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Watt Patents Steam Engine
The Steam Engine would become key to trains and other forms of transportation. It would usher in an age of easier travel prompting more people to immigrate to new places -
Colonization of Sierra Leone
The first settlers were discontent blacks from Britain who hoped to find a better life in Sierra Leone. They were soon followed by other unhappy blacks and even runaway slaves. Sierra Leone would inspire Liberia which would be a country for freed slaves. -
First Convicts arrive in Australia
The arrival of convicts in Australia marked the beginning of the colonization of Australia. This would advance the development of Australia. -
Slave Act of 1807
British ban on the trade of slaves. It caused the amount and rate at which Africans were being sent away from their homeland to decline drastically. -
Beginnings of Irish Immigration to U.S.
Marked the beginning of mass migration to the U.S. The migration of Irish people signified that there would be more opportunities in the U.S. for the poor than in Britain. -
First Steamship Across the Atlantic
This would allow easier travel across the oceans and from continent to continent. It would greatly help facilitate the migration of people globally. -
First Immigrants from Germany to the U.S.
While European immigrants weren't anything new, German ones were a bit surprising because at this time Germany was a huge superpower. However, for the very poor, life was still awful, though not all German immigrants were poor. German immigrants would be responsible for helping develop America's military technology. -
Irish Potato Famine
Lasted for 6 years and kllled a quarter of Ireland's population while causing another quarter to immigrate to other countries. This would devastate Ireland for many years to come. -
California Gold Rush
America experienced the first of wave of Chinese immigrants who would start immigrating to the in U.S. in large numbers.These large numbers of Chinese immigrants would eventually lead to the Chinese Exclusion Act. -
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Jews start fleeing from Russia
Anti-semitism in Russia would lead to periodical pogroms, or massacres of Jews. Jews emigrated from Russia to other countries in order to live a fairer lives. This showed the high level of discrimination still present at that time. -
Large Famine in China
In order to reduce its losses, China loosened up former strict laws out-lawing immigration to Manchuria. Freedom to go where they want would spread Chinese ethnicity to people arond the world. -
Emancipation of Russian Serfs
Although many freed serfs remained on farms, others went to the city or other parts of Europe in hopes of being successful. Their freedom marked the beginning of a new time for Russian citizens. -
Homestead Act
Incentivized investors to colonize land to the west of the current US. This would lead to expansion of U.S. from coast to coast and improve its development. -
Transcontinental Railroad Finished
It completely revamped the American West. This made it exponentially easier to go to the American West or anywhere. It sped up the process of the U.S. exploration of its land by quite a bit. -
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Meiji Japan Sends Students Overseas
In order to strengthen Japan, Meiji oligarchs sponsored studemts to go to the West and learn about modern technoogy and ideas. Students were sent to wherever Japan thought was doing well and would model their new regime after the best of the West. Japan was made into a superpower by these efforts. -
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Massive Immigration to the U.S.
People from every part of Europe, not just Ireland, started streaming into the U.S. There was more promise of a better life for them in a rapidly developing country than an already well-established one like Britain. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
Invoked at least a ten-year span of time where no Chinese people would be admitted into the U.S.. After the influx of Chinese immigrants during the gold rush they felt the balance of their native population being threatened thus cutting off immigration for the Chinese. This would be an example of prejudices against a "inferior" race. -
Start of Mass Japanese Immigration to Hawaii
Japanese people started going to Hawaii to find work there. Like the Euorpean immigrants they saw promise in America and wanted to be a part of it. They were probably well-suited to Hawaii because of Japan's island nature. Mass Japanese immigration would later account for the Japanese Americans today. -
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Exploitation of Africa
Exploitation of Africa via Imperialism by Industrial countries caused large migrations of Indian and Chinese people in search of work to African countries under European occupation, They would have awful working conditions and be taken advantage of because of the plentiful amount of workers. This type of attitude was the same that most empires had at that time. -
Opening of Ellis Island
One of the very first places that immigrants could enter the U.S. from. Ellis Island had high amounts of immmigrants to inspect everyday. Unfortunately, there was some corruption and much discrimination in the early days. However, it was later reformed. Ellis Island was significant because it was the entry point to America for millions of its immigrants.
