Migration and Empire Issue 1 Flashcards
Facts for Issue 1
What problems did crofters face in the Highlands before 1846
> Crofting families got less and less land to survive on
Crofters could not afford rent
Poor quality of housing (black houses)
Had to share house with animals = disease
What economic incentives did landowners provide to get Crofters to leave
Landowners would pay for Scots travel to cities/colonies
How did landowners push people off their land
They evicted Crofters so they had to move to find new housing
Some landowners burnt down houses so that Crofters would not have a place to live and would have to move
Why were Crofters no longer needed on farms
Mechanisation meant that farmers no longer needed Crofters to work the land, less man power was required, due to the fact that machines could do the jobs much faster, Crofters therefore left the farms to find new jobs in the cities
Hiw did transport help with migration
The development of transport meant that transport was cheaper and faster - 12hours by train to get from Glasgow to London - this allowed easy access to the cities and Crofters could easily return home
Why did people move (social life)
Workers would get more holidays in the city, they would have half days on a Saturday and would have evenings free, this time off allowed them to go to football games, pubs, dance halls etc. to socialise with other young people
Why did Scots leave the country
Jobs overseas offered higher wages, easier to practice some religions abroad, incentives provided by other countries e.g. free land on arrival
Most popular emigration places for Scots
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
India
What did Canada offer to attract Scots
Canada offered free boat trips, land or housing to Scots who were willing to emigrate and work there. This caused Scots to move as they would have less economic worries about moving and would earn higher wages abroad
Blackhouses
Black houses were the houses found in the Highlands, they had no windows and had to be shared with animals, this encourages Scots to move as there was a large improvement in housing in the cities meaning there was a lower risk of disease
Russian Revolution (1917)
The Russian Revolution ended the east European export trade in herring, men lost their jobs on trawlers and women lost their jobs as fish gutters, this caused migration, as these people has to find new job opportunities in the cities
Famine
Potato Blight hit the wast Coast in 1846 causing famine, Scots had to move in search of food and employment in order to survive
Convicts
Some Scots were sent to Australia if the had committed crimes, here they would serve a 7year, 14year or life sentence after which most would settle in Australia
Working hours in Highlands
Work all day, with no holidays or days off = low wages + better wages in USA for same amount of work in Scotland
Social Life in Countryside
Very few leasure activities so life in city appealed to many Scots, especially young people
