10 Questions
What caused mass starvation and emigration in Ireland in the 1840s?
Repeated failures of the potato crop due to potato blight
What was the main source of wealth in Dublin controlled by Anglo-Irish landlords?
Agriculture
Why did many Irish Catholics live as second-class citizens?
They were persecuted and not allowed to have their own churches or attend school.
What was the initial response of the British government to the potato crop failures?
They initially refused to intervene, insisting on free market principles.
What was the significance of the potato crop to many Irish people?
It was a staple food source
What was the impact of the Irish famine on Irish society and culture?
The famine had a profound impact on Irish society and culture.
Where did many Irish immigrants fleeing the famine settle in Canada?
Many settlers joined friends or relatives in St. John, New Brunswick.
What challenges did Irish immigrants face upon arriving in New York?
They faced prejudice and hostility, particularly from the nativist movement and the know-nothing party.
How long did the Irish famine last?
The famine lasted from 1845 to 1852.
What controversy arose during the Irish famine regarding food exports to England?
Controversy over the potential creation of a 'calculated genocide' arose due to continued food exports to England during the crisis.
Study Notes
- Approximately 40 million Americans claim Irish descent and celebrate St. Patrick's Day in New York, one of the largest and richest Irish communities in the US.
- Applause intro to a story about the Irish Famine.
- The Irish were once impoverished immigrants who faced hardships and starvation due to potato crop failures.
- Dublin was a British colony, and most of its wealth came from agriculture controlled by Anglo-Irish landlords.
- Irish Catholics were persecuted and lived as second-class citizens, not allowed to have their own churches or even attend school.
- The established Church of Ireland was Protestant, forcing Irish Catholics to pay tithes to support it.
- Landlords lived in opulence while the majority of Irish people lived in poverty, often renting land or working as laborers.
- The potato was a staple food source for many Irish people, but repeated failures of the crop led to mass starvation and emigration.
- By the 1840s, 8 million people in Ireland lived almost entirely on potatoes, with 2 million having no land at all.
- The potato crop began to fail in 1845 due to potato blight, a fungus infection that spread quickly and caused devastation.
- The British government initially refused to intervene, insisting on free market principles.
- Many Irish people resorted to laboring on public works projects, even if they were useless or inefficient.
- The winter of 1845-1846 was particularly harsh, exacerbating the already dire situation.
- The British government eventually began to provide relief, opening soup kitchens and distributing food, but it was too late for many.
- The famine led to widespread emigration, with 300,000 people leaving for mainland Britain in 1847 alone.
- Thousands died during the journey to new lands, and many arrived in a weakened state.
- Emigrants faced challenges in their new homes, including unemployment and hostility from locals.
- The famine lasted several years and had a profound impact on Irish society and culture.
- Despite the struggles, many Irish people remained resilient and found ways to persevere.- John River was a popular destination for Irish immigrants fleeing the famine in the mid-1800s.
- Many settlers joined friends or relatives already living in Canada, especially in towns like St. John, New Brunswick.
- St. John was a seaport, and the dockside district, York Point, became an Irish slum where immigrants struggled to survive.
- Over 17,000 Irish people passed through the Partridge Island quarantine station in St. John, with around 2,000 of them dying.
- The Common Council of St. John passed a resolution in November 1847, asking the government to send Irish immigrants back to Ireland due to the large number of sick and impoverished immigrants arriving. This resolution did not come to fruition.
- The Irish have become a significant presence in what was once British North America, evidenced by annual Irish Canadian celebrations like the Chatham Festival.
- Approximately 75% of Irish emigrants during the famine went to the United States and primarily settled in New York.
- Irish immigrants arriving in New York were often perceived as foreign and faced prejudice, particularly from the nativist movement and the know-nothing party.
- The Irish were regarded as good-for-nothing, drunkards, and unfit for proper employment, causing them to form close-knit neighborhoods and use their votes to gain jobs and power.
- The Irish never forgot the old country or their resentments against the British, especially regarding the famine and the British government's response.
- The Irish famine lasted from 1845 to 1852, and food exports to England continued during the crisis, causing controversy over the potential creation of a 'calculated genocide.'
- Queen Victoria made a state visit to Dublin, Cork, and Belfast during the famine's final year, contributing over two thousand pounds to help the poor.
- The government recognized the land tenure system as the root of Ireland's unrest and initiated land reforms, breaking up the largest estates and redistributing land among small farmers.
- The Church of Ireland went into decline after the famine, while the Roman Catholic Church gained strength, establishing social control and increasing the number of clergy, nuns, and priests.
- The Irish suffered a significant cultural and spiritual loss due to the famine's impact on traditional Irish language, customs, and communities.
- Commemoration events, such as the annual walk organized by an Irish charity, continue to honor those who suffered during the Great Famine and raise awareness of present-day needs and suffering.
- Alfre, the Irish charity devoted to helping poor people in the third world, believes that what happened to the Irish people during the famine was wrong and that it is their responsibility to help those suffering today.
- Mary Robinson, Ireland's President, made a personal visit to Somalia to see the sufferings of the people and the efforts made by Irish charities to relieve them.
Test your knowledge of the Irish Famine and its impact on Irish society, culture, and immigration to North America. Explore the historical events, challenges faced by Irish immigrants, and the lasting influence of the famine on Irish communities.
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