Immigration & attitudes towards race (T3)

Question 1

How did WW2 bring everyone together?

Answer 1

During WW2 many Commonwealth citizens fought and died for Britain

Question 2

What law did the Labour government pass in 1948?

relating to immigration

Answer 2

The British Nationality Act

Question 3

What was the 1948 British Nationality Act?

Answer 3

Said that all citizens of the Commonwealth were British citizens

Question 4

What did the 1948 British Nationality Act mean for people?

Answer 4

That Commonwealth citizens had the right to come and settle in Britain

Question 5

Who were the earliest immigrants to Britain?

Answer 5

The came from India, where, after independence and partition in 1947, some Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs found themselves isolated

Question 6

In the early 1950s, where did immigrants begin to arrive from?

Answer 6

The West Indies

Question 7

What became known as the New Commonwealth?

Answer 7

India, Pakistan and the West Indies

Question 8

Why were more workers needed in Britain?

Answer 8

The NHS was set up in 1948 & railway and bus transport had been nationalised - large numbers of extra workers were needed

Question 9

How did Britain try to get enough workers for the NHS & the railway and buses?

Answer 9

They started advertising campaigns in the West Indies, India and Pakistan to try to attract workers

Question 10

In 1954 how many West Indians migrated to Britain?

Answer 10

9,000

Question 11

In 1956 how many West Indians migrated to Britain?

Answer 11

26,000

Question 12

In 1961 how many West Indians migrated to Britain?

Answer 12

66,000

Question 13

What were wages like in Britain compared to the Commonwealth?

Answer 13

Wages in Britain were much higher than in other parts of the Commonwealth & the standard of living was rising very quickly

Question 14

Where did immigrants tend to live in Britain?

Answer 14

They often found themselves living in the poorest accomodation in the worst areas of big cities

Question 15

What was the ‘white flight’?

Answer 15

Where some areas attracted so many immigrants that the original white population began to move to other parts of the city

Question 16

Name some areas that attracted a lot of immigrants

Answer 16

Toxteth - Liverpool
St Ann’s - Nottingham
Handsworth - Birmingham
Brixton - London

Question 17

What was the ‘colour bar’?

Answer 17

Landlords would not rent to immigrants, employers would not hire immigrants (e.g. Bristol Bus company)

Question 18

Did Trade Unions support immigrant workers?

Answer 18

TU’s failed to support immigrant workers

White trade unionists were often concerned their jobs were being taken by black immigrants who would work for less

Question 19

What was pay like for immigrants?

Answer 19

Those who found work were only offered the lowest-paid and most unskilled jobs

Question 20

On average, how much less were immigrant workers paid than white workers?

Answer 20

28% less

Question 21

Who were ‘Teddy Boys’

Answer 21

Gangs of young, white men who sought to intimidate black immigrants

Question 22

Where were the race riots in Nottingham 1958?

Answer 22

In St Ann’s area of Nottingham, Aug 1958

Question 23

What happened during the race riots in Nottingham 1958?

Answer 23

A crowd of up to 1000 black and white youths fought each other, resulting in a number of stabbings

Question 24

What happened a few days after the riots in Nottingham in 1958?

Answer 24

A few days later, in Notting Hill (West London) gangs of 300-400 white men armed with chains, iron bars, knives and petrol bombs attacked local black people and their homes

Question 25

What were the 1958 Notting Hill race riots sparked by?

Answer 25

By a Teddy Boy attack on a white woman who had a black partener

Question 26

How long did the Notting Hill riots last?

Answer 26

2 weeks

Question 27

How many people were arrested at the Notting Hill riots?

Answer 27

140 people

Question 28

Why was there discontent with the police after the Notting Hill riots?

Answer 28

There were complaints that the police had been too slow to react to black appeals for help

That the police had been too eager to say that racism had not caused the riots

Question 29

How were the Notting Hill riots a turning point for immigrants?

Answer 29

After, 3% of the total immigrant population returned to the caribbean

Caribbean governments made official complaints to the British government about poor housing and prejudiced policing

Question 30

What was founded after the Notting Hill riots and why?

Answer 30

In 1959 the Notting Hill Carnival was founded to promote racial harmony

It still takes place annually

Question 31

How did the government change their approach towards immigration in the 60s?

Answer 31

They changed their policy to try to slow the rate of “community change” in Britain and deal with the negative attitudes towards race

This came across as racist - the government were keen to hide this fact

Question 32

What was the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act?

Answer 32

This stated that only immigrants with jobs waiting for them or those possessing certain skills would be allowed into Britain

Question 33

Due to the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act, how would immigrant gain access to the UK?

Answer 33

They had to apply for a voucher - would only be issued if they could offer skills that were needed in Britain

Question 34

How many vouchers would be given out a year under the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act?

Answer 34

Around 9,000

Question 35

Who did the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act not apply to?

Answer 35

Australia, Canada & New Zealand

Question 36

Why was there tension surrounding racism in the 60s?

Answer 36

• The National Front set up in 1967

- Kenyan Asians ordered to take Kenyan nationality or leave

Question 37

What was the National Front?

Answer 37

A racist party set up in 1967 that wanted immigrants to be sent back to their original countries

Question 38

What happened when Kenyan Asians ordered to take Kenyan nationality or leave in the 60s?

Answer 38

President Kenyatta ordered all Kenyan Asians to take Kenyan nationality or leave the country. Many left and came to Britain

Kenya was one of the last British colonies to gain independence from the British empire

Question 39

What was the 1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Act?

Answer 39

This stated that immigrants must have some close connection with Britain. Close connection meant that the immigrant must have been born in Britain or have a parent or grandparent who had

Question 40

What was the government’s response to the 1967 National Front and the situation in Kenya?

Answer 40

The 1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Act

Question 41

What did the 1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Act also restrict?

Answer 41

It also restricted the number of vouchers to no more than 1,500 each year

Question 42

What were opinions on immigration in the 60s?

Answer 42

It was a major political issue

Opinion polls showed that about 80% of people believed that too many immigrants had been allowed into Britain

Question 43

What was the 1971 Immigration Act?

Answer 43

This created a new class of immigrants called ‘Patrials’. These were people who had been born in Britain, or who had lived in Britain for more than five years, or whose parents or grandparents had been born in Britain

Question 44

What did the 1971 Immigration Act require people to have

to work in Britain?

Answer 44

Anyone whether they came from the commonwealth or not needed a work permit

Question 45

Under the 1971 Immigration Act who did not need to get work permits?

Answer 45

Patrials - all other Commonwealth citizens needed work permits or visas

Question 46

In 1972, how many Asians from Uganda were admitted to Britain?

Answer 46

70,000

Question 47

Why were 70,000 Ugandan Asians admitted to Britain in 1972?

Answer 47

President Amin ordered all Ugandan Asians to leave the country

Question 48

How did the number of immigrants change in the 50s and 60s?

Answer 48

From the late 50s and early 60s the number of immigrants coming to Britain rose very rapidly

Question 49

From 1955 to 1961, how many people came from Britain the West Indies, India and Pakistan?

Answer 49

400,000

Question 50

During the 60s and 70s was extra labour needed?

Answer 50

No

Most of the jobs in the National Health Service & transport had been filled

Question 51

Why did families begin to move to England in the 60s?

Answer 51

The men who had arrived in the 50s were bringing their families over to join them.

This mean the immigrants were becoming permanent settlers

Question 52

What happened to the economy and unemployment in the 60s’?

Answer 52

It began to slow down and unemployment was rising

Question 53

By the 60s, how had immigration affected race relations?

Answer 53

Immigration had led to severe racial tension

The government believed they could reduce racial tensions by placing limits on the no. immigrants allowed into Britain each year

Question 54

What was the 1965 Race Relations Act?

Answer 54

It banned discrimination in all public places, such as pubs, clubs and dancehalls

It also became illegal to publish anything which incited racial hatred

Question 55

What was the Board called that the 1965 Race Relations Act set up?

Answer 55

The Race Relations Board in 1966

Question 56

What did the 1966 Race Relations Board do?

Answer 56

It dealt with complaints

It however had no power to enforce its decisions & was made up almost entirely of white people