The Great Migration British Immigration 1815 50 Canadian

The Great Migration: British Immigration 1815 - 50 Canadian History

Why leave Europe? ¢ The Napoleonic Wars ended in 1815 causing an economic depression & high unemployment ¢ Massive population growth l Higher life expectancy (more people were surviving famines & disease due to new farming methods & better diets)

Population Explosion Effects ¢ Pop had outpaced economic opportunity ¢ Land & jobs were scarce for many ¢ People crowded into urban areas & lived in slums ¢ Many decided to leave for America for better opportunities

British Govt Reaction ¢ Increased policies for emigration to solve the problems such as high unemployment, poverty, & social unrest

Scotland ¢ Many Scottish farmers were evicted from their homes in a process called clearances ¢ Landlords reclaimed farmland from settlers & created huge sheep farms to provide wool for English textile mills ¢ Over 50, 000 Scots moved to Nova Scotia

Ireland…. . 1840 s ¢ Potato was the main crop & staple of the Irish diet ¢ Mid 1840 s “potato blight” spread to Ireland & destroyed the crops ¢ Famine set in killing approx. 1 million Irish between 1847 -51 ¢ In 1847 over 90, 000 emigrated to BNA

The Voyage Out ¢ Immigrants arrived at Halifax, St. John, & Quebec ¢ Cargo ships were used to bring the immigrants from Britain to earn extra profits Cramped conditions, disease, little food, sea sickness, death ¢ ¢ “Coffin Ships”

The Voyage Out (Pp 44 -46) ¢ Summarize the voyage to North America for: l l An English gentlewoman Regular immigrants ¢ Where is Grosse Isle? ¢ What purpose did it serve? ¢ Why was Canada considered a ‘poor man’s country” in the mid 1800 s?