The United Kingdom bucking tradition: how Great Britain became a multicultural society.On May 10, 1940, Winston Churchill was sworn in as Prime Minister of Great Britain Great Britain, officially United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, constitutional monarchy (2005 est. pop. 60,441,000), 94,226 sq mi (244,044 sq km), on the British Isles, off W Europe. The country is often referred to simply as Britain. . That same day, Nazi Germany invaded Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, continuing its deadly march across Europe. Churchill staked his reputation on winning World War II, promising the British Parliament Noun 1. British Parliament - the British legislative body British House of Commons, House of Commons - the lower house of the British parliament British House of Lords, House of Lords - the upper house of the British parliament "victory at all costs ... for without victory there is no survival." Churchill helped rally the British people See :
British Overseas Territories by making frequent public appearances and stirring radio addresses. "Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties," he said in one famous speech, "and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire British Empire, overseas territories linked to Great Britain in a variety of constitutional relationships, established over a period of three centuries. The establishment of the empire resulted primarily from commercial and political motives and emigration movements and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'" Five years after Churchill became Prime Minister, he could finally declare victory in Europe--but at a huge cost. More than 350,000 British soldiers and civilians had lost their lives during World War II. And German bombing raids had damaged or destroyed vast areas of London, England's sprawling capital. Such loss and devastation left the British people spiritually and economically shattered. Amid this hardship, unrest spread throughout the British Empire, a world power for centuries. Churchill had said that he did not take office "to preside over the liquidation [end]" of the empire, but that is indeed what happened. Millions of colonists, already unhappy with British rule, were energized by the part they had played in the war effort. One by one, colonies began to declare their independence from a power that they viewed as oppressive, or unjust. Help Wanted "Help wanted" is a request commonly made by an employer in search of an employee. It may also refer to:
As Britain struggled to rebuild its war-torn cities and towns, it faced a severe labor shortage A Labor shortage is an economic condition in which there are insufficient qualified candidates (employees) to fill the market-place demands for employment at any price. This condition is sometimes referred to by Economists as "an insufficiency in the labor force. . A call went out to its colonies and former colonies: Help Wanted. Francesca Williams saw one such ad in a local newspaper in Kingston, Jamaica The City of Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica. It is located on the southeastern coast of the island country at Coordinates: . . Deciding to take a chance on the "mother country," Williams left home in 1951, at the age of 20. A week after arriving in Chorley, an industrial town in northern England Northern England, The North or North of England is a rather ill-defined term, with no universally accepted definition. Its extent may be subject to personal opinion and many companies or organisations have differing definitions as to what it constitutes. , she found work as a machinist. "They had never seen a black woman before," Williams recalls. "The lady who hired me assumed that I couldn't speak English and said awful things in front of me. She was shocked when she realized I understood." Life in England proved difficult for Williams and her Jamaican husband. They could find only low-paying jobs, and many British people either made cruel comments to them or treated them as objects of curiosity. "It was so strange to me," says Williams. In Jamaica, I had seen people from all over--Russia, China, Africa. We knew there were many different people in the world. To us it was no big deal." By 1958, roughly 210,000 colonists and former colonists had come to England to work. Most were from India, Pakistan, the West Indies West Indies, archipelago, between North and South America, curving c.2,500 mi (4,020 km) from Florida to the coast of Venezuela and separating the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic Ocean. , and West Africa West Africa A region of western Africa between the Sahara Desert and the Gulf of Guinea. It was largely controlled by colonial powers until the 20th century. West African adj. & n. . This influx of people of color Noun 1. people of color - a race with skin pigmentation different from the white race (especially Blacks) people of colour, colour, color race - people who are believed to belong to the same genetic stock; "some biologists doubt that there are important began to alarm British officials, most of whom were white. Soon laws were enacted to curb immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. . Despite the crucial role that immigrants had played in rebuilding England, racial discrimination permeated every aspect of society. Its remnants are still felt today. A New Generation Williams is now a grandmother many times over. One of her granddaughters, Rainna Saunders, 11, lives with her parents and four siblings in East London East London, city (1991 pop. 240,474), Eastern Cape, SE South Africa, on the Indian Ocean. The city grew around a British military post founded in 1847. Its harbor was developed from 1886, and today it is a leading South African port. . The area is home to many African-Caribbean families. In fact, 45 percent of Britain's minority ethnic population lives in London. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the most recent census, in 2001, ethnic minorities in all of Britain now number 4,635,000, about 9 percent of the national population. So far, Rainna has shown little interest in her West Indian West In·dies An archipelago between southeast North America and northern South America, separating the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean and including the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, and the Bahama Islands. heritage, or in the traditional foods that her grandmother prepares, including rice and peas Rice and Peas is a mainstay of the Jamaican diet and is traditionally, but not exclusively, eaten with the Sunday meal. Rice and peas is made with rice and any locally available peas such as red kidney beans, gungo peas or cowpeas and coconut milk. , fried plantains, and saltfish. She is not much for English fare, either, preferring such treats as "pizza, Chinese food, or Kentucky Fried Chicken Fried chicken is chicken which is dipped in a breading mixture and then deep fried, pan fried or pressure fried. The breading seals in the juices but also absorbs the fat of the fryer, which is sometimes seen as unhealthy. " to British pie and mash Pie and mash is a traditional London working class food. Pie, mash and stewed eels shops have been in London since the 18th century and are still common in south and east London. The main dish sold is pie and mash — a minced beef pie and mashed potato. (pastry shells filled with mashed potatoes n. pl. 1. Potatoes which have been boiled and mashed to a pulpy consistency, usu. with sparing addition of milk, salt, butter, or other flavoring. It is a popular accompaniment to a meat course [U.S., 1900's], providing bulk and calories to a meal. , ground beef, fish, and other ingredients). Rainna's father sells cable-television equipment and her mother runs a day-care center. Money is tight, so Rainna and her siblings don't have all of the opportunities their parents would like. Rainna's father says he is concerned about the local school system, which is failing many African-Caribbean students. "If I had the money, I would send my children to school in Jamaica," he says. "The education there is better." Rainna is lucky. She recently gained entrance to one of the top public secondary schools in her area. Her favorite subject is technology. "I love to do research on the computer," she says. The Other Side of Town Luke O'Brien, 14, lives on the other side of town from Rainna, in an affluent neighborhood in West London. He and his two siblings attend independent (private) schools because, says Luke, the public schools are "pretty bad." Luke was born and raised in London, but his parents are American immigrants. He says that fitting in can sometimes be a problem, especially these days. "Americans are not the favorites of Brits right now," Luke told JS. "People were very sympathetic [after the 9/11 terrorist attacks]." That has changed since the U.S. invaded Iraq. "Not many people here are happy," says Luke. "It wasn't Britain [who supported the war]. It was Tony Blair." Prime Minister Tony Blair is under attack at home for having sent British troops to fight in Iraq. Last July, a British weapons expert committed suicide after accusing his government of exaggerating claims about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction Weapons that are capable of a high order of destruction and/or of being used in such a manner as to destroy large numbers of people. Weapons of mass destruction can be high explosives or nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons, but exclude the means of transporting or . An investigation into the death--and the British government's role in it--followed. Blair, who appeared before the judicial panel earlier this month, denied beefing up reports about the threat Iraq posed. But according to a recent poll, two thirds of British voters think that he misled them on Iraq. Rainna, for her part, has mixed feelings about the war. "We should have [gone to war] because Saddam Hussein hurt his country," she says. "But a lot of people, a lot of children, were injured [in the fighting]." Says Luke: "I don't think the war was justified. Iraq was probably funding terrorists, but it's also true that [the attack] has made terrorists more eager for retribution [retaliation]." Rainna and Luke may be watching events unfold from opposite sides of London and two very different vantage points. But both represent the new United Kingdom. Your Turn: THINK ABOUT IT Why did the British Empire come to an end? OBJECTIVES Students should understand: * The United Kingdom's immigrant population represents several former and current British colonies and contributes to the national culture and identity. TEACHING STRATEGY Tell students that the UK's large immigrant population represents several world areas. Discuss how immigrants affect a nation's government, economy, and culture. BACKGROUND The British government has proposed a policy that would require immigrants who seek citizenship to first pass tests in English-language proficiency and United Kingdom history. Those failing the exams would be barred from voting and obtaining a UK passport. A government official said the new policy would help ensure that immigrants can communicate in English and understand British culture. THINKING SKILLS CAUSE AND EFFECT: What changes did the United Kingdom experience after World War II? (Several colonies began to demand national independence. At the same time, Britain invited people in its colonies and former colonies to emigrate and help rebuild the war-torn nation.) COMPREHENSION: Why are so many British voters upset with Prime Minister Tony Blair? (Two thirds of British voters feel Prime Minister Blair misled them on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Also, many Britons did not support the war against Iraq.) ACTIVITY THE ROMAN AND BRITISH EMPIRES: Direct students to write a report that compares the military, economic, and cultural achievements of the Roman and British empires. Reports should also include maps illustrating both empires. Then conduct a classroom debate on which empire was more powerful and the influence each has had on world history. STANDARDS SOCIAL STUDIES, GRADES 5-8 * People, places, and environment: How the United Kingdom's immigrant population contributes to the national culture; the social and political challenges that some immigrant groups face there. RESOURCES * Costain, Meredith, Welcome to the United Kingdom (Chelsea House, 2001). Grades 5-8. * Bernard, Catherine, The British Empire and Queen Victoria in World History (Enslow, 2003). Grades 6-8. WEB SITES * United Kingdom http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/uk.html * United Kingdom Cultural Guide http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline /explore/journey/uk/ukindex.htm United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: see Great Britain. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or United Kingdom or Great Britain Island country, western Europe, North Atlantic Ocean. has a long name--it's a rather small country, about the size of Oregon. The UK includes the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales Wales, Welsh Cymru, western peninsula and political division (principality) of Great Britain (1991 pop. 2,798,200), 8,016 sq mi (20,761 sq km), west of England; politically united with England since 1536. The capital is Cardiff. ), plus Northern Ireland (see map right). For more than a century, the UK ruled a worldwide empire. But today, the empire has shrunk, consisting mainly of some islands. (See map, p. 20.) FACTS TO KNOW AREA: 94,548 square miles. POPULATION: 59,200,000; 90% urban. GOVERNMENT: Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II. Head of government: Prime Minister Tony Blair, leader of the Labour Party. ECONOMY: One of Europe's strongest economies, the UK imports one third of its food and many raw materials. It exports machinery and electronic equipment, and is a major producer of petroleum, coal, and natural gas. PER CAPITA [Latin, By the heads or polls.] A term used in the Descent and Distribution of the estate of one who dies without a will. It means to share and share alike according to the number of individuals. GDP GDP (guanosine diphosphate): see guanine. *: $25,300. CURRENCY: British pound, worth about $1.57 U.S. RELIGIONS: Anglican, 27 million; Presbyterian, 8 million; other Protestant, 5 million; Roman Catholic, 5.5 million; Muslim, 1.5 million; Sikh, 500,000; Jewish, 350,000. LITERACY: Males, 99%; females, 99%. LIFE EXPECTANCY Life Expectancy 1. The age until which a person is expected to live. 2. The remaining number of years an individual is expected to live, based on IRS issued life expectancy tables. : Males, 75 years; females, 80 years. QUESTIONS 1. The official name of the UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and--. 2. What is the capital of the United Kingdom?-- 3. The island of Great Britain includes England, Wales, and--. 4. Northern Ireland is bordered by what other country?--. 5. What body of water separates England and France?--. 6. London is located on what named line of longitude?--. 7. The United Kingdom has many oil wells located in what body of water?--. 8. What is Scotland's capital?--. 9. What islands are located north of 60[degrees] north latitude?--. 10. Manchester is about how many miles northwest of London?--. World Map Questions, p. 13 l. Northern Ireland 2. London 3. Scotland 4. Ireland (Eire) 5. English Channel 6. Prime meridian 7. North Sea 8. Edinburgh 9. Shetland Islands 1O. 170 |
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