Why did the Irish migrate to America?
During the 1840s, nearly half of the immigrants to the United States came from Ireland. Irish citizens left their native country in droves to pursue a better life in the United States for various reasons, the most significant being the potato famine.The Potato FamineIn the latter part of the 1840s, the potato crop failed, introducing unseen hunger, famine and death. With their primary food source eliminated, the Irish population suffered a severe decrease. A third of the population died, and nearly 2 million were forced to flee to the United States.Infectious DiseaseThose who didn’t suffer starvation fell victim to related diseases. In addition to starvation, diseases such as typhus, dysentery, malnutrition and cholera killed at least 1 million Irish citizens. Facing inevitable death, many remaining Irish citizens chose to immigrate to the United States.PovertyThe Irish economy relied heavily on agriculture because the country lacked raw materials, investment capital and skilled labor.
