New
New
Year 10
AQA
Post war migration to Britain: The Windrush generation
I can recall that Caribbean migrants came to work in Britain in the 1950s and made many contributions to Britain.
New
New
Year 10
AQA
Post war migration to Britain: The Windrush generation
I can recall that Caribbean migrants came to work in Britain in the 1950s and made many contributions to Britain.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- After WW2, there was a significant labour shortage, so the government invited people from the Commonwealth to work.
- The 1948 Nationality Act created 'Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies' who could move to Britain.
- Many workers from the Caribbean arrived in 1948 on the Empire Windrush.
- Many of the Windrush generation took up roles in transport or as nurses, making important cultural contributions.
- Caribbean immigrants from Britain experienced significant racism and discrimination.
Keywords
Commonwealth - an international organisation consisting of states which once belonged to the British Empire
Socio-economic - the combination of social and economic factors or conditions influencing or related to a particular group, community or society
Common misconception
The Empire Windrush brought all Caribbean migrants to Britain.
The Empire Windrush brought the first group of Caribbean migrants to Britain.
Encourage students to see the arrival of the Empire Windrush as just the beginning of the story of Caribbean migration to Britain.
Teacher tip
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
'Decolonisation of the British Empire happened rapidly as a result of the impacts on Britain of this war.' Which war?
The First World War
The Boer War
The Cold War
Q2.
What word means to divide a country into parts?
Q3.
Which country gained full control of the Suez Canal in 1956?
Britain
France
the Soviet Union
Q4.
Which former British colony in Africa was made independent in 1957?
Kenya
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Q5.
For what act of colonial oppression in its past did the British government apologise for in 2013?
How it handled the Suez Crisis
How it handled the partition of India and Pakistan
Q6.
Match these people with their relevant countries.
India
Pakistan
Egypt
Ghana
Kenya
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Which word describes an international organisation of states which once belonged to the British Empire?
Q2.
In which year was the British Nationality Act passed?
1928
1938
1958
Q3.
Which event marked the beginning of mass immigration from the Caribbean to the United Kingdom?
the Second World War
the British Nationality Act
Q4.
Many people from the Windrush generation worked in which areas?
politics
the food industry
Q5.
Into which port did the Empire Windrush arrive?
Q6.
A carnival linked to the resilience and cultural contribution of the Windrush generation is held in which west London district?
Croydon
Greenwich
Islington
Westminster
Additional material
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