Irish Immigration to the US (1820-1840)

What prompted the British Parliament to modernize British agriculture?

Which group of Irish immigrants were primarily targeted by the British policies?

What was the primary reason for Irish immigrants settling in northeastern cities and towns?

What was the term used to describe the practice of Irish men sending portions of their wages home to support their families?

What was the approximate number of Irish immigrants who arrived in the United States between 1820 and 1840?

What sparked a massive exodus of Irish immigrants from Ireland between 1840 and 1860?

What was the approximate number of Irish immigrants who fled Ireland between 1840 and 1860?

How were Irish workers in northern cities often portrayed by anti-immigrant newspapers?

What did Irish immigrants retain despite facing hostility in the United States?

What was the primary occupation of Irish immigrants in urban America?

British Agriculture and Irish Immigration

Economic slump in England led to the revocation of common land rights for Irish farmers, primarily targeting Catholics in southern Ireland.
This motivated many Irish farmers to seek better opportunities elsewhere.

Irish Immigration to the United States (1820-1840)

Over 250,000 Irish immigrants arrived in the United States between 1820 and 1840.
They were attracted to the booming American economy and settled in northeastern cities and towns.
Irish immigrants performed unskilled work, lacking the capital and skills to purchase and operate farms.

Chain Migration

Irish men often emigrated alone and practiced chain migration.
They sent portions of their wages back to Ireland to support their families or purchase tickets for relatives to join them in the United States.

Irish Famine and Mass Exodus (1840-1860)

The Irish Famine sparked a massive exodus of 1.7 million Irish people from Ireland between 1840 and 1860.
They fled starvation and oppressive English policies.

Irish Workers in Urban America

Irish immigrants entered manual, unskilled labor positions in urban America's dirtiest and most dangerous occupations.
They were often compared to African Americans and faced hostility, with anti-immigrant newspapers portraying them with apelike features.

Legacy of Irish Immigration

Despite the challenges, Irish immigrants retained their social, cultural, and religious beliefs.
They left a lasting impact on American culture.

This quiz explores the reasons behind Irish immigration to the US between 1820 and 1840, including economic and political factors in Ireland and the pull of the American economy.