Migration Unit one Flashcards
Vikings motivations
P: They came because of Religion
CK: Odin, the God of war and military victory, was the Viking’s most important god. To fight and to win meant that Odin would reward Viking warriors after death.
P: They came because of Agriculture
CK: The land in eastern England was rich and fertile. Vikings and their families could settle, farm the land, and live well.
P: They came because of Trade
CK: Many English towns were important trading centres with Europe. Taking over these towns and their trade could make the Viking’s rich (York).
Vikings Experiences (positives)
Positive experiences
CK: Established the Danelaw, a Viking area of land in Eastern and North Eastern England.
CK: The reign of King Cnut (1016-1035). After defeating the Saxons, the Vikings now ruled England. There was a long period of prosperity and peace: Cnut converted to Christianity and accepted many Saxon customs.
Vikings experiences Negative
Negative experiences
CK: Were often at war with the Saxons. For example, King Ethelred ordered the massacre of all Danes living in England: the St Brice’s Day Massacre (1002)
Vikings impact
Language and culture
CK: Vikings spoke a language called ‘Old Norse’. The English language we speak today is very similar in Grammar. Modern English also contains lots of Old Norse words: e.g. Wednesday (after ‘Woden’s day) and Thursday (after ‘Thor’s Day), egg, knife, sister, smile, and window.
Government and power
CK: Vikings held meetings called ‘Things’, where laws were decided by voting. This has influenced the development of the British Parliament.
Normans motivations
P: They came because of Trade
CK: The Vikings transformed England into a wealthy trading hub: it was now a rich kingdom
P: They came because of Religion
CK: Saxon King Harold Godwinson swore on holy relics that William the Conqueror was the heir to the English throne.
CK: William had a papal banner meaning that the Pope had supported him; if the Pope supported him, God was also supporting him.
P: They came because of Government and Power
CK: Edward the Confessor promised William the throne, making William the heir to the English throne.
Normans experiences (positive)
Positive experiences:
CK: Norman nobles took over positions previously held by Anglo Saxons.
CK: Land from 4000 Saxon nobles was given to 200 Norman barons
CK: 1/3rd of England became Royal Forest, where only William and other high status officials could hunt
Normans experiences (Negative)
Negative experiences:
CK: 1069: Harrying of the North – Englishmen attempted to lead a rebellion against ‘alien’ Norman rule but were met with a bloody resistance by William’s army. (Highlighted negative opinions Englishmen held towards the Normans)CK: Anger at new ‘alien’ clergy after Lanfranc became Archbishop of Canterbury
Normans impacts
Language and culture:
CK: Words like ‘parliament’, ‘minister’, ‘government’ originate from Norman French
CK: Introduced surnames to England – usually the profession that the person worked in
CK: Names like ‘William’, ‘Henry’, ‘Richard’ have Norman origins
Government and power:
CK: Created the Feudal System, a hierarchy which kept order in England
CK: 1086 – Domesday Book published which was a huge survey of England
Built Environment:
CK: Built almost 1,000 Motte & Bailey castles and plenty of stone castles and churches including the Tower of London in 1070
Trade and Industry:
CK: Invited Jews to England in 1070
Jewish motivations
P: They came because of Trade
CK: Jews could lend money with interest (usury) and were needed to fund William’s ambitious castle building project. Usury was banned for Christians until 1265. They were also promised prosperity in rich England.
P: They came because of Government and Power
CK: In 1070, King William invited Jews to come to England to finance his projects by lending him money. They were also granted special status.
Jewish experiences (positive)
Positive experiences:
CK: 1135: Henry I grants Jews a royal charter which permits greater assimilation; Jewries pop up all over England.
CK: 1189: Richard I orders that Jews are to be left alone
Jewish experiences (Negatives)
Negative experiences:
CK: 1218: Jews forced to wear Tabulas (yellow identifying stars). These were enforced heavily in 1253
CK: 1275: Statue of Jewry – banned Jews from usury, leaving them penniless
CK: 1290 – Edward I expels 4000 Jews from England
Jewish impacts
Trade and Industry:
CK: 8% of Royal Income came from Jews as they were so heavily taxed, which would be used to finance projects and grow trade
CK: Some of the finance provided to the Crown was used to unlock new trading routes
Built Environment:
CK: Financed William’s building of 84 castles across England
Flemish weavers motivations
P: They came because of Expulsion
CK: In 1351 hundreds of Flemish Weavers were expelled from their hometowns of Ghent and Bruges as they had sided with the English during the Hundred Years’ War.
P: They came because of the Law
CK: The English King, King Edward III (1327-1377) immediately offered protection to these Flemish exiles if they wanted to migrate to England.
P: They came because of Industry
CK: They had skills and knowledge in weaving wool and cloth which they could offer and help develop the English economy.
Flemish weavers experiences (positive)
Positive experiences:
CK: 27 Flemish Weavers migrated to Colchester in Essex. They settled successfully and introduced cloth weaving. 1600 migrants were there by 1582.
CK: The Flemish Weavers were allowed to worship in Saint Peter’s Church.
CK: After appealing to Elizabeth’s council in 1582, the council agreed Flemish migrants should only work in the cloth trade, but gave them permission to find work elsewhere and protected them from being fined by the town.
Flemish weavers (negative)
Negative experiences:
CK: The Flemish Weavers community in Sandwich were subject to law changes. In 1569, the town ordered that migrants could only work as bricklayers, masons, and carpenters if Englishmen had refused work.
