The Great Famine of Ireland Term Paper by Thukydides
An analysis of the causes and consequences of the Great Famine of Ireland.
# 151911
| 991 words
| 3 sources
| MLA
| 2011
| 
Published
on Oct 23, 2012
in
History
(European - 19th century)
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Description:
This paper discusses how arguably the most tragic event in the Irish history, the Great Famine of 1845-1849 was a period of mass starvation that led to the fall of Irish population from 8,175,124 in 1841 to 6,552,385 in 1861, as nearly 2,500,000 of the Irish either emigrated (about a 1,000,000 people) or fell victim to the famine (around 1,500,000 persons). The paper examines the complicity of the British government during the tragedy of the Great Famine, and makes a conclusion about the causal links between the economic structure and political situation of Ireland of that time and the severity of the famine.
From the Paper:
"Ireland in the first half of the 19th century was an impoverished agrarian country, with the majority of land being owned by Protestant landlords, many of whom almost never visited their estates. The majority of the rural population consisted of tenants-at-will who were forced to pay rent to their landlords and were deprived of the right of property to any improvements they made on their land plots, stifling any incentive to make innovations in agricultural production ("Irish Potato Famine"). The importance of potatoes for the Irish rural economy was underscored by its unique features: potato was easy to cultivate in the temperate and damp climate of Ireland and its adaptability allowed it to be planted in the rocky soil of most of the island (Kinealy 32). In the 19th century up to 3 million Irish peasants depended on potatoes for their subsistence ("Irish Potato Famine"). As the potato is rich in carbohydrates, protein, minerals, and vitamins, this diet allowed the Irish peasants to maintain relatively good health ("Irish Potato Famine")."Sample of Sources Used:
- "Irish Potato Famine." The History Place. The History Place, 15 Aug. 2000. Web. 19 Apr. 2011.
- Kinealy, Christine. A Death-Dealing Famine: The Great Hunger in Ireland. London: Pluto Press, 1997. Print.
- Robbins, Richard H. Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: Allin & Bacon, 2001. Print.
Cite this Term Paper:
APA Format
The Great Famine of Ireland (2012, October 23)
Retrieved September 29, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/term-paper/the-great-famine-of-ireland-151911/
MLA Format
"The Great Famine of Ireland" 23 October 2012.
Web. 29 September. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/term-paper/the-great-famine-of-ireland-151911/>