-
Period: to
Irish Immigration in the 1840s
-
First Irish-Born Catholic Bishop in Charleston SC
In 1820 John England became the first irish-born Catholic Bishop in Charleston, South Carolina. At the time Charleston was dominated by Protestants. -
The Hunger Years Begin
The potato blight is a fungus that rots plants and was responsible for starting the Potato Famine in the mid-1840s. The famine nearly forced irish familes to migrate to America in the mid-1840s. Due to numbers of edible potatoes were decreasing the prices for potatoes rose drastically. With this the potato blight quickly took Ireland's food, money, and many peoples lives. -
A temporary solution
Prime Minister Peel developed his own solution for the famine. He purchsed two large shipments of cheap corn maize from America. The corn maize needed to be grounded twice in mills to turn it into edible corn meal. The corn maize ran out quickly and wasn't restocked. -
Life Ruined by the Potato Blight
With the potato blight destroying the potato crops for years not only was there no food, but life itself took a turn for the worst. Many people were poor and were eventually forced to sell their possesions to survive. The only other source of food was the meager scraps familes recieved from relief programs. -
Everyday Life During the Potato Famine
The difficult hardships left families all over Ireland with feelings of despair, agony, and a sense of being defeated by life. Many families were poor, hungry, and suffering trying survive in Ireland while contemplating the idea of leaving to America. -
The Hunger Years End
The Hunger Years finally end taking at least 1,000,000 lives. Today numbers of Irish migrating to America are still increasing. During this time Irish-American immigrants are still building their new lives for themselves in their new home. Today the descendents of many Irish immigrants succeed like their anscestors hoped for. -
Thomas Francis Meagher
Thomas Francis Meagher lead the legendary infantry group called the Irish Brigade during many famous battles of the Civil War between the years of 1861 and 1865. He resigned from his commission on May 15, 1865.
