Who did the great potato famine effect?

Answer 1

The Irish - At the time of the famine most of the Irish population were poor peasants, as the land was owned by England's lords and gentry/merchant population. The potato was the MAIN staple/food for Ireland, and before the Irish were allowed to cultivate the crops for themselves and their families, all crops went to England to pay obscene taxes and fees to England.

One third of the Irish population starved to death due to the "rotten potato crop" that they harvested - the English landlords, monarchy, and government did nothing to help the Irish population. The potato famine lasted over 10 years as the land was also poisoned from this fungus that destroyed the first crop.

The great Irish migration to America started in the 1840's due to the potato famine. Ireland is a small island, (the only European country not infected by the Roman Empire - amazing Celtic people, as along with present day Scotland and her people fought the Romans, e.g. this is why Handrain's Wall was built.)

All told, one-third of the Irish population emigrated from Eire (Ireland), one-third died in their homeland, and the remaining third stayed.

The great Irish emigration ended in the 1860's. Others came, but not in the waves as seen in the past 20 years. Perfect timing for the Irish, as many were taken from their boats and immediately put in the Union Army - they left a land of poverty and death to come here and give their blood gladly in America's Civil War.