The Settlement Patterns and Living Conditions of Irish Migrants in the Essay

The Settlement Patterns and Living Conditions of Irish Migrants in the United States, And Canada in the Nineteenth Century - Essay Example The Settlement Patterns and Living Conditions of Irish Migrants The Irish people immigrated in planned ways and mostly to specific regions of the New World. Their settling tactics were occupying one side by the ocean or a huge, passable river, which amalgamated the internal area to the ocean. They chose to live near the ocean a relatively limited area because it was a grassland region of the world is within such areas. They wanted a climate that suited the areas they were familiar with and was suitable for the type of agricultural production that they practised. Accessibility to the ocean enabled them to trade their produce with goods that were manufactured in Europe that they used before. This immigration was highly influenced by the Irish potato famine that affects the Irish people. The potatoes dish was a staple meal for the Irish and the lack of it forced many to move to the USA in search of better living. This was during the time when the American dream notion had spread worldwi de. The Irish heard that America was a worry free land and different from the struggles that they were encountering back home. The potato famine of the 1840s led to Irish people struggling to preserve themselves alive thus they had to look for better healthy living conditions, as well as, secure employment. The famine was disastrous in Ireland as the British rulers failed to assist with the food shortage and the condition of grain exportation to pay proprietors their rent become unbearable for most people. This was practically the cause of the Irish immigration during the 1800s. The famine claimed over a million persons fading of starvation while survivors were affected by diseases such as cholera and typhus. This forced them to flee for the USA and Canada as the living conditions were unbearable in Ireland. It is also of necessity to comprehend that the ship the boarded to America was as terrible as the circumstances back home. The coffin ship, as it was known had poor conditions t hat many people lost their lives during the sailing trip to the USA and Canada without achieving their dream of a better life. Additionally those that, safely reached the promised dream settled in new environment that they struggled to adapt to, as they were not used to it as well as struggled to find shelter (Bekerman 123). During the shortage years, almost a million Irish came in the USA. The famine refugees were the initial immense group of deprived migrants to arrive in the U.S. The Irish potato famine started in 1845. The potato plants rotted and turned black because of airborne fungus phytophthora infestans. The fungus is highly toxic, and it infects thousands potato plants from just a single plant that has the fungus. During the 1846 summer, the Irish weather was not favourable to the people. It might be said that it was working against the Irish. The cool, moist summer helped spread the fungus to wider areas affecting more potatoes along the way (McKenna 320). This started t he infamous Irish potato famine in Ireland that caused a difficult life for many people as well as their families. This famine turned Ireland upside down as well as other places in the world due to the immigration from Ireland. After the potatoes were destroyed, the Irish people started living off wild blackberries, nettle and old cabbage leaves as well as edible seaweed and green grass.