industry and empire

• when was the industry and empire period?

  1750 - 1900
• Irish:

  why - 1845-49: escaping hunger and poverty due to potato famine and easy to access job opportunities in England

  impact - helped industrialize Britain and build up its power

  experience - worked as navvies buildings canals and railroads. Were Catholic so faced discrimination (anti-Irish riot 1851) and were stereotypically seen as violent drunks. they lived in poor housing and terrible working conditions
• Germans:

  why - fleeing warfare and British King was German

  impact - developed English cuisine and established businesses like General Electric

  experience - set up German delicacies (brought German sausage which became a part of English breakfast), and worked as entrepreneurs.
• Indians:

  why - India was made a part of the British Empire 1858 and had good links to Britain due to the trade links made by East India Company

  impact - help advanced medical understanding and challenge racial stereotypes

  experience - worked as Lascars: treated poorly on merchant ships, low pay and faced discrimination
• East European Jews:

  why - 1881: fleeing religious persecution in Russia

  impact - established sweat shops and started businesses like Tesco's and M&S

  experience - arrived destitute and speaking Yiddish -> helped by existing Jews but still experience anti-Semitism
• Africans:

  why - following abolition of slave trade in 1807, many came as part of global trade networks

  impact - served in army and navy, and made significant contributions in politics and the arts

  experience - faced racism and prejudice
• sailors (asian/chinese/african)

  why - came on ships as they worked for 'east india company' and then later the british empire

  impact - settled in port towns (e.g. liverpool) where they build their own communities - some british women opened shelters to help homeless sailors

  experience - lived in slums (cold and dirty), as sailors were mainly men many married british women, faced racism and tension between english sailors over them undercutting their wages.
• why had migration increased during this period?

  following the growing world trade during the early modern, shipping had advanced and migrants could travel to distant countries by sea easily.
• italians:

  why - escaping war, outbreaks of disease and agricultural revolution within europe (many farmers were put out of work)

  impact - built schools, hospitals and shops and worked as street venders selling ice cream which impacted Britain's food industry

  experience - blamed for an outbreak of cholera, many were poor and lived in poor conditions, faced opposition and stereotypes because they were catholic. they also set up communities like 'little italy'