Migration to Britain Through Time: KS3 History Study Pack

1. Introduction

Migration means the movement of people from one place to another to live, work, study, trade, escape danger, join family, or build a new life. Britain has been shaped by migration for thousands of years. This includes people who arrived through conquest, trade, slavery, empire, war, persecution, work, study, family links and refuge.

Migration is not only a modern story. Britain has never been completely cut off from the rest of the world. Its islands have been connected to Europe, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the wider world through the Roman Empire, Viking routes, medieval trade, religious networks, the British Empire, the Commonwealth, war, shipping, education, business and family ties.

This study pack explores migration to Britain from ancient times to the modern period. It focuses on:

• why people migrated
• what migrants experienced
• how migrants contributed to Britain
• how people responded to migrants
• how migration changed Britain over time
• how historians use evidence to study migration

Migration history includes opportunity and achievement, but also discrimination, exclusion, poverty and violence. A balanced historian studies both contribution and difficulty.

2. Key Definitions

Migration: The movement of people from one place to another to live for a period of time or permanently.

Migrant: A person who moves from one place to another. Migrants may move for work, family, study, safety, trade or many other reasons.

Immigration: Movement into a country.

Emigration: Movement out of a country.

Refugee: A person forced to leave their country because of danger, such as war, persecution or serious threat.

Asylum seeker: A person who has asked another country for protection as a refugee and is waiting for a decision.

Empire: A group of countries or territories controlled by one power.

Commonwealth: A voluntary association of countries, many of which were once part of the British Empire.

Diaspora: A community of people who live outside their original homeland but keep cultural, family or historical links with it.

Persecution: Unfair or cruel treatment of people because of identity, religion, ethnicity, politics or beliefs.

Discrimination: Treating people unfairly because of characteristics such as race, religion, nationality, language, gender or background.

Integration: The process by which people become part of a society while often keeping parts of their own culture and identity.

Identity: How people understand who they are. Identity can include nationality, religion, language, family, place, culture, class and personal experience.

Diversity: Variety within a society, including different cultures, languages, religions, traditions and backgrounds.

Push factor: A reason that encourages or forces someone to leave a place, such as war, poverty or persecution.

Pull factor: A reason that attracts someone to a place, such as work, safety, family or education.

Settlement: Living in a place for a long period.

Expulsion: Forcing a person or group to leave a country or area.

3. Timeline / Chronology

Date / Period	Migration Event	Why It Matters
Before 43 CE	Movement between Britain and mainland Europe	Britain was already connected by trade, travel and settlement.
43 CE onwards	Roman conquest and settlement	Soldiers, officials, traders and enslaved people came from across the Roman Empire.
c. 400s-600s	Anglo-Saxon migration	Groups from northern Europe settled in parts of Britain, influencing language and place names.
c. 790s-1000s	Viking raids and settlement	Scandinavian migrants settled especially in northern and eastern England.
1066 onwards	Norman conquest	Normans from northern France became rulers and changed government, landholding and language.
1066-1290	Jewish communities in medieval England	Jewish people lived in towns, worked in trade and finance, and faced persecution before expulsion.
1290	Expulsion of Jewish people from England	Edward I ordered Jewish people to leave England. This is a major example of medieval persecution.
1300s-1500s	Flemish and other European craftspeople	Migrants brought skills in weaving, trade and manufacturing.
1500s-1600s	Black people, Europeans and others in Tudor and Stuart England	Britain had links with Africa, Europe and the Atlantic world before the modern period.
1685 onwards	Huguenot migration	French Protestant refugees came after persecution in France.
1700s-1800s	African, Asian and Caribbean presence grows	People arrived through empire, trade, the navy, domestic service, study and anti-slavery networks.
1800s	Irish migration to industrial Britain	Irish migrants moved for work and because of poverty and famine, especially during the Great Famine of the 1840s.
1880s-1900s	Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe	Many fled persecution and poverty, settling in areas such as London’s East End.
1914-1918	First World War migration	Soldiers, workers and refugees from across the empire and Europe came to Britain.
1930s-1940s	Refugees from Nazi persecution	Some Jewish and other refugees escaped Nazi-controlled Europe, including children on the Kindertransport.
1948	Arrival of HMT Empire Windrush	A symbol of post-war Caribbean migration, though Caribbean people had lived in Britain before 1948.
1950s-1970s	Commonwealth migration	People from the Caribbean, South Asia, Africa and elsewhere helped rebuild post-war Britain.
1972	Ugandan Asian refugees	Asians expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin were admitted to Britain, where many rebuilt their lives.
1990s-2000s	Refugees from conflicts and new European migration	People came from areas affected by war and from European countries for work and study.
2000s-present	Global migration continues	Migration remains linked to work, education, family, conflict, climate pressures and international connections.

Long Timeline Diagram

Ancient       Roman         Early Medieval       Medieval       Early Modern       Industrial       Modern
Britain       Britain       Britain              England        Britain            Britain          Britain
  |             |              |                    |              |                  |               |
Europe links -> Roman Empire -> Anglo-Saxon/Viking -> Jewish life -> Huguenots/Flemish -> Irish migration -> Windrush,
trade/travel    soldiers       settlement           expulsion      crafts/trade         empire links    refugees,
settlement      traders        place names          1290           Black presence       industry        Commonwealth

4. Core Knowledge Sections

4.1 Migration Is Not New

One common mistake is to imagine that Britain was once isolated and only became diverse recently. This is not accurate. Britain is made up of islands, but the sea connected people as well as separating them. The English Channel, North Sea, Irish Sea and Atlantic were routes for traders, raiders, soldiers, pilgrims, sailors, enslaved people, refugees and families.

Britain’s history includes repeated movement:

• people moving from mainland Europe in ancient and early medieval periods
• Roman soldiers and traders from different parts of the empire
• Scandinavian settlers during the Viking Age
• Normans from France after 1066
• medieval Jewish communities
• European refugees and craftspeople
• Irish migrants
• African, Asian and Caribbean people before and after empire
• refugees from persecution and war
• Commonwealth migrants after the Second World War

Historians use archaeology, written records, place names, DNA evidence, tax records, court records, ship lists, census records, photographs and oral histories to study this movement.

4.2 Roman Migration to Britain

The Roman conquest began in 43 CE. Roman Britain was part of a large empire that stretched across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. This meant people could come to Britain from many places.

Migrants in Roman Britain included:

• soldiers posted to forts and towns
• merchants trading goods
• craftspeople making pottery, metalwork and textiles
• officials and administrators
• enslaved people forced to move
• family members of soldiers and settlers

Roman military units were often recruited from different provinces. For example, soldiers might come from areas now in Germany, France, Spain, the Balkans, North Africa or the Middle East. Roman Britain was not simply “Italian Romans ruling Britons”; it was part of a much wider imperial world.

Migration changed Britain through:

• new towns such as Londinium
• roads, forts and villas
• Latin words and inscriptions
• new religions and religious practices
• trade links across the empire
• new foods and goods, such as wine, olive oil and pottery

However, Roman migration was also linked to conquest and control. Some people benefited from Roman rule, while others faced taxation, military force and loss of power.

4.3 Anglo-Saxon, Viking and Norman Migration

After Roman rule weakened in the early fifth century, different groups from northern Europe settled in parts of Britain. These groups are often called Angles, Saxons and Jutes. They came from areas around modern Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Their migration was not a single event. It happened over time and probably included warriors, families, farmers and leaders. It affected:

• language: Old English developed from Germanic languages
• place names: many names ending in -ham, -ton and -ing have early medieval roots
• farming and settlement patterns
• kingdoms such as Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex and East Anglia

From the late eighth century, Viking raids began. Later, Scandinavian people settled in parts of Britain and Ireland. In England, the Danelaw was an area where Danish influence was strong. Viking migration affected:

• place names ending in -by, -thorpe and -toft
• trade routes across the North Sea
• towns such as York, known by the Norse name Jorvik
• language, law and culture

In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, conquered England. The Norman migration was smaller in numbers than some earlier movements, but very powerful because Normans took control of land, government and the Church. It changed:

• castles and military control
• the ruling elite
• language, with many French words entering English
• landownership, recorded in Domesday Book
• links between England and continental Europe

4.4 Jewish Communities in Medieval England

Jewish people settled in England after the Norman Conquest. Many lived in towns such as London, York, Lincoln and Norwich. Medieval Christian laws often restricted the jobs Jewish people could do. Some became involved in moneylending, partly because Christians were discouraged by Church teaching from lending money with interest.

Jewish communities contributed to trade, finance and urban life, but they also faced severe persecution. They were blamed unfairly during times of tension and were targeted by violence, heavy taxation and false accusations. In 1190, many Jewish people in York were killed during a wave of anti-Jewish violence.

In 1290, King Edward I ordered the expulsion of Jewish people from England. They were not officially allowed to resettle permanently until the seventeenth century. This shows that migration history includes exclusion as well as settlement.

Key points:

• Jewish communities were part of medieval English society.
• They faced legal restrictions and prejudice.
• Their expulsion was a major act of religious persecution.
• Their history challenges the idea that medieval England was religiously uniform.

4.5 Flemish, Huguenot and Early Modern Migrants

In the late medieval and early modern periods, migrants came from Europe for work, trade, safety and religion. Flemish migrants from the Low Countries were especially important in the cloth trade. Some were skilled weavers and helped develop textile production in England and Wales.

Huguenots were French Protestants. After Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685, many Huguenots fled persecution in Catholic France. Some came to England. They settled especially in London, Canterbury, Norwich, Bristol and other towns.

Huguenot migrants contributed to:

• silk weaving
• clockmaking
• banking and commerce
• printing
• medicine
• military service
• new churches and community networks

They also faced suspicion from some people who worried about foreign competition, language differences or religion. Over time, many Huguenot families integrated into British society while keeping some religious and cultural links.

Other early modern migrants included Dutch engineers, Italian musicians, German merchants, African servants and sailors, and people connected to trade, courts and households.

4.6 African, Asian and Caribbean Presence Before 1948

Another common myth is that Black and Asian people first arrived in Britain after the Second World War. In fact, African, Asian and Caribbean people lived in Britain long before 1948, although their numbers were smaller than in the later twentieth century.

In Tudor and Stuart England, records show people of African heritage living in households, ports and cities. Some were servants, musicians, sailors or craftspeople. Their legal status varied and is sometimes hard to reconstruct from the evidence. Historians must be careful because many records were written by officials or employers, not by the people themselves.

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Britain’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade and empire increased connections with Africa, the Caribbean and Asia. Some Black people in Britain were formerly enslaved; others were sailors, soldiers, writers, campaigners or workers. People such as Olaudah Equiano, who campaigned against the slave trade, show that Black Britons were active in political and public life.

Asian presence also grew through the East India Company, the navy, domestic service, study and trade. Lascar sailors from South Asia worked on British ships. Some were left in difficult conditions in British ports. Indian students, travellers and political figures also came to Britain.

Before 1948, African, Asian and Caribbean people contributed to:

• shipping and dock work
• domestic service
• anti-slavery campaigns
• literature and public speaking
• music and performance
• wartime service
• political activism

Their experiences included both opportunity and discrimination.

4.7 Irish Migration and Industrial Britain

Irish migration to Britain has a long history because Ireland and Britain are close geographically and politically connected. In the nineteenth century, Irish migration increased greatly.

Push factors included:

• poverty in Ireland
• lack of land
• political tensions
• the Great Famine of the 1840s, when potato blight and government failures caused mass hunger and death

Pull factors included:

• factory work
• dock work
• railway building
• construction
• mining
• family and community networks in British cities

Irish migrants settled in places such as Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, London, Birmingham and industrial towns. They helped build railways, canals, roads and cities. Many worked in difficult, low-paid jobs and lived in crowded housing.

Irish migrants often faced anti-Irish prejudice, including stereotypes about poverty, religion and politics. Many Irish migrants were Catholic in a country where anti-Catholic feeling had a long history. At the same time, Irish communities built churches, schools, clubs, newspapers and political organisations.

Irish migration changed Britain’s cities, workforce, religion, politics, sport and culture.

4.8 Empire, Commonwealth and the Windrush Generation

The British Empire connected Britain to territories across the world. People from the empire travelled to Britain as sailors, soldiers, students, workers, servants, professionals and political activists. During the First and Second World Wars, people from the Caribbean, Africa, South Asia and other parts of the empire served in British forces or worked in war industries.

After the Second World War, Britain needed workers to help rebuild the country and support services such as transport, factories and the new National Health Service. People from the Caribbean and other parts of the Commonwealth had legal rights to come to Britain as British subjects under post-war nationality laws.

HMT Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury in Essex on 22 June 1948, carrying passengers from the Caribbean and elsewhere. It has become a symbol of post-war Caribbean migration, though it was not the first arrival of Caribbean people in Britain.

Windrush generation migrants worked in:

• transport, including buses and trains
• the NHS and care work
• factories
• construction
• postal services
• hotels and catering
• education and public services

They built churches, clubs, newspapers, music scenes, businesses and community organisations. They also faced serious discrimination in housing, employment and public life. Some landlords refused Black tenants. Some employers rejected applicants because of race. In some areas, racist violence occurred.

Post-war migration also included people from South Asia, Africa, Cyprus, Malta and other Commonwealth places. South Asian migrants worked in factories, foundries, textile mills, shops, restaurants, public services and professional jobs. Many communities developed places of worship, language schools, businesses and cultural organisations.

Migration changed Britain through food, music, sport, fashion, religion, language, politics, literature, film, medicine, education and city life.

4.9 Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Refugees have come to Britain at many points in history. People have fled religious persecution, revolution, genocide, dictatorship, war and forced expulsion.

Examples include:

• Huguenots fleeing religious persecution in France
• Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe in the late nineteenth century
• Belgian refugees during the First World War
• Jewish and other refugees from Nazi persecution in the 1930s and 1940s
• children arriving through the Kindertransport
• Ugandan Asians expelled by Idi Amin in 1972
• refugees from later conflicts in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia

A refugee is not the same as every migrant. All refugees are migrants because they move, but not all migrants are refugees. A person who moves for a job may be a migrant but not a refugee. A person fleeing persecution and seeking protection may be an asylum seeker until their claim is decided.

Historians avoid simple present-day political arguments when studying refugees. Instead, they ask:

• What danger were people escaping?
• What laws existed at the time?
• How did the public and government respond?
• What evidence shows refugees’ experiences?
• How did refugees rebuild their lives?

4.10 How Migration Changed Britain

Migration changed Britain in many ways.

Food

Migrants helped introduce, popularise or transform foods and food businesses. Examples include Jewish bakeries, Huguenot food traditions, Irish food shops, Caribbean cafes, South Asian restaurants, Chinese takeaways, Italian ice cream businesses and many other local food cultures.

Language

English has been shaped by migration. Old Norse, Norman French, Latin, Hindi, Urdu, Yiddish, Arabic, Caribbean English, Punjabi and many other languages have influenced words, accents and expressions.

Work

Migrants helped build roads, railways, textile industries, docks, the NHS, transport systems, factories, shops, restaurants and universities.

Religion

Migration made Britain more religiously diverse. Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and other communities developed places of worship and public identities.

Music and culture

Migration influenced British music, from Irish folk traditions to Caribbean sound systems, South Asian bhangra, Black British music, jazz, reggae, grime and more.

Sport

Migrants and their descendants have shaped football, cricket, athletics, boxing, tennis and many other sports.

Cities

Cities such as London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, Glasgow and Leicester have been deeply shaped by migration. Ports, factories and transport hubs often became centres of migrant settlement.

Politics and rights

Migrants and their descendants campaigned for workers’ rights, anti-racism, religious freedom, civil rights, anti-slavery, women’s rights and fair treatment.

5. People, Places and Events

Key People

William the Conqueror: Duke of Normandy who conquered England in 1066. His victory led to Norman migration and major changes in landownership and government.

Edward I: King of England who ordered the expulsion of Jewish people in 1290.

Olaudah Equiano: An African writer and anti-slavery campaigner who lived in Britain and helped persuade people to oppose the slave trade.

Ignatius Sancho: A Black British writer, composer and shopkeeper in eighteenth-century London. His life shows that Black people were part of British society before the modern period.

Mary Seacole: A Jamaican-born nurse and businesswoman who supported soldiers during the Crimean War. Her story shows Caribbean links with Britain before Windrush.

Sam King: A Second World War RAF serviceman from Jamaica who returned to Britain on Empire Windrush and later became a community leader and mayor.

Idi Amin: Ugandan ruler who expelled many Asians from Uganda in 1972, causing many to seek safety in Britain and elsewhere.

Key Places

Londinium / London: A Roman town and later a major centre of migration, trade, politics and culture.

York / Jorvik: A city shaped by Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Viking, Norman and Jewish histories.

East End of London: A major settlement area for Huguenot, Jewish, Irish, Bangladeshi and other migrant communities at different times.

Liverpool: A port city shaped by Irish migration, Atlantic trade, empire and Black British history.

Manchester: An industrial city that attracted Irish, Jewish, South Asian, Caribbean and many other migrants.

Birmingham: A major industrial city shaped by Irish, Caribbean, South Asian and other communities.

Leicester: A city strongly shaped by post-war South Asian migration, including Ugandan Asian settlement.

Tilbury: The Essex port where HMT Empire Windrush arrived in June 1948.

Key Events

Roman conquest, 43 CE: Brought Britain into the Roman Empire and increased migration from across the empire.

Norman Conquest, 1066: Changed England’s ruling class, landholding, language and government.

Expulsion of Jewish people, 1290: A major example of medieval persecution and forced migration.

Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, 1685: Led many Huguenots to flee France.

Great Famine, 1840s: Increased Irish migration to Britain.

Kindertransport, 1938-1939: Brought thousands of mostly Jewish children from Nazi-controlled Europe to Britain.

Arrival of Empire Windrush, 1948: Symbolic beginning of a major phase of post-war Caribbean migration.

Ugandan Asian expulsion, 1972: Forced many Asians to leave Uganda; many settled in Britain.

6. Sources and Evidence

Historians study migration using different types of evidence. Each source has strengths and limitations.

Source A: Census-Style Record, East London, 1891

This is an invented but historically plausible census-style source.

Name	Age	Birthplace	Occupation	Address
Rivka Cohen	38	Russian Empire	Tailoress	Whitechapel
Isaac Cohen	41	Russian Empire	Bootmaker	Whitechapel
Sarah Cohen	12	London	Scholar	Whitechapel
Jacob Cohen	9	London	Scholar	Whitechapel
Bridget Murphy	27	Ireland	Domestic servant	Whitechapel
Thomas Evans	46	Wales	Dock labourer	Whitechapel

Questions

1. What does the source show about where people in this street were born?
2. What evidence suggests migration created mixed communities?
3. What can you infer about work in East London?
4. How useful is this source for studying migrant experience?
5. What are its limitations?

How to use it

The source is useful because it shows birthplace, occupation, age and household details. It suggests that some children of migrants were born in Britain. However, it does not tell us about feelings, discrimination, wages, religion, language or personal memories.

Source B: Oral History Extract

This is an invented oral history extract based on common experiences described in post-war migrant testimony. It is not a real quotation.

“When I arrived in Birmingham in the 1950s, I found work quickly, but finding a room was harder. Some signs said rooms were not for people like me. On Sundays we met friends from home, cooked together, and helped new arrivals find jobs.”

Questions

1. What difficulties does the speaker describe?
2. What evidence suggests community support?
3. What does the source suggest about discrimination?
4. Why might oral history be useful to historians?
5. Why should historians use other sources as well?

How to use it

The extract is useful for understanding feelings, memory and everyday experience. It suggests both work opportunities and discrimination in housing. Its limitation is that it is one person’s memory and may not represent everyone’s experience.

Source C: Map-Style Migration Routes

                         Scandinavia
                              |
                              v
Ireland ---> Liverpool / Glasgow / London <--- Low Countries / France
                              ^
                              |
Caribbean ---> Tilbury / London / Birmingham / Manchester
                              ^
                              |
South Asia ---> London / Leicester / Birmingham / Bradford
                              ^
                              |
East Africa ---> London / Leicester / other towns

Questions

1. Which regions shown had links to Britain through migration?
2. Which British cities appear as important migrant destinations?
3. Why were ports important?
4. What does this map not show?
5. How could you improve it as historical evidence?

Source D: Passenger-List Style Source, 1948

This is an invented passenger-list style source, not a real passenger list.

Passenger	Age	Previous Residence	Intended Work / Plan
Leonard Brown	24	Jamaica	Railway work
Una Williams	29	Trinidad	Nursing training
George Campbell	31	Barbados	Rejoin RAF friends
Marjorie Clarke	22	Jamaica	Stay with aunt in London
Henry Roberts	40	British Guiana	Factory work

Questions

1. Give two reasons people in the table planned to come to Britain.
2. What evidence shows family or friendship networks mattered?
3. What evidence shows work was a pull factor?
4. How could this source challenge myths about migration?
5. What other evidence would help you understand these passengers’ lives?

Source E: Visual Source Description

A photograph from the 1960s shows a street in a British city. There is a Caribbean grocery shop, a South Asian textile shop, a church noticeboard, a bus stop and terraced housing. Some people are dressed for factory work. Others are shopping. A handwritten sign in one window advertises rooms to rent.

Questions

1. What does the image show about work and everyday life?
2. What might the shops suggest about community building?
3. What evidence might suggest economic contribution?
4. What questions would you ask before trusting the photograph?
5. How useful would this image be for studying migration?

7. Interpretations

An interpretation is someone’s view or explanation of the past. Interpretations differ because people ask different questions, use different evidence, write for different audiences, and live in different times.

Interpretation 1

“Migration mainly changed Britain by providing workers when Britain needed labour.”

Interpretation 2

“Migration changed Britain more deeply by shaping culture, identity, religion, language, politics and everyday life.”

Both interpretations contain truth, but they focus on different things. Interpretation 1 is useful because work was an important reason for migration, especially during industrialisation and after the Second World War. However, it is too narrow if it ignores culture, family, religion, discrimination and identity.

Interpretation 2 is broader. It recognises that migration changed food, music, cities, language, sport and politics. However, it should still include work because jobs were often central to why people moved and how they settled.

Why Accounts Differ

Historians may disagree about:

• how much migration changed Britain
• whether change was mainly economic, cultural, political or social
• which migrant groups receive most attention
• whether sources focus on government policy or everyday lives
• how to balance contribution and discrimination

Good historical writing uses evidence and avoids one-sided claims.

Interpretation Task

Read this statement:

“Migration to Britain is mostly a modern story.”

Write one paragraph explaining why this interpretation is weak. Use at least two examples from before 1900.

Useful examples:

• Roman soldiers and traders
• Anglo-Saxon settlers
• Viking settlement
• Norman migration
• medieval Jewish communities
• Flemish weavers
• Huguenot refugees
• African and Asian presence before 1948
• Irish migration in the nineteenth century

8. Tables

Push and Pull Factors

Type	Examples	Historical Examples
Push: persecution	People are threatened because of religion, ethnicity or politics.	Huguenots; Jewish refugees; Ugandan Asians.
Push: poverty	People cannot earn enough or access land.	Irish migration in the nineteenth century.
Push: war or conflict	People leave because of violence or danger.	Belgian refugees in the First World War; refugees from Nazi Europe.
Push: expulsion	People are forced out by a ruler or government.	Jewish expulsion from England in 1290; Ugandan Asian expulsion in 1972.
Pull: work	Jobs attract people to a new place.	Industrial Britain; post-war NHS, transport and factories.
Pull: trade	Business links encourage movement.	Roman merchants; Flemish craftspeople; port cities.
Pull: family	People join relatives already settled.	Irish, Caribbean, South Asian and many other migrations.
Pull: education	People move to study.	Students from empire and Commonwealth countries.
Pull: safety	People seek protection.	Refugees and asylum seekers.

Contribution and Discrimination Comparison

Group / Period	Contributions	Discrimination or Difficulty
Roman migrants	Roads, towns, trade, military service, new goods.	Conquest, taxation, slavery and control.
Jewish communities in medieval England	Trade, finance, town life, cultural and religious diversity.	Heavy taxation, violence, false accusations, expulsion.
Huguenots	Silk weaving, crafts, trade, banking, churches.	Suspicion, language barriers, competition fears.
Irish migrants	Built railways, canals, factories, docks and city communities.	Anti-Irish and anti-Catholic prejudice, poverty, poor housing.
African, Asian and Caribbean people before 1948	Sailors, soldiers, writers, servants, campaigners, workers.	Racism, poor working conditions, limited records of their own voices.
Windrush generation and Commonwealth migrants	NHS, transport, factories, culture, music, sport, business.	Racism in jobs, housing and public life.
Refugees	Rebuilt lives, added skills, businesses, culture and public service.	Suspicion, language barriers, trauma, legal restrictions.

Change and Continuity

Theme	What Changed?	What Stayed Similar?
Reasons for migration	Modern transport made long-distance movement easier.	People have long moved for work, safety, family and trade.
Government control	Modern states have passports, visas and immigration laws.	Rulers have long controlled entry, settlement and expulsion.
Discrimination	Racism and nationality laws changed over time.	Migrants have often faced suspicion or unfair treatment.
Contribution	New industries and services created new roles.	Migrants have long contributed labour, skills and culture.
Identity	British identity became more openly multicultural in many places.	People have long combined local, family, religious and cultural identities.

9. Text / ASCII Diagrams

Cause and Consequence Chain

Persecution in France
        |
        v
Huguenots leave homes after 1685
        |
        v
Some settle in England
        |
        v
Skills in weaving, trade and crafts develop
        |
        v
Local economies and communities change

Push-Pull Diagram

            PUSH FACTORS                         PULL FACTORS
       reasons to leave a place             reasons to go to Britain

       persecution                           work
       famine                                safety
       poverty                               family
       war                                   education
       expulsion                             trade

Migration and Change Web

                         MIGRATION
                             |
      -------------------------------------------------
      |        |         |        |       |       |     |
    food    work     religion  cities  music  sport language
      |        |         |        |       |       |     |
  shops,   NHS,       churches, ports,  reggae, cricket new words,
 cafes,   mills,      mosques,  housing bhangra football accents
 bakeries railways    temples   streets grime athletics

Source Evaluation Grid

Question	What To Think About
Who made it?	Author, photographer, official, interviewer or witness.
When was it made?	Same time as the event or later memory?
Why was it made?	Record, persuade, advertise, inform, control or remember?
What does it show?	Content and details.
What does it leave out?	Silences, missing voices and limits.
How useful is it?	What question can it help answer?

10. Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Thinking migration is only modern

Migration has shaped Britain since ancient times. Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Viking, Norman, Jewish, Flemish, Huguenot, Irish, African and Asian histories all show pre-modern and early modern migration.

Mistake 2: Assuming Britain was once completely isolated

Britain is an island, but seas were routes. Ports connected Britain to Europe, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Atlantic world.

Mistake 3: Using refugee and migrant as identical terms

A refugee is forced to leave because of danger or persecution. A migrant is a broader term for someone who moves. Refugees are migrants, but not all migrants are refugees.

Mistake 4: Treating migrants only as victims

Many migrants faced discrimination, poverty and danger, but they also built businesses, communities, families, campaigns, churches, unions, music scenes and public services.

Mistake 5: Treating migrants only as workers

Work was important, but migration also changed religion, language, food, family life, politics, sport, music and identity.

Mistake 6: Ignoring discrimination

Contribution should not be used to hide racism, persecution, exclusion or unfair laws. A balanced answer includes both.

Mistake 7: Getting chronology wrong

Do not place Windrush before the Second World War. HMT Empire Windrush arrived in 1948. Do not say African and Asian presence began in 1948, because there were African, Asian and Caribbean people in Britain before then.

Mistake 8: Overgeneralising

Not all migrants had the same experiences. Class, gender, religion, language, skin colour, job, location and time period all mattered.

Mistake 9: Weak source use

Do not write “this source is useful because it tells us information”. Say exactly what information it gives and what it cannot tell us.

Mistake 10: One-sided judgement

For “How far?” questions, explain both sides before reaching a judgement.

11. Exam Tips

Describe

Give accurate details. Example: “Huguenots were French Protestants who migrated after persecution, especially after 1685.”

Explain

Use causes and consequences. Do not just list facts. Use words such as “because”, “therefore”, “this led to” and “as a result”.

Compare

Show similarity and difference. Example: “Irish migrants and Windrush migrants both moved partly for work, but Irish migration was also strongly affected by famine in the 1840s.”

How far

Make a judgement. Explain evidence on both sides, then decide which argument is stronger.

How useful

Discuss content and provenance. Say what the source shows, why that helps, and what its limitations are.

Using evidence

Always include precise examples. Instead of “migration changed food”, write “South Asian restaurants, Caribbean cafes and Jewish bakeries changed food cultures in British cities.”

Structuring paragraphs

Use PEEL:

• Point: make your argument
• Evidence: give a historical example
• Explain: show why it matters
• Link: connect back to the question

Judging significance

Use criteria:

• How many people were affected?
• How long did the impact last?
• How deeply did it change society?
• Did it lead to further changes?
• Is it remembered today?

Evaluating interpretations

Ask what the interpretation focuses on and what it leaves out. Strong answers do not just say “I agree” or “I disagree”; they test the claim against evidence.

12. Practice Questions

A. Quick Recall Questions

1. What does migration mean?
2. What is a push factor?
3. What is a pull factor?
4. Name one migrant group in Roman Britain.
5. Which year did the Norman Conquest happen?
6. Which king expelled Jewish people from England in 1290?
7. Who were the Huguenots?
8. Give one reason Irish people migrated to Britain in the nineteenth century.
9. What was HMT Empire Windrush?
10. What is the difference between a refugee and an asylum seeker?
11. Name one way migration changed British food.
12. Name one British city shaped by migration.
13. What does diaspora mean?
14. Give one example of discrimination faced by migrants.
15. Name one type of source historians use to study migration.

B. Multiple Choice Questions

Choose the best answer.

1. Migration means: A. only travelling for a holiday
   B. moving from one place to another to live
   C. writing about another country
   D. refusing to move

2. A push factor is: A. a reason to leave a place
   B. a reason to stay home
   C. a type of map
   D. a law made by Parliament

3. A pull factor is: A. a reason attracting someone to a place
   B. a punishment
   C. a battle plan
   D. a census form

4. Roman Britain was connected to: A. only Scotland
   B. only Italy
   C. the wider Roman Empire
   D. no other places

5. Anglo-Saxon migration influenced: A. Old English and place names
   B. steam engines
   C. the NHS
   D. the Commonwealth

6. Viking settlement was especially important in: A. northern and eastern England
   B. only Cornwall
   C. only Wales
   D. only London

7. The Norman Conquest happened in: A. 43 CE
   B. 1066
   C. 1290
   D. 1948

8. Medieval Jewish communities in England faced: A. no restrictions
   B. persecution and expulsion
   C. rule over all England
   D. no contact with towns

9. Jewish people were expelled from England in: A. 793
   B. 1066
   C. 1290
   D. 1685

10. Huguenots were: A. French Protestant refugees
    B. Roman soldiers
    C. Viking kings
    D. Irish railway workers

11. Many Huguenots were skilled in: A. silk weaving and crafts
    B. building motorways
    C. television presenting
    D. coal mining only

12. A correct statement is: A. African and Asian people first arrived in Britain in 1948
    B. African, Asian and Caribbean people were present before 1948
    C. Windrush arrived in 1066
    D. migration never affected ports

13. Olaudah Equiano is linked to: A. anti-slavery campaigning
    B. the Norman Conquest
    C. Viking settlement
    D. the Domesday Book

14. Irish migration increased in the nineteenth century partly because of: A. the Great Famine
    B. the Roman invasion
    C. the Black Death only
    D. the invention of television

15. Irish migrants often worked in: A. construction, docks, factories and railways
    B. only royal palaces
    C. no paid jobs
    D. only universities

16. Empire Windrush arrived in: A. 1290
    B. 1685
    C. 1845
    D. 1948

17. Windrush is a symbol of: A. post-war Caribbean migration
    B. Roman road building
    C. Norman castle building
    D. medieval Jewish expulsion

18. The Commonwealth is: A. a voluntary association of countries, many once linked to empire
    B. a Viking kingdom
    C. a Roman fort
    D. a medieval tax

19. A refugee is someone who: A. moves only for tourism
    B. is forced to leave because of danger or persecution
    C. always travels by ship
    D. never crosses borders

20. An asylum seeker is: A. someone waiting for a protection claim to be decided
    B. a medieval knight
    C. a Roman official
    D. a type of factory

21. The Kindertransport helped: A. children escape Nazi-controlled Europe
    B. Normans invade England
    C. Vikings settle York
    D. Romans build Hadrian’s Wall

22. Ugandan Asians came to Britain in 1972 because: A. they were expelled from Uganda
    B. they conquered England
    C. they were all Roman soldiers
    D. they built the first railways

23. A census can show: A. names, ages, birthplaces and occupations
    B. every private feeling
    C. only weather reports
    D. future events

24. Oral history is useful because it can show: A. personal memories and experiences
    B. only castle designs
    C. exact population totals for all Britain
    D. no human experience

25. A limitation of a passenger list is that it may not show: A. later experiences or feelings
    B. names
    C. ages
    D. previous residence

26. Migration changed British cities through: A. shops, housing, work, worship and culture
    B. removing all diversity
    C. ending all trade
    D. stopping industry

27. Discrimination means: A. unfair treatment of people because of identity or background
    B. a type of road
    C. a farming tool
    D. a fair voting system

28. Integration means: A. becoming part of society while often keeping parts of identity
    B. never meeting anyone else
    C. forcing everyone to be identical
    D. only moving by train

29. Which is the strongest evidence sentence? A. “Migration changed stuff.”
    B. “Migration was good.”
    C. “Irish migrants helped build railways and cities but often faced anti-Irish prejudice.”
    D. “Everyone agreed about migration.”

30. A good “How far?” answer should: A. give a balanced judgement using evidence
    B. only write one sentence
    C. ignore the question
    D. use no examples

C. Push-Pull Sorting

Sort these into push factors and pull factors:

• persecution
• factory jobs
• family already in Britain
• famine
• war
• education
• religious freedom
• expulsion
• poverty
• safety

D. Source Questions

Use Source B, the oral history extract.

1. Describe one problem faced by the speaker.
2. What can you infer about community networks?
3. How useful is this source for studying post-war migration?
4. What other source would you use with it and why?

Use Source D, the passenger-list style source.

5. Identify two pull factors shown in the table.
6. What does the table suggest about work?
7. Explain one limitation of the table.

E. Short Answer Questions

1. Describe two ways Roman migration changed Britain.
2. Explain one way Viking migration influenced place names.
3. Describe one reason Jewish people in medieval England faced persecution.
4. Explain why Huguenots came to England.
5. Describe two reasons Irish people migrated to industrial Britain.
6. Explain why 1948 is an important date in migration history.
7. Describe two ways Commonwealth migrants contributed to Britain after 1945.
8. Explain why it is inaccurate to say migration is only modern.
9. Compare Irish migration and Windrush migration.
10. Explain one way migration changed British culture.

F. Longer Written Questions

1. Explain why people have migrated to Britain at different times. Use at least three examples.
2. How far has migration changed Britain? Give a balanced answer.
3. How useful is a census record for studying migrant communities?
4. Compare the experiences of Huguenot migrants and Windrush generation migrants.
5. “Migrants were welcomed when Britain needed workers.” How far do you agree?
6. Explain the significance of the Windrush generation.
7. Why should historians challenge myths about migration?
8. How did both opportunity and discrimination shape migrant experiences?

13. Answer Key

Quick Recall Answers

1. Movement from one place to another to live.
2. A reason to leave a place.
3. A reason attracting someone to a place.
4. Soldiers, merchants, officials, craftspeople, enslaved people or families.
6. Edward I.
7. French Protestants who fled persecution, especially after 1685.
8. Poverty, work, famine, land shortage or family networks.
9. A ship that arrived in 1948 and became a symbol of post-war Caribbean migration.
10. A refugee has fled danger or persecution; an asylum seeker is waiting for a protection claim to be decided.
11. Examples include Caribbean cafes, South Asian restaurants, Jewish bakeries or other migrant food cultures.
12. London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Leicester, Glasgow, Bristol or Cardiff.
13. A community living outside an original homeland while keeping links to it.
14. Racism in housing or jobs, religious persecution, anti-Irish prejudice, expulsion or legal restrictions.
15. Census, passenger list, oral history, photograph, map, court record, tax record or newspaper.

Multiple Choice Answers

1. B
2. A
3. A
4. C
5. A
6. A
7. B
8. B
9. C
10. A
11. A
12. B
13. A
14. A
15. A
16. D
17. A
18. A
19. B
20. A
21. A
22. A
23. A
24. A
25. A
26. A
27. A
28. A
29. C
30. A

Push-Pull Sorting Answers

Push factors: persecution, famine, war, expulsion, poverty.

Pull factors: factory jobs, family already in Britain, education, religious freedom, safety.

Some factors can depend on context. For example, religious freedom is a pull factor when Britain is seen as safer, while persecution is the push factor from the place left behind.

Source Question Guidance

Source B:

1. The speaker had difficulty finding a room because of discrimination.
2. Friends met on Sundays, cooked together and helped new arrivals find jobs, showing community support.
3. It is useful for personal experience, discrimination and community life, but it is one person’s memory.
4. A housing advert, council record, newspaper report, census record or another oral history could help compare evidence.

Source D:

5. Work, family, friendship networks and training.
6. Several passengers planned railway, nursing or factory work.
7. It does not show what happened after arrival, feelings, discrimination, wages or living conditions.

14. Model Answers

Model Answer 1: Explain why people have migrated to Britain at different times.

People have migrated to Britain for many reasons, and these reasons changed depending on the period. One reason was conquest and settlement. The Romans came after 43 CE as soldiers, officials, traders and workers because Britain became part of the Roman Empire. Later, Normans came after 1066 because William of Normandy conquered England and gave land and power to Norman followers.

Another reason was persecution. Jewish people in medieval England faced persecution and were expelled in 1290, while later Huguenots came to England after facing religious persecution in France, especially after 1685. Refugees from Nazi-controlled Europe also came in the 1930s because they were in danger.

Work was also important. Irish migrants came to industrial British cities for jobs in construction, docks, factories and railways, especially in the nineteenth century. After the Second World War, Caribbean and other Commonwealth migrants came to help rebuild Britain and work in transport, factories and the NHS.

Overall, migration to Britain happened for many reasons, including conquest, trade, persecution, work, family and safety.

Model Answer 2: How far has migration changed Britain?

Migration has changed Britain to a great extent because it shaped work, culture, cities, religion and identity. In the Roman period, migration helped create towns, roads and trade links. Anglo-Saxon, Viking and Norman migration influenced language, place names, government and landownership. This shows that migration affected Britain long before the modern period.

Migration also changed industrial and modern Britain. Irish migrants helped build railways, docks and cities. Huguenots developed crafts such as silk weaving. The Windrush generation and other Commonwealth migrants supported the NHS, transport, factories and public services. Migrants and their descendants also changed food, music, sport, literature, politics and religion.

However, migration did not change everything completely. Some older institutions, inequalities and local traditions continued. Migrants often adapted to existing British systems while also changing them. There was also resistance and discrimination, which affected how far and how quickly change happened.

Overall, migration changed Britain very significantly, especially over the long term. It did not replace everything that came before, but it helped make Britain’s society, economy and culture more diverse and connected to the wider world.

Model Answer 3: How useful is a census record for studying migrant communities?

A census record is useful because it can show names, ages, birthplaces, occupations, addresses and household members. This helps historians see where migrants lived, what jobs they did and whether communities were mixed. For example, a census-style record from East London might show people born in the Russian Empire, Ireland, Wales and London living in the same area. This suggests that migration helped create diverse urban communities.

However, a census has limitations. It usually does not explain why people migrated, how they felt, whether they faced discrimination, what languages they spoke, or how they were treated by neighbours and employers. It may also contain mistakes or categories chosen by officials.

Therefore, a census is very useful for patterns of settlement and work, but historians should use it with other sources such as oral histories, photographs, newspapers, letters and official reports.

Model Answer 4: Compare Huguenot migrants and Windrush generation migrants.

Huguenot migrants and Windrush generation migrants were similar because both came to Britain partly because Britain offered opportunities and safety. Huguenots fled religious persecution in France, especially after 1685. Many Windrush generation migrants came after the Second World War for work, family links and opportunities in a country connected to them through empire and Commonwealth.

Both groups contributed to Britain. Huguenots brought skills in silk weaving, crafts, banking and trade. Windrush generation migrants worked in transport, factories, the NHS and other services, and also shaped music, food, churches, community life and politics.

There were also differences. Huguenots were mainly European Protestant refugees in the early modern period. Windrush migrants were mainly from the Caribbean in the post-war period and often faced racism linked to colour prejudice and imperial attitudes. The government, media and laws were also different in the two periods.

Overall, both groups show that migrants could contribute strongly while still facing suspicion or discrimination.

Model Answer 5: “Migrants were welcomed when Britain needed workers.” How far do you agree?

I partly agree because migrants were often encouraged or accepted when their labour was needed. Irish migrants found work in industrial Britain, building railways, canals and cities. After the Second World War, Britain needed workers for transport, factories and the NHS, and many Commonwealth migrants filled these roles. This shows that economic need was an important reason migrants came and were employed.

However, it is too simple to say migrants were welcomed. Many Irish migrants faced anti-Irish and anti-Catholic prejudice. Windrush generation migrants often faced racism in housing, jobs and public life, even when they were doing essential work. Huguenot migrants brought valuable skills but also faced suspicion from some local workers. Jewish refugees and other refugees were not always welcomed either.

Overall, Britain often needed migrant workers, but need did not always lead to equal treatment. Migrants could be valued for their labour while still facing discrimination.

15. Final Revision Checklist

• I know the meaning of migration, migrant, refugee, asylum seeker, empire, Commonwealth, diaspora, persecution, discrimination, integration, identity and diversity.
• I can place key dates in order, including 43 CE, 1066, 1290, 1685, the 1840s, 1948 and 1972.
• I can name key people such as Edward I, Olaudah Equiano, Mary Seacole and Sam King.
• I can describe key events such as Roman migration, the Norman Conquest, Jewish expulsion, Huguenot migration, Irish migration, Windrush and Ugandan Asian migration.
• I can explain causes of migration, including work, trade, conquest, persecution, empire, family, study, conflict and safety.
• I can explain consequences of migration for food, language, work, religion, music, sport and cities.
• I can explain change and continuity in migration across time.
• I can compare different migrant experiences.
• I can use census-style, passenger-list, oral history, map and visual sources carefully.
• I can explain usefulness and limitations of sources.
• I can explain why interpretations of migration differ.
• I can challenge myths, such as “migration is only modern” or “Britain was once completely isolated”.
• I can write a balanced answer to “How far has migration changed Britain?”
• I can include evidence in every exam answer.