Causes of Migration from 1750 to 1900
Emily Wilson
5 min read
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AP World History: Modern - Migration, Labor, and Imperialism (1750-1900) 🚀
Hey! Let’s get you prepped for the exam. This guide is designed to be super clear, concise, and engaging, so you can feel confident and ready to ace it. We’ll cover migration, labor, and imperialism, focusing on the key connections and concepts you need to know. Let’s dive in! 🏊
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🌍 Migration (1750-1900)
Why People Moved 🚶♀️🚶♂️
Migration during this period was driven by a mix of push and pull factors. Think of it like this: things pushing people away from their homes and things pulling them towards new places. • Push Factors: • Economic Hardship: Poverty, lack of jobs, limited land access 📉 • Political Instability: Persecution, war, oppressive governments ⚔️ • Natural Disasters: Famines, droughts, earthquakes 🌪️ • Pull Factors: • Economic Opportunities: Jobs, higher wages, land 💰 • Political Stability: Safer environments, better governance 🕊️ • Family Reunification: Joining relatives 👨👩👧👦
💡 Memory Aid: Push factors Push People Away, Pull factors Pull People Towards.
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Key Migration Patterns 🗺️ • Long-Distance Migration: Population growth + new transportation (steamships, railroads) 🚢🚂 • Intra-European Migration: Rural → Industrial cities (e.g., Manchester, London) 🏘️➡️🏭 • Transatlantic Migration: Millions to the Americas for jobs + land 🌍➡️🇺🇸 • Asian Migration: Chinese & Japanese workers to Southeast Asia, the Americas, Pacific 🌏
👉 Fun fact: Some Italian migrants crossed the Atlantic twice a year to work harvests in both hemispheres!
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Impact of Urbanization 🏙️ • Millions moved from farms → cities 🧑🌾➡️🏢 • Cities grew rapidly but faced overcrowding, poverty, and discrimination 😥
⚠️ Exam Tip: Migration wasn’t always voluntary—famines, persecution, and wars forced many to move.
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Practice Questions ✍️
Q1. Which of the following was a major pull factor for migrants between 1750–1900? a) Political persecution b) Natural disasters c) Economic opportunities ✅ d) Overcrowding in cities
Q2. What innovation most directly facilitated long-distance migration during this period? a) Telegraph b) Steamships and railroads ✅ c) Canals d) Wind-powered ships
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🛠️ Labor (1750-1900)
Types of Labor 💼 • Agricultural: Farming, ranching 🌾 • Industrial: Factories (textiles, steel, coal) ⚙️ • Domestic: Housekeeping, childcare 🧹 • Construction: Buildings, infrastructure 🏗️ • Transportation: Ships, railroads, roads 🚂 • Mining: Coal, gold, silver, minerals ⛏️ • Services/Trades: Retail, restaurants, blacksmiths 🛠️
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Coerced & Indentured Labor ⛓️ • Slavery: Declined after 1807 bans, but persisted into the 19th c. • Indentured Servants: Indian & Chinese workers on plantations/mines under harsh conditions. • Convict Labor: Used in British colonies (Australia, Indian Ocean) + U.S. convict leasing. • Key Point: Systems reinforced racial & class hierarchies.
⚠️ Exam Tip: Even after slavery declined, coerced labor expanded in new forms.
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Practice Questions ✍️
Q1. After the decline of the Atlantic slave trade, which labor system expanded? a) Indentured servitude ✅ b) Serfdom c) Free wage labor d) Apprenticeship
Q2. Convict labor in the 19th century was mainly used by which empire? a) British Empire ✅ b) Ottoman Empire c) Mughal Empire d) French Empire
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🏰 Imperialism (1750-1900)
What is Imperialism? 🌐
Imperialism = extending power over foreign lands via conquest, colonization, or economic/cultural domination. • Motives: • Economic gain (resources + markets) 💰 • Political/military power ⚔️ • Ideology (Social Darwinism, “civilizing mission”) 📖
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Examples of Imperialism 🌍 • British: India, Africa, Australia • French: Africa, Caribbean, Southeast Asia • Russian: Eastern Europe → Central Asia • Japanese: Korea, parts of China, Pacific • U.S.: Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Philippines • Others: Ottoman, Portuguese, Spanish Empires
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Effects of Imperialism ⚖️ • Pros (for empires): infrastructure, trade networks • Cons (for colonies): exploitation, cultural suppression, resistance • Legacy: Modern borders & conflicts trace back to 19th-century imperialism
⚠️ Exam Tip: Link imperialism to industrialization—industrial powers needed raw materials + new markets.
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Practice Questions ✍️
Q1. Which ideology justified European imperialism in the 19th century? a) Mercantilism b) Social Darwinism ✅ c) Nationalism d) Isolationism
Q2. Which territory was annexed by the United States during this period? a) India b) Hawaii ✅ c) Congo d) Korea
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✅ That’s the full study guide—clean, clear, and exam-ready.
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