Stuff You Missed in History Class Flashcards
What contributed to the propagation of the blight?
The fact that the Irish were planting primarily one strain of potato, called lumpers.
When did the Irish Potato Famine take place?
Middle of the 19th century
Why were the Irish so dependent on potatoes?
Because they were easy to cultivate on little land.
What were the farmers who rented land from owners called?
Tenant farmers
What was ironic about the tenant farmers’ situation?
Many of them were renting land which had previously belonged to their ancestors but they’d lost under Cromwell.
Why did the Irish get a reputation for being shiftless and lazy?
They cultivated food which only required work for a certain period of the year, leaving them time for leisure.
What happened to potatoes stricken with the blight?
They went black and slimy within a few days.
What type of attitude did the British government adopt?
Laissez-faire
Where did many Irish people emigrate?
Canada, England and the USA
How were the Catholics persecuted in Ireland?
Not allowed to find work
Restrictions on owning property
Disenfranchisement (Irish had representation in Parliament, but Catholics couldn’t become reps)
How much of the population was literate?
1/4
Describe the tenant farming situation.
Big families lived in tiny mud houses, rented from Protestant middle-men, who gave the money to British owners, subdividing the lots all the time.
Why were potatoes better than grain?
More nutritious and bigger yield
What did they do with the other land they rented?
They grew other foods and cared for animals to sell to pay the rent.
Which two months were the leanest?
July and August
