid in compensation to the plantation owners.

Why were there migrant seamen in England in the 19th century?

1. East India Company/Britain's increasing control of India.

Lascars first began to be employed in small numbers from the seventeenth century by the East India Company which was set up by private merchants in 1600 by Royal Charter to establish trade links with India. Lascars were made to fill the manpower gap on ships returning from India. When British sailors were needed for the Royal Navy during wartime, so the EIC had to rely on the labour of lascars on merchant ships. Because of this, during the Napoleonic Wars of 1803- 1815, the numbers of lascars employed on British ships short up from 224 in 1803 to 1336 in 1813. These sailors came to Britain because they worked for the EIC company on ships travelling to Britain.

2. Increasing trade around the world.

The EIC brought good such as ceramics, silk and tea to London. More and mores sailors were needed for the growing fleet of merchant ships so the company started recruiting seamen in Asian ports.

3. The need for cheap labour.

The demand for cheap labour meant that the numbers of Lascars coming to Britain kept increasing. British trade and the profit gained by shipping companies depended on them. The laws were revised so that Indian seamen could be classed as British for employment purposes.

Many merchant seamen settled in the port cities either through choice or because they had been discharged by employers and were unable to return home.

How were the Lascars treated by the authorities?

The authorities tried to prevent the migrant seamen from settling in the UK, but they still wanted them to be available for work if necessary. In 1814, regulations were introduced which stated that even though Asian sailors had been born under British rule, they did not count as British subjects.

The 1823 Merchant Shipping Act made the EIC responsible for the seafarers' upkeep while in Britain. The Lascars were British subjects were but were denied some of the rights to employment of White seamen and prevented them from staying in Britain. They were paid far less.

The 1894 Merchant Shipping Act required ship owners to remove Lascars and even to round them up forcibly.

How were the migrant seamen treated by their employers/officers?

Employers paid Asian seamen far lower wages than White sailors and gave them less food and living space on board the ships.

They were sometimes treated with extreme cruelty by White officers. There was one case sometime during the 1860s when nine sailors were killed and thrown overboard and others seriously wounded by the ships's captain.

Employers often preferred Yemenis, Somalis an Malays and Indian Muslims because they did not drink alcohol and were seen as being more obedient than their British counterparts. However, their customs were often ridiculed. On one ship they were hung up with weights tied to their feed, flogged with a rope and forced to eat pork.

How were Lascar sailors treated by white sailors?

Asian seamen were often resented by White sailors who felt they were taking their jobs. There were often fights between them and these divisions deepened and fostered racist attitudes. In 1893 there was a serious battle in Barrow between White sailors and Muslims after the Lascars had celebrated a religious festival in the streets.

Examples of acts of rebellions on the ships.

In the case of the violent crimes against the Muslims sailors, the whole crew deserted when they reached London.

Asian seamen rebelled against poor conditions by jumping ship.

In 1882 some went (unsuccessfully) on strike, refusing to work on ships transporting troops to Egypt.

What did the Asian seamen, Indian ayahs and Chinese Amahs do once they settled in England?

From the 1780s, Chinese seamen settled near the London docks and later in Liverpool and other cities. By the 1880s the Chinese had settled well into life in Britain. Chinese cafes, shops and small businesses had been established and streets were named Mind, Nanking, and Peking. Their businesses attracted visitors who saw the Chinese shops as colourful and exciting.

Lascars lived in army-style barrack lodgings and conditions were extremely poor. In 1813-2, 92 Indian sailors died in the care of the EIC. Some Lascars lived in poverty and were isolated from wider society. Many died in the gaols having been forced into crime. They were hoping for work on ships returning to their homelands. Some set up small businesses, including boarding-houses for other seamen. Others migrated to work in the Sheffield steelworks. There were Indians working all over Britain in a variety of trades- gardening, catering, photography and street trading. Indian musicians were popular entertainers in pubs.

Many wealthy families still employed Indian ayahs to look after children. Both ayahs and Chinese amahs found themselves destitute. In 1900 the London city mission set up a home of 30 rooms available for migrant nannies who had nowhere else to go.

How were the Asian migrants treated in England?

The 19th century was a time when ideas of racial hierarchy were strong. The seamen often suffered extreme racism. In the case of working-class Asians, the stereotyping was prominent- they were seen as both passive and humble but also as threatening. The Asian migrants were seen as 'exotic' due to their deep-rooted cultures and civilisations that had long histories.

One area of East London was known as the Chinese Quarter and it had a reputation as a place of opium dens, drug-dealing and prostitution. The media depicted it as a dangerous, crime-ridden place and referred to it as the 'Yellow Peril', a racist term used to describe East Asians.

The missionaries describe the Lascars as isolated, destitute and cut off from wider society. The missionaries were charitable and sympathetic but they saw the seamen as poor people who needed 'saving'. Their centres provided food and lodging but also organised repatriation and attempted to convert them to Christianity.

Some ayahs were abandoned on arrival in Britain if the family decided they didn't need them after the voyage. Others lost their jobs after the children grew up. Some child ayah were dismissed when they were adults themselves. They were forced to remain.

What does the term 'eminent' mean?

A highly respected person in a particular type of employment.

Describe the migration of eminent Indians in the 19th century in Britain.

During the 19th century, many wealthy Indians settled in Britain.

Maharajah Duleep Singh was the ruler of Punjab at 5 but he was forced to hand over power to the EIC. He went to live in England and may have been the first Sikh settler. He gave generous support to the Strangers' Home for Lascars. After 30 years in Britain, he became ingreasingly critical of British imperialism and decided to embrace his Sikh identity again.

Dadabhai Naoroji and Sir Mancherjee Bhownaggree were the first British Asian MPs, elected in the 1890s by a mainly White electroate. Naoroji was the Liberal MP for Finsbury and the founder of the Indian National Congress. He was in favour of Indian independence. Bhownaggree was the Conservative MP for Bethnal Green and was a strong supporter of the British rule.

Dr Frederick Akbar Mahomed worked on blood pressure and hypertension and helped to advance medical understanding and became one of Britain's first Asian doctors.

What was the impact of the Asian migration in the 19th century?

Industrial period.

1730-1900

What were some key changes that occurred in Britain in the nineteenth century?

Britain grew to be the world's superpower through conquest of other countries and trade.

Conquering other countries allowed Britain access to goods for trade, and cheap labour.

This enabled cities to industrialise and factories needed people to work in them.

People moved to the industrial cities in Britain for work.

As more and more people moved to the cities, families were crowded into homes and sanitation was poor.

There was a rise in the industrial working class and trade unions, who stood up for workers rights.There was mass immigration, and the groups who came to Britain had a large impact on British society

The population had grown from 11 million in 1750 to 43 million in 1900, with 70% of people living in cities.

Why was there mass immigration during the nineteenth century?

During the mid- to late nineteenth century Britain was a significant industrial power. The UK's economy was based on manufacture and trade. Its seaports such as London, Liverpool, Cardiff and Glasgow became the busiest in the world, providing employment for thousands of dockworkers.

It had a factory system that needed increasing numbers of workers. The seaports were crowded with ships from all over the world and lined with warehouses packed with goods.

Steamships brought large numbers of immigrants as well as taking emigrants to North America. The canal and railway networks spread across the country, offering the transport of factory goods to the ports and foodstuffs from the docks to shops.

Its wealth also offered opportunities for new businesses.

The country was also becoming more tolerant of different faiths.

These factors attracted vast numbers of migrants.

Why was there Irish migration in the nineteenth-century industrial age?

Huge shortage of food- collapse in agriculture after 1815 at the same time of a population boom. As there was a shortage of food, prices increased. Very poor harvests (such as 1878-1879) made life very difficult for farming families. The Irish potato famine from 1845-1849 was when potato crops which people relied on heavily for food were destroyed by disease. The British government insisted on continuing exports rather than using the potatoes to feed the starving Irish people which led to 1 million deaths and around 2 million refugees refugees leaving Ireland- one of the biggest mass migrations in history.

Unfair distribution of land- wealthy English landowners treated Irish tenants badly, forcing them to pay high rents for poor-quality housing.

Many people in Ireland lost their main source of income from cotton-weaving and nail making due to the cheap production of cotton and nails in British factories.

Employers and Catholic priests encouraged Irish migrants to work in jobs that other local British people refused to do, the Irish were happy to do so as wages were higher in Britain.

Only one city in Ireland, Belfast was being industrialised with jobs in factories and docks, so there was not enough work to meet demand.

What jobs did the Irish migrants have?

They came looking for the work generated by industrialisation in England, as dock labourers, diggers, factory workers and builders. They played a large part in building the railways, canals, roads and rows of Victorian terraced houses. The Irish navvy (canal or railway builder) was a common job the Irish migrants had.

Irish immigrants often did the toughest, dirtiest jobs- in coal mines, gasworks, quarries and tanning, textile and chemical factories. Many also joined the army.

What were the experiences of the Irish migrants in England?

Many families arrived in a poor state and and found themselves living in overcrowded, unhealthy "court dwellings". They had to live in the dirtiest, most overcrowded courtyards and cellars where diseases spread rapidly.

Death rates were very high, however, conditions were much the same for English working classes at that time.

Most families were poor and owned nothing after fleeing the famine.

The average age of death for labourers in Liverpool was 15.

Public health and poor relief felt unable to cope with the sudden influx of immigrants in such urgent need of help. As a result, nearly 60,000 were deported from Liverpool back to Ireland.

What were some positive experiences of the Irish migrants in England?

Legally, they had the same rights as the English, Welsh and Scottish.

Most Irish did not live in poverty however, and, contrary to the stereotypes propagated by the British press, were often healthier than the British population.

They worked in all kinds of professions and were well established in the middle class.

Intermarriage was increasingly common.

Eg. Barnardo in 1866 established a school in East London for the poorest children, the first of many Barnardo's homes.

As many were Catholics they revitalised their church in England- this lead to equal rights for worship of all religions.

In spite of initial hostile reception, the Irish became highly integrated into British society (after WW1)

What were the main points of tension between the Irish and the English?

Many thought that by accepting lower wages, Irish workers were undercutting English workers and keeping pay low. Irish workers were also accused of persuading their employers to hire only people from Ireland.

Once trade unions became legal in 1825, many Irish workers joined them and took an active part in campaigns for workers' rights, putting them in conflict with employers. Their leaders were handed, along with many other Irish activists.

Bad housing, poor sanitation and disease were blamed on the Irish by the press and politicians.

Many believed that there was a high rate of crime by Irish people and they were often harassed by the police, although the English and the Irish crime rate was the same.

Some Irish migrants who were against the British rule were involved in anti-British political groups, e.g. the Fenians, who carried out bombings and armed attacks on the police. Irish communities were seen as a threat to security.

The majority of Irish migrants were Catholic- there was a lot of resentment as many Protestants so Catholicism as a foreign institution that promoted corruption.

What were some negative experiences of the Irish?

Hostile and unwelcoming reception- prevalent stereotype of the Irish as unhygienic, ungrateful, violent and inherently criminal spread.

Forced to leave Ireland as a result of British policies but paradoxically blamed for own situation.

Arrived in a country besieged by economic, religious and social problems, so that the Irish proved an easy scapegoat.

Faced accusations that they were stealing English jobs.

Irish ghettos associated with drinking, vagrancy, diseases and high levels of unemployment- blamed as a degrading influence.

Catholic Irish immigrants arrived into a strongly anti-Catholic society - when an annual Catholic procession went ahead, in spite of a government ban in Stockport in 1852, a mob ransacked the Catholic churches and attacked the Irish, burning down houses, killing someone and making 24 families homeless.

Several racist anti-Irish riots occurred, such as Cardiff 1848 and Greencock 1851, influenced by vague yet potent ideas of cultural degeneration.

Why was there German migration in the industrial age?

Shopkeepers, waiters and entrepreneurs looking for business opportunities.

Large numbers of poor working-class families looking for any job at all.

What did the German migrants do once they got to England/what was their impact?

The German community included all classes of society: governesses, bankers, bakes, teachers, tailors and the butchers whose delikatessens served the sausages that became part of the typical British breakfast. Many bakeries were German-run and the 'full English' breakfast was a German import.

Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert was German and close ties between the countries encouraged many Germans to come as students and stay as engineers, designers and businessmen.

Many of the UK companies were all started by nineteenth century German migrants who came to the UK. For example, ICl, General Electric Company and Schweppes.

How were the German migrants treated in England?

They had a complex relationship with English workers. Although Italian, German and other European immigrants did experience some hostility, this was far less than that experienced by the Irish or the Lascars. Concern about the situtation of the German poor in London was so great that a German hopital opened in 1845 in Hackney.

Why was there Italian migration in the industrial age?

Italy, which wasn't united as a single country (nation state) until 1861, had previously been a geographical collection of individual states where there was little industrial development and opportunities for individual advancement were limited.

Most Italians were rural people, escaping a country in crisis as this was a time of war, an epidemic of the typhus disease and a time when changes in agriculture caused great poverty on land, forcing people to emigrate.