Emigration Learning Resources 1: Activities

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Key Question: Why did people emigrate from West Sussex to the USA in the early 19^th century?

With a partner, have a look at the first 3 extracts from the Petworth Quarter sessions. What do you think they are?
Try reading them and check what you have managed to read against the transcripts. Were any words particularly difficult to read?
What 2 offences were George Welch and William Woods charged with in court at Petworth in Jan 1831?
What do you notice about the surname of one of them and the name of the village where they lived?
Name any person who owned a threshing machine
When did they destroy it?
Read Source B to find out what punishments were given to George Welsh and William Woods by the court?
The ‘Riots in Westbourne’ article says George’s punishment was harsher than that mentioned in Source B. Can you work out why?
Clue: read the transcript of Source B and Source C carefully.
What was the population of Westbourne in 1830?
Give 3 reasons why life was hard for farm workers in 1830
What did a threshing machine do?
Why did farm workers hate the threshing machines?
Why did the farm workers riot?
What was the Government’s reaction to the riots?

Research Captain Swing and find out more about the ‘Swing Riots’.
- Why did they happen? Where? When?
- What happened to the rioters?
- If they were prosecuted what type of sentences were handed out?
Create a glossary showing the meaning of words starting with:
- Emigration
- Quarter Sessions
- Transportation
- Threshing machine
Find out how a threshing machine worked and how many people were put out of work by one machine.
Compile a list of reasons why you think some farm labourers in the 1830s might want to emigrate to the USA either voluntarily or because they were given no other choice?
Think about the economic situation today and discuss/list what reasons might make you think that emigration to another country might be a good idea. Are there any similarities in the reasons you have listed between the early 19^th century and now?

After reading the Westbourne Riots article write a personal account of an attack on one of the farms. You could write it as one of the leaders of the gang detailing the events of the night OR you could write it as one of the farmers whose farm and machinery is being attacked. This could be a diary entry or a witness statement for use at the Petworth Quarter sessions.
Write a newspaper article either reporting the riots in the Westbourne area OR reporting from the trial and sentencing of some of the labourers at the Petworth Quarter Sessions.
Write or talk through with a partner the dialogue between a farmer standing by the gates to his property denying entry and the leader of the rioters.
Act out one of the scenes from the Westbourne riots article.