Week 22
The Irish Potato Famine of 1845–1852 caused the first major mass migration from Ireland to the United States, driving over 1.5 million desperate people to cross the Atlantic to escape starvation. This massive migration was set off by the the potato blight. A destructive water mold destroyed Ireland's potato crops year after year. Potatoes cannot be stored year to year as can some other crops. And therefore any interruption in the annual supply meant mass starvation. Most poor Irish tenant farmers relied almost entirely on potatoes to survive and pay rent. The famine killed over one million people from hunger and disease. Inadequate poorly planned aid from the British government deepened anger and the desperate need to flee. The Journey to America: Roughly 1.5 to 2 million people left Ireland during the famine years, with the majority heading to the United States. Most of these migrants were healthy young men and their exodus left Ireland with an older declining population that would not be relieved for almost a century. Immigrants traveled on crowded, unsanitary ships known as "coffin ships" where disease spread fast. Most arrivals landed in port cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. Many of the immigrants started out poor and worked as low-wage manual laborers building canals, laying railroads, or working in factories. Large Irish neighborhoods formed, turning cities like New York into vibrant centers of Irish-American life. While many faced early hardship and discrimination, recent historical records show that a large number eventually saved money, opened small businesses, or moved into skilled professions.
REQUIRED READING FOR THE WHOLE YEAR OF COMING TO AMERICA
RECOMMENDED READING
Emigrants and Exiles: Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America,
Oxford University Press,
ISBN 978-0195035940
Note: This book appears to be out of print, but you can purchase a used hardcover of your choice for about $16.