C1700–c1900: Migration in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Britain - 1…

The idea

Between 1700 and 1900, Britain saw change and continuity in migration reasons and settlement patterns. Continuity existed in economic drivers, with migrants consistently seeking better employment. However, the Industrial Revolution caused a massive change, shifting settlement from rural areas to expanding industrial cities like Manchester. Irish migrants, fleeing poverty and the 1840s Famine, settled heavily in western ports like Liverpool. European migrants, including Jewish refugees fleeing persecution, often clustered in London's East End. Meanwhile, migrants from the British Empire, such as lascars (sailors) and ayahs (nannies), established communities in major port cities, reflecting Britain's changing global and imperial connections.

What earns the marks

• Identify continuities in migration, such as the enduring search for better economic opportunities and higher wages.
• Explain changes in settlement patterns, specifically the shift towards urban industrial centres during the Industrial Revolution.
• Describe the reasons for Irish migration, including the Great Famine, and their settlement in cities like Liverpool and Glasgow.
• Detail the migration of Europeans, such as Eastern European Jews fleeing pogroms, and their settlement in London.
• Discuss the arrival of migrants from the Empire, such as lascars, and their concentration in major British port cities.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Treating all migrant groups as having the same reasons for moving.

  Put it right: Distinguish between economic migrants (e.g., many Irish before the famine) and refugees fleeing persecution (e.g., European Jews).

• Ignoring migrants from the Empire.

  Put it right: Ensure you include examples like lascars or ayahs to cover the full scope of the specification.

• Failing to address both change and continuity.

  Put it right: Explicitly state what stayed the same (e.g., economic motives) and what changed (e.g., the scale of urban settlement).

Exam tips

• Create a table comparing the reasons for migration and settlement patterns of Irish, European, and Empire migrants to help structure your revision.
• Use the Industrial Revolution as a key turning point when explaining changes in where migrants chose to settle.
• Always link the specific migrant group to a concrete geographical location, such as the Irish in Liverpool or Jewish migrants in the East End of London.