Facts on the Potato Famine Final

In Ireland, many people grew potatoes and relied on them for a source of food. In September of 1845, potato plants all across Ireland were infected with an airborne fungus (phytophtora infestans) which was from ships traveling from North America to England. The fungus was spread across the country through wind, and covered over thousands of plants in just a few days. By October, some news of the potato's fungus had reached British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel. He tried to think of the most logical reasoning for the potatoes turning bad.

During the famine, about a half-million Irish men, women and children were evicted. This was because nobody was selling any potatoes, which is what most people got their food or money from. Many people tried to take a trip across the ocean to North America. An estimated one out of five people on the ships dies from disease and malnutrition. Throughout the famine, nearly a million Irish moved to the United States. Most ships arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, and New York. There were three times the amount of Irish in New York than in Boston. New York could handle more people than Boston because of the city size.

After the famine was completely over, hunger was still a problem in Ireland for years after. Many people were still poor because they lost everything they had and didn't have any money to get it back. It was estimated by the British Census Commissioners in 1841 that the population of Ireland was 8,175,124. There were millions of unreported deaths from the famine that need to be counted for in thought. By 1851, the population had scattered down to 6,552,358. This shows how serious the famine was and how it effected all of Ireland.

http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/famine/