Great Irish famine (jan 1, 1845 – jan 1, 1851)

Description:

Prompts mass immigration to U.S.

Background: Large Irish pop grew in Napoleonic Wars, most were tenants for English landlords and had to send their grains to England and ate little but potatoes.
Background2: 1820s-30s, Irish immigrants were mostly poor men who worked in northeastern cities and towns in lower class.

1845-potato blight destroyed potatoes, very little aid from the British gov, "An Gorta Mór" is Irish Gaelic for "The Great Hunger", one mil died of malnutrition/disease

Result: 1/6 of Irish ppl emigrated (most to U.S.), mostly young, healthy families (since young and elderly were killed by famine) who had endured harsh shipboard conditions where many died of cholera and typhus. 1/3 of U.S immigrants were Irish and they clustered in urban areas as laborers, factory workers, domestic servants, and more and some worked their way up. Mutual aid groups formed to help each other and used the American Catholic Church. Chain migration and sent letters home to family to come once they established roots and saved.

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