Significance Flashcards
North Sea Empire
ST
- Political Stability: Cnut married Emma of Normandy which helped unite Vikings and Anglo-saxons. Violent consolidation of power let him eliminate opposition (eg Anglo-Saxon royal family, Wessex dynasty)
- Economic Prosperity: Trade between England and Scandinavia (both coins equal weight). Agricultural products from England and timbers and furs from Denmark.
LT
- Assimilation: May Danish nobles settled originally because of Cnut, then their families remained. Blending of culture: Anglo-Scandinavian art, language
- Legal changes: Cnut introduced a centralised govt due to the North Sea Empire that outlasted the empire
Today
- Historical legacy and cultural pride
- Strong trade ties between Scotland and Norway
Norman Conquest 1066-1087
ST
- Terror after seizing power: Hatred as English disrupted line of kings.
- Motte and Baileys: 500 made. Symbol of power. Led to acceptance but also resentment
LT:
- Harrying of the North 1069: Led by Edgar Aethling so shows that some English still hated him years after his reign began. 100,000 deaths and wealth lost (shown In 1086 Domesday book)
- Feudal system: Strict roles (Lords, barons, knights, serfs) -everyone indirectly answers to Willy. Anglo-Saxons became 2nd class citizens below the Normans
Today
- Language: 10,000 Norman words in English language. E.g. ‘Pork’ replaced ‘swine’, ‘beef’ replaced ‘cow’.
- North/ South divide
Tudor and Stuart Exploration
ST
- Voyages: Columbus’ travels to the West Indies; John Cabot’s 1497 voyage discovered new parts of the Americas (Newfoundland and Canada). Trips helped lay groundwork for future colonisation and start trade
- Elizabeth I: Sea Dogs: yoinked 10-15% of Spanish ships; victories could be used as propaganda.
LT
- Virginia Company: Founded 1606. Imports tobacco. furs, timber and fish. High profit for James I
- Indentured Labour: 2/3 of colonists were ILs (appeal due to religious tensions + profitability)
Today
- Development of trade routes which are still used. UK still prominent in global trade.
Pilgrim Fathers
ST
- Persecution: Weren’t allowed to practice Puritanism after the ascension of James I in 1603.
- Arrival: Mayflower arrived at New Plymouth in 1620. Life was difficult; many died from disease. Mayflower Compact was a doc signed by the passengers (legal framework for colony). Shows they weren’t just looking for wealth
LT
- Changing relations: Some good relations (intermarriage, trading food) but overall the British did not treat them with respect. 1500: 580,000 Natives in British land. 1700: <280,000 Natives in British land. Many died from smallpox and in massacres. Some adapted to European life; some moved further inland.
- More migration: The Pilgrim Fathers became symbolic of the broader Puritan migration to New England. Over 20,000 colonists arrived in Massachusetts between 1629-40.
Today
- Thanksgiving tradition: The Pilgrims’ celebration of their first successful harvest in 1621 is often considered the origin of the American Thanksgiving holiday. Now a federal holiday.
- Native population still marginalised: 0.7% of population; many in poverty
Walter Raleigh
ST
- Popular: Bezzie mates with Liz I so was part of the Royal Court, held land in Ireland and was given a knighthood
- Roanoke: 1584, was given permission to establish this colony. Motivated by hatred of Spain. Unsuccessful (poorly supplied, hostile relations w Natives). Tried again in 1587. Unsuccessful. But it set a precedent for future colonies like Jamestown and New Plymouth-> others could learn from his mistakes
LT
- Fall from grace: Dismissed from royal court in the 1590s due to marrying without the queen’s permission. So he decided to go find ‘El Dorado’ (city of gold) in 1595. Wrote a book after promoting colonisation.
- Execution: Disliked by James I. Executed in 1618 after being accused of treason and inciting conflict with Spain.
Today
- Legacy: Is known as the ‘Father of American colonies’
- Was voted in the ‘Top 100 Britons’ in a 2002 poll
American Wars of Independence 1775-1783
ST
- British defeat: 4 reasons for defeat: America/France alliance meant that French Navy could cut them off from supplies and reinforcement. America was too big to control by force. More allies joined America (Spain and the Netherlands). Guerrilla warfare->British inexperienced. Humiliating defeat.
- Immediate aftermath of independence: July 4th 1776 Declaration of Independence. 1783 Treaty of Paris officially separates the countries. America has 25,000 death- affected labour/industry. But war also let them have a strong relationship with the French, who were inspired by them and had a revolution in 1789.
LT
- Effect on Britain: Cost £80M. 30,000 died. However by 1785 trade was back to pre war levels. As the USA eventually became an ally of Britain’s, losing it was not important in the long term. Britain lost some valuable resources but was able to focus on colonies in India and Africa
- New migration: 100,000 Americans went to Canada-> preferred to emigrate rather than live in a republic govt. Australia used as a new place to send criminals and became a loyal colony. Willing market for British goods
Today
- Independence celebrations on 4th July; important to American patriotic folklore.
Huguenots
ST
- Persecuted: Huguenots were French Protestants who were evicted from France after the Edict of Fontainebleau 1685. 200,000 fled to Britain
-Initial reaction in Britain: Couldn’t really go to Scotland due to lack of industrial jobs so had to go to England. Initially disliked as Brits hated the French and foreigners. Bristol MP compared them to a Bible plague
LT
- Economical benefit: 70% of paper. Banknotes for 250 years. Helped acceptance. France lost many craftsmen; their glassware industry was ruined. So bad that Louis XIV’s ambassador offered Huguenots cash incentives to resume trading in France.
- Assimilation: Changing names ‘Blanc’ to ‘White’. Intermarriage helps acceptance
Today
- Cultural impact celebrated: 2015 a Huguenot Museum was opened in Kent- a £1.5M project. Over 700 crafted items displayed.
Highland Clearances
ST
- Seen as a threat: They supported the Stuarts as they were Catholic and did not like George I of Hanover. Defeated at the Battle of Culloden 1746 after the Jacobite Rebellions
- Rapid change of economy: Large areas of land turned to sheep pastures. Increased profitability for landowners but the original Highlanders became very poor
LT
- Expulsions: From 1780s there were mass evictions (up to 200 families per day). Sent to barren land. Some left voluntarily to Glasgow as life became hard. Symbolic laws like banning bagpipes made them feel marginalised
- Large diaspora: David Livingstone and Adam Smith who helped the Empire. Many Scots built roads + railways for the Empire 250,000 Scots in America by 1890.
Today
- Legacy: Deep rooted in Scottish lore as a tragic event.
- Today, there are an estimated 25 million Americans of Scottish descent
Ulster Plantations
ST
- English divide up Ireland: English mapped out 4,000,000 acres of land. Distribution started in 1610. Derry had English settlers. Donegal had Scots. Population increased very quickly- 80,000 settlers in total. Lucrative- cheap land, resources such as fish/timber, and only a short journey from England. Mercer’s Company: 21600 acres.
- Bawns: Areas of land with walled enclosures. Free schools in each county and the University of Dublin was founded. Overall growth of urban network with new industries like tanning and linen making. Positive effects not really felt by the Irish though
LT
- Religious divide: Plantation created a social based on religion and ethnicity. Discrimination of Catholics in NI. Penal Laws 1695 deepened this divide. Said Catholics couldn’t work in the army or certain jobs.
- Economic development- Ulster became a distinct region in NI and advanced faster than other regions. Over time, north east Ireland became very culturally and economically different from the rest of Ireland.
Today
-1921 Partition of Ireland
-1980s Troubles culminating in the Good Friday Agreement 1998. Still religious tensions.
Warren Hastings
ST
- Fought in the Battle of Plassey 1757
- Became Governor General of the EIC 1773-> reformed practices, built schools, encouraged the speaking of Native languages
LT
- Reputation destroyed: he was also interested in extending the influence of the empire so used the army to control more Indian states. Built up a personal fortune of £1B and accused of corruption
- Destruction of the EIC: The British govt decided that the EIC could no longer be trusted; this led to the Indian Act 1784 which gave the British Govt complete control over India
Robert Clive
ST
- Fought in the Battle of Plassey 1757. Defeated native leader Siraj-ud-Daulah and took control of Bengal; this became an area of great power for Britain
- Taxes: used his high status (was an MP) to start tax collecting in Bengal (1765) under the Treaty of Allahabad. Control of taxes = political control. Up the British empire fr
LT
- Actions led to the exploitation of Bengal ->cash crops such as opium and indigo led to famine
- Large part to play in the consolidation of the British empire: Regulating Act 1773: EIC and British govt jointly controlled India. EIC turned from a simple trading company to one of the first global enterprises with interests in the Asias and Americas
T
- Tensions from colonial influence still around
- Clive no longer viewed as a hero
The Scramble for Africa
ST
- Rapid Colonisation: The Berlin Conference (1884-5) attended by Britain, France, USA, Spain, Germany. Said how they’d divide Africa. Used the excuse of ‘protecting’ some states from slavery (appeals to Abolitionist movement from late 19th C)
- Resource exploitation: e.g. diamond mines, rubber from Congo.
LT
- Culture and views: Cecil Rhodes and others believed in Social Darwinism. He later set up the Apartheid system in 1948. Also Imperialism developed-conflicts led to arms races + eventually WW1
- Landscape of Africa changed: Prior to colonisation, Africa was made up of over 10,000 states and autonomous groups, but became divided into 54 countries (tensions between dissonant groups). Traditional tribe structures destroyed (e.g. Chief Mkwawa was beheaded for opposing German colonial rule in Tanganyika)
Today
- Many African countries still struggling with the legacy of colonialism and Apartheid in South Africa
- Individuals such as Cecil Rhodes no longer viewed positively; statues of him toppled
Second Boer War
ST
- Tensions between Boers and white settlers prior to the war. Cecil Rhodes sponsored a plan to overthrow Boer leader Paul Krüger after he refused to give British workers legal rights so war broke out in 1899. War was costly for both sides. 7,000 British died (inexperienced with guerrilla warfare) and 22,000 Boers died. Cost £20M for Britain.
- Concentration camps: 28,000 Boers died. V harsh conditions. British reputation tarnished. Outcry from Europe by activists such as Emily Hobhouse.
LT
- Dominion of South Africa created. The political landscape of South Africa was reshaped, leading to a unified state under British control but with significant Afrikaner influence. Still recovering from Kitchener’s ‘scorched earth policy’
- It was Britain’s biggest 20th century war: 1/3 of soldiers were unfit for duty so they needed to do something about it. 1906 free school meals. Soon, unemployment benefits, pensions, med checks etc
Today
- Benefits introduced in 1906 still used e.g. JSA
- Some people think the govt should apologise for the war
Irish Migration
ST
- Potato Blight: Blight started in 1845: 1/2 the population entirely dependent on them. People like Robert Peel tried to solve this by getting imports of maize from America. But no potatoes means bad economy so no one could afford it so people left. Gov had a laissez faire approach- didn’t help. Up to 2M left by 1852. Push factor migration
- Initial reaction: Religious differences (Catholic Irish; Protestant English). Blamed for increasing crime rates. Lived in poor housing such as the Jennings Buildings (1000 people lived there; it was meant for 200)-disease. Called Typhus ‘Irish fever’. Fewer job opportunities- seen as lazy
LT
- Impact on Britain: Worked as navvies, constructing canals, roads and railways. Important for many industries (e.g. textiles) as it was the industrial revolution. Helped British empire->connecting ports which transported things like grain, machinery and tools for the British colonies like India. Also 40% of the army was Irish in the 19th century and >200,000 served in WW1.
- Culture: Irish people moved to America and Britain. NY St Patrick’s parade biggest in world. Cultural identity figures: Oscar Wilde, CS Lewis.
Today
- Prevalent Irish communities in Liverpool
- In 2001, 1/10 of the British population had an Irish parent or grandparent.
Windrush Generation
ST
- Empire Windrush arrived in 1948 with 492 Caribbeans. Many of them had already helped Britain in WW1 (16,000 Caribbeans in the army). Britain was seen as a great place (and they wanted to see the ‘mother country’ they’d fought for) + they were optimistic for a new start
- Initial views: Hated by some RW groups like the EDL, but were welcomed by industry (70,000 civilian death toll)
LT
- Racism: Slogans such as ‘No blacks, no dogs, no Irish’. Colour bar. Windrush views had changed as Britain wasn’t as great as they’d initially thought. Outbreaks of violence such as the Notting Hill riots in 1958. But Notting Hill carnival was founded by Claudia Jones a year later as an act of defiance- the Caribbeans were determined to make Britain their home.
- Legislation: Commonwealth immigration act 1968 reinforced racial tensions
Today
- 2018 Windrush Scandal: UK govt apologised for deportation threats made in 2010. Compensation scheme introduced in 2019, however is criticised for being slow and giving unfair rejections.
