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Americans push the Proclamation Line
The British Proclamation of 1763 was an attempt by the colonial government to stem the flow of American settlers west over the Appalachians. This line, however, was largely ignored by the settlers who still settled west of the line. This expansion westward of American settlers put pressure on the Natives and provided extremely cheap land for the settlers themselves. Not only did settlers seek to move west for cheap land, but they also wanted to infringe on the Native American’s fur trade. -
End of the Slave Trade by Britain and America
The making of the slave trade illegal by both Britain and the United States led to the end of one of the largest immigration systems in the world. The slave trade transported millions of Africans to the United States, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. This institution accounted for one of the largest migrations the world has ever seen. This transport brought culture, language, diseases, and death. -
African Movement to Sierra Leon
British naval squadrons placed librated slaves in Sierra Leon. Christian missionaries helped settle the area by creating schools and churches. Liberated slaves created Republic of Liberia. Freed slaves in South America would begin to migrate to this place. -
Nguni Migrations in Africa
Before the end of their pastoral ways and their unification into the Zulu state, the Nguni people of southern Africa migrated constantly. The Nguni people moved frequently to satisfy the hunger of the cattle that they lived off of. This migratory way of life cane to an end with a devastating drought in the beginning of the 1800s. This led to the rising of Shaka as the leader of the newly formed Zulu kingdom in 1818. -
Height of Underground Railroad
With the northern United States opposed to slavery and the south supporting slavery, the northern United States became a safe haven for runaway slaves. This led to the creation of the Underground Railroad where slaves could be relatively safely transported to the north. Large numbers of slaves were able to escape their servitude, migrating north, which led to the strengthening of the Fugitive Slave Laws in the 1840s. -
Trail of Tears
With the signing of the Indian removal Act in 1830 by Andrew Jackson forcibly moved over 100,000 Native Americans from their homes in the eastern U.S to the western U.S. This relocation caused the death of many Native Americans on the long trek across the United States. The removal of the Natives gave Americans the use of their land for farming and other expansions. -
Great Trek of the Afrikaners
Afrikaners moved from the Cape Colony to travel to the fertile plateau to the north. Produced three new colonies called: Afrikaners' Orange Free State, Transvaal on the high veld, and Natal on the Indian Ocean. Their reason for the Great Trek was British advances in Southern Africa. -
Irish Potato Famine
The failing of the staple potato crop in Ireland led to widespred famine during the “Hungry Forties”. This famine caused the deaths of 25% of the Irish population, and the immigration of another 25% of the population into England and North America. In total this caused the death or displacement of 50% of the Irish population. -
California Gold Rush
The discovery of gold in California in 1848 starts one of the most important domestic events in U.S. history. In 1848, California had less than 1000 people, by then end of 1849, California was home to over 100,000 people, a more than 100 fold increase. This was a massive migration of not only American, but also international people all seeking to gain their share of the gold in California. All the gold taken out of California during this time totaled 750,000 pounds, or $2 billion. -
Gold Discovered in Australia
The discovery of gold in Australia caused the massive influx of European and some Chinese immigrants to the former British prison colony. Australia was originally settled by a group of less than a thousand convicts sentenced to exile, however the discovery of gold boosted the population to over a million by 1860. This influx of westerners gradually displaced the native Aborigines, and the flow of immigrants spilled over into nearby New Zealand where immigrants again displaced the native people. -
Movement of rural population to cities (Europe)
In 1851, Britain became the first country to have a majority of its population in major cities. This soon exploded to a population density of 80% of the people in cities by 1914. Most other nations in Europe were close behind, as well as the U.S. This shift in the population conter of Europe can be attributed to the urbanization of the cities; the presence of jobs in the cities. This can also be attributed to the decline of the importance of small farms, putting small farmers out of buisiness. -
European Immigration to America
The recent revolution in America, and the availability of large amounts of land provided a huge incentive for immigration into the States. This was manifested in the fastest rate of population growth at the time. The United States population increased from 9.6 million people in 1820 to 31.5 million in 1860. This large increase is attributed to large scale immigration to the United States from the countries of Europe. This population shift is because of the presence of jobs and land in America. -
Meiji Restoration Sends Japanese Students Around the World
The former isolated country of Japan established contact with Western powers with the arrival of the American Commodore Perry in 1853. This arrival spurred the integration of Japan into the world economy, where japan exported materials around the world. This however, led to social tensions inside of Japan, leading to the Meiji restoration. During this time (1868 – 1912), Japan sent hundreds of scholars around to world to learn Western ideas and develop Japans’ own industries. -
Disocvery of Diamonds at Kimberley
The discovery of diamonds at Kimberley brought about a massive movement of both European and African prospectors looking to get rich. Additionally, this led to the annexation of the Kimberley diamond fields by Britain which led to series of wars against the natives leading to the displacement of the natives. -
Movement of Russians Southward
The rapid expansion of Russia southward soon brought them into contact with the Kazakhs. Since Russia had acquired modern weapons, they were able to, fairly easily, defeat the lesser equipped natives. This led to the mass movement of over 200,000 Russian citizens southward into the Kazakh Steppe land. These citizens were searching for new farmland where they could better provide for their families. The land held by the natives was taken from them and transferred to the Russian immigrants. -
Chinese Imigrations to the United States
The massive immigration of Chinese immigrants to the United States during 1855-1882, totaling 300,000, brought much more than just workers. The Chinese immigrants also brought their culture, forming ethnic associations within the United States. This social tension led the United States government to institute the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. This act prevented any more immigrants from China. -
Pogroms cause Jews to flee Russia
After the assassination of Tsar Alexander II anti-Jewish laws and massacres called pogroms caused the fleeing of many Jews to the United States and Europe. The most common form of pogrom that happened was a violent anti-Semitic riot. The first of these riots was in 1821, and they reached their peak in frequency and violence from 1881-1884. -
Klondike Gold Rush
The Klondike gold rush of the Yukon region of Canada was sparked when George Carmack, Skookum Mason, and Tagish Charlie found gold in Rabbit Creek near Dawson in 1896. This sparked a mass movement of over 100,000 people to the Yukon hoping to find gold. Either because of death, or a loss of intrest, oly 30,000 prospectors made it to the gold fields. Not quite as large scale as the California gold rush, the Klondike gold rush provided the basis for a mass migration of people. -
Immigration to Hawaii from the United States
The obtaining of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii for the use of the US Navy as a stepping stone to Asia in 1887 led to rapid colonization. In 1893, American settlers overthrow the native Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani and offered the islands to the U.S. The president, Grover Cleveland, opposed annexing Hawaii, but established a protectorate. The election of President McKinley led to the annexation of Hawaii. This led to the rapid colonization of Hawaii by US troops who eventually outnumbered the natives. -
End of Colonization of Africa
The rapid colonization of Africa that was spurred by the Berlin Conference in 1858, ended in 1914 when almost all of Africa was ruled by European powers. Otto Van Bismarck with his conference in Berlin, spearheaded the effort to realize the “Cape to Cairo” dream. Many other European powers joined in the piecing out of the African continent to Europeans. The British, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Belgian, and Spanish settlements soon covered the vast majority of the continent.
