Potato Famine

A detailed Summary of Potato Famine

In 1845, Ireland suffered through a potato famine that killed over two million Irish. History has taught us to believe that those two million died because of a fungus that caused all the potatoes to be bad. The guilt doesn't rest with the fungus, but with the myriad of problems before it. The potatoes should not be blamed for those many deaths.

Several people or organizations could have prevented them.

The most prominent government in the whole world, at that period, was the British Government. They had the power to help prevent this tragedy from occurring, but they refused to help. They kicked the Irish off of their own land and then gave it to wealthy British landlords. Several oppressive laws were enforced against the Irish too. The government enforced laws where only the landlords could hunt on their estate for fun while the starving Irish could only sit by and watch. When the farmers couldn't pay the rent, Britain sent police

The British landlords were also heartless during this time of great suffering. Instead of allowing the tenant farmers to stay on the land while the potato crop failed, they ejected them because the farmers couldn't afford to pay the rent. They allowed land to remain unplanted during the famine because their own profits would have decreased. The Irish tenant farmers were forced to live on the most horrible parts of land where only a small amount of potatoes could have grown. The amount of food the landlords exported to England would have been able to feed six million Irish. English philosopher George Berkeley wrote in 1736, wondering, "whether a foreigner could imagine that half of the people were starving in a country which sent out plenty of provisions."

to help the landlords evict them. Neighboring countries saw help was needed in Ireland and sent charity shipments. The British Government wouldn't allow it unless it was broug

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Approximate Word count = 635
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History

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Potato Famine

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