About two-fifths of the population was solely reliant on this cheap crop for a number of historical reasons...

1. became a base food of the poor, especially in winter


Calories 163

Potassium 897 mg 25%

Total Carbohydrate 37 g 12%

Dietary fiber 4.7 g 18%

Protein 4.3 g 8%

Vitamin A 70%

Vitamin D 30%

was a period of mass starvation, disease, and emigration in Ireland between 1845 and 1852

in the 1600 and 1700 Irish were prohibited to purchase land, voting, holding political office and getting and education.

Catholics made up 80% of the population in the 1700s and they were forced to live in poverty.

So, basically the couldn't prosper in society.

They were dependent on one type of potato: The Irish Lumper.

Lack of variation

1 million people died

about 1 million people immigrated to the US

Irish Ape,
Anti Irish America,
Discrimination Cartoon, Irish Immigrants, Irish American Discrimination, Irish

The image of the Irish as hopelessly poor and a burden to the US is captured in this image of a “Poor House from Galway” heading for America.