Ireland

♣History of the Irish♣ • Ireland is part of the British Isles • It’s native langue is Gaelic • It has a rich history of art and religion • Would first com under English control

in the 16th century• It would become part of Britain in 1801• In the 1920’s, Ireland would split into

two

♣English Control♣

♣The Great Famine♣

• The Famine was caused by a potato blight

• In 1845 it destroyed about 1/3 of the crop

• By 1848, it was ruining almost all the crop

• The Irish population was dependent on potatoes

• The average adult ate 11 pounds a day

♣Immigration♣

• The Irish came to America both to escape the famine and English control

• Most moved to Boston and New York• Most went into textile or railroad construction

♣Reception♣

• Americans hated the Irish• They felt as if they were stealing their jobs• They disliked their culture• The disliked that they were Catholic and not

Protestant • Many places refused to hire them• But they continued to come