Starter quiz
- What was the primary reason Britain struggled to maintain control of its African colonies after World War II?
- Lack of interest from British leaders
- Financial strain and pressure from the USA ✓
- The support of European allies
- Strong economic growth in Britain
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- Who were the two prominent leaders at the 1945 Pan-African Congress that later became leaders of newly independent African nations?
- Nelson Mandela and Julius Nyerere
- Kwame Nkrumah and Jomo Kenyatta ✓
- Robert Mugabe and Patrice Lumumba
- Haile Selassie and Thomas Sankara
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- The British Prime Minister's "Wind of Change" speech acknowledged the growing momentum for ______ across Africa.
- 'independence' ✓
- What triggered the Accra Riots in 1948 in the Gold Coast?
- The arrest of Kwame Nkrumah
- The announcement of British withdrawal
- The shooting of ex-soldiers by British police ✓
- The signing of the Balfour Declaration
-
- The violent Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya was primarily a reaction to the displacement of the ______ people from their fertile land.
- 'Gikuyu' ✓
- Why did the British government encourage white settlers to establish large-scale farms in Kenya?
- To promote local agriculture
- To create jobs for the local population
- To grow cash crops for export ✓
- To improve relations with native Kenyans
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Exit quiz
- What was the main crop grown on plantations in Britain's Caribbean colonies during the 17th century?
- Cotton
- Sugar ✓
- Tobacco
- Coffee
-
- Which economic event in the 1930s caused widespread unemployment and poverty in Britain's Caribbean colonies?
- The Great Famine
- The Industrial Revolution
- The Great Depression
- The Cold War ✓
-
- In 1938, the British government sent a team led by Lord ______ to investigate the social and economic challenges in the Caribbean colonies.
- 'Moyne' ✓
- What significant political change was introduced in Jamaica in 1944?
- Independence from Britain
- Universal suffrage (voting rights for all adults) ✓
- The creation of the West Indian Federation
- The abolition of slavery
-
- The West Indian Federation was dissolved in ______ after Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago decided to leave.
- '1962' ✓
- Who became the first Prime Minister of independent Jamaica in 1962?
- Norman Manley
- Eric Williams
- Alexander Bustamante ✓
- Marcus Garvey
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Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- The 1930s saw unrest in Britain's Caribbean colonies, including strikes and riots over living and working conditions.
- The Moyne Report recognised these conditions, recommending political and economic reforms.
- In 1944, a new constitution was made for Jamaica which gave the country greater autonomy and self government.
- Britain unsuccessfully attempted to unite its Caribbean colonies into the West Indian Federation (1958-62).
- In 1962, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago were granted independence from Britain, with many states following suit.
Common misconception
All Caribbean countries gained independence from Britain at the same time.
Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago were the first of Britain's Caribbean colonies to achieve independence in 1962, however, the last British colony in the Caribbean to gain independence was Saint Kitts and Nevis in 1983.
Keywords
Plantation - a large estate on which cash crops, such as sugar cane, are grown
Autonomy - having the freedom to make your own decisions and control your own affairs without outside interference
Constitution - the basic principles or laws which govern a nation state
Self government - when people in a community or region make their own decisions about laws, policies, and leadership without outside control
Federation - a system where different states or regions come together to form a single, larger organisation, while still keeping some control over their own local affairs