Why did the Irish immigrate?
The great potato famine. . . |
A long time ago, potatoes were a staple food in Ireland. They were the main diet of lower class people and many higher class families enjoyed potatoes too. Farmers grew potatoes for money. People ate potatoes for food. And everything was going well.
In the early 1800s, a disease called Phytophtora infestans, or blight, attacked most of the potato crop in Ireland. This drove the country into poverty and political instability. With the income source of the poor vanishing, the entire economic system of the country fell into pieces. . . |
This illustration depicts a group of Irish people during the potato famine.
Coming to Canada > |
The potato famine led many people to flee their country. 1 . 5 - 2 million people left Ireland for good. Huge waves arrived in ports all across North America. Although many Irish immigrants went to the United States, over half a million stayed in Canada. Since many Irish immigrants could already speak English, they had a larger impact than immigrants from other countries that could not speak English. You will learn more about their life here in Canada on the next page. . .
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