In: Economics
how did the 1845-1847 famine change Ireland and impact the world in the 19th century?
The great famine of Ireland which took place in 1845-1847 brought the great hunger, diseases and starvation. The famine took the lives of over one million people and more than that were emigrated from the country. The great famine of Ireland is more commonly known as the potato famine. It is because the major reason for the famine was the loss of potatoes. This phenomenon changed the country’s physical, political, demographical structures. Many lives were lost due to this famine. It was more due to the diseases that occurred rather than the starvation. About one million people emigrated from the Ireland after the famine.
The famine obviously changed the whole scenario in Ireland and the relation of Ireland with the other countries. It changed the structure of ownership of lands and the agricultural activities. Failing of potato crops damaged the several families which were used to live on it. This famine created a fear in the minds of people regarding the marriage. After the famine, the Irish people did not want to marry at all. It was all a humanitarian crisis. It all the changed the equation of Ireland with the outer world. The trade was once reduced to zero. There was none benefits that Ireland could deliver to the neighboring countries as well due to this disaster. It increased the tensions between Britain and Ireland, to be specific. This led to the disasterous outcomes. Apart from this, the population of Ireland was grealty decreased as the people emigrated in large numbers, especially to the America.