The Great Famine
The Blight
Between 1845 and 1852, Ireland's potato crop was infected with a blight, a disease called Phytophthora infestans, that killed much of the Irish potato crop for several years in a row. This was a huge problem because the potato was the main staple of the Irish diet. In 1844, the potato harvest estimated at 14,862 thousand tons. The following year, the country produced around 10,000 thousand tons of potatoes. That number dropped drastically each year after until, there were a few years with a crop of only around 2,000 tons of potatoes.
The Irish People
The Irish people, especially the poor Irish Catholic natives were hit hardest by the years of poor crops. Restrictive laws that discriminated against Irish Catholics made it even harder to overcome the poor crop yields. Disease, crop failure and blight had hit the Irish farmlands at various times throughout the eighteenth century, but none with the devastating effects of the famine of 1845 due in great part to British laws and policies. About 80 percent of the Irish depended on agriculture for survival, but in the 19th century there was a system of tenant farming in that made it very difficult for a farmer to make a living wage. Because of this corrupt system, most Irish Catholic natives lived in poverty before the famine even began. Paying rents for their small plots of land often ate up any profit. Many Irish were barely surviving even before several years of crop failure.
The Reasons
There had actually been a much worse potato blight that caused famine in Ireland in the early 1780's, but without the loss of life. In 1782 and 1783, the country closed their ports, keeping all food in Ireland for the citizens to eat, and prices were lowered, which aided the poor rural Irish. In the 1840's, the British refused to close the Irish ports. Instead, the Irish exported more cattle during this period than had been sent out before this. Several prominent Irish natives wrote out in anger against the British laws and policies that gave little or no aid to the starving Irish and which discriminated against them in acquiring jobs in their own land. Protestors were dealt with harshly. For example, John Mitchel was one activist, who wrote, "The Almighty, indeed, sent the potato blight, but the English created the Famine." He paid a high price for trying to influence the government to help the people. He was charged with treason and sentenced to fourteen years and transported.
The Results
No one knows exactly how many people died in the Irish Potato Famine. Exact records were not always kept, but it is estimated that definitely over a million Irish died in the 1840's from disease and starvation. People who lack proper food and nutrition are especially vulnerable to sickness and disease, and this is what killed most of the Irish poor. More than one million died, and an estimate of one million Irish also emigrated out of the country in search of a land where they can find work and food. The Irish Potato Famine, known as "The Great Hunger" to the natives, caused the population of Ireland to be decrease by almost 25%.
The Irish People
The Irish people, especially the poor Irish Catholic natives were hit hardest by the years of poor crops. Restrictive laws that discriminated against Irish Catholics made it even harder to overcome the poor crop yields. Disease, crop failure and blight had hit the Irish farmlands at various times throughout the eighteenth century, but none with the devastating effects of the famine of 1845 due in great part to British laws and policies. About 80 percent of the Irish depended on agriculture for survival, but in the 19th century there was a system of tenant farming in that made it very difficult for a farmer to make a living wage. Because of this corrupt system, most Irish Catholic natives lived in poverty before the famine even began. Paying rents for their small plots of land often ate up any profit. Many Irish were barely surviving even before several years of crop failure.
The Reasons
There had actually been a much worse potato blight that caused famine in Ireland in the early 1780's, but without the loss of life. In 1782 and 1783, the country closed their ports, keeping all food in Ireland for the citizens to eat, and prices were lowered, which aided the poor rural Irish. In the 1840's, the British refused to close the Irish ports. Instead, the Irish exported more cattle during this period than had been sent out before this. Several prominent Irish natives wrote out in anger against the British laws and policies that gave little or no aid to the starving Irish and which discriminated against them in acquiring jobs in their own land. Protestors were dealt with harshly. For example, John Mitchel was one activist, who wrote, "The Almighty, indeed, sent the potato blight, but the English created the Famine." He paid a high price for trying to influence the government to help the people. He was charged with treason and sentenced to fourteen years and transported.
The Results
No one knows exactly how many people died in the Irish Potato Famine. Exact records were not always kept, but it is estimated that definitely over a million Irish died in the 1840's from disease and starvation. People who lack proper food and nutrition are especially vulnerable to sickness and disease, and this is what killed most of the Irish poor. More than one million died, and an estimate of one million Irish also emigrated out of the country in search of a land where they can find work and food. The Irish Potato Famine, known as "The Great Hunger" to the natives, caused the population of Ireland to be decrease by almost 25%.