USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Pushed out of Ireland by religious conflicts, lack of political autonomy and dire economic conditions, these immigrants, who were often called “Scotch-Irish, ” were pulled to America by the promise of land ownership and greater religious freedom. Many Scotch-Irish immigrants were educated, skilled workers.

Detailed explanation-2: -Between 1845 and 1855 more than 1.5 million adults and children left Ireland to seek refuge in America. Most were desperately poor, and many were suffering from starvation and disease. They left because disease had devastated Ireland’s potato crops, leaving millions without food.

Detailed explanation-3: -Suddenly, in the mid-1840s, the size and nature of Irish immigration changed drastically. The potato blight which destroyed the staple of the Irish diet produced famine. Hundreds of thousands of peasants were driven from their cottages and forced to emigrate–most often to North America.

Detailed explanation-4: -Mass evictions, the near-famines of 1861-1864 and 1879-82, and the hardships of subsistence farming meant emigration to North America continued to be seen as an opportunity to support and improve life.

Detailed explanation-5: -In the period over the famine decade 1841-1850, 1.3 million people emigrated overseas [1]. Of these, 70% went to the USA, 28% to Canada and 2% to Australia.