2. THE POTATO FAMINE
The potato famine of 1846 to 1852 hit Ireland
and Scotland.
When a potato disease (blight)
arrived, possibly in ships from America, it was
a disaster.
Potatoes went rotten, and were not fit to
eat, people went hungry.
More than 1 million people starved to death.
Many more got sick.
Blight ruined potatoes in Scotland too. Many
people there also starved in the 'Great Hunger‘
http://www.irishpotatofamine.org/flash.html
3. COFFIN SHIPS
To escape famine at home, many poor
Scots and Irish emigrated to America and
Canada.
They went in ships, charities paid for
tickets for some poor families.
Migrant ships were called 'Coffin
Ships', because so many people died.
It's thought that in 1846/1847 20,000
people died in migrant ships sailing to
Canada alone!
4. Blight
Blight is a disease that affects potato crops.
The leaves of the plants turn black and the
potatoes begin to rot in the soil. In 1845
Ireland's potato crop was badly affected by
blight, and a third of all potatoes were
destroyed. Over the next four years, blight
continued to destroy much of the potato
crop in Ireland. The rural poor, who
depended on the potato for their diet, were
worst affected because they had nothing to
eat and no money to buy food.
5. Diet
The Rural poor of Ireland grew their own food
on small pieces of land.
By the nineteenth century roughly half of the
country was dependant on the potato for its
diet.
The potato was suited to the soil and climate
of Ireland.
It was easy to grow, stored well and produced
a large crop from a small plot.
The potato harvest lasted for 6-8 months, and
in the summer oats and green crops were
grown.
6. QUESTIONS
Why were ‘Coffin Ships’ called ‘Coffin
Ships’?
When did the Potato Famine start?
What was the name of the potato
disease?
What colour did the leaves turn in the
Famine?
How long did the Famine last?
