The Famine

Question 1

Population in 1841

Answer 1

8 million

Question 2

What was the only industrialised city?

Answer 2

Belfast

Question 3

Cottiers

Answer 3

Labourers who rented a conacre from a farmer

Question 4

Workhouse

Answer 4

A house in which poor people were lodged and sent to work for food

Question 5

What led to poverty?

Answer 5

Failed harvest, growing population, dependence on farming

Question 6

What happened in 1838?

Answer 6

Poor Law Act

Question 7

Paupers

Answer 7

Given accommodation and food in return for labour

Question 8

Causes of the famine

Answer 8

Blight, population rising (8.2m), subdivision of land, dependence on potato

Question 9

Robert Peel’s response

Answer 9

1845: £100,000 of Indian corn, feed 1 million people

Question 10

Lord John Russell’s response

Answer 10

Laissez-faire’ No interference

Question 11

Charles Trevelyan

Answer 11

In charge of Irish relief works

Question 12

What happened in 1847?

Answer 12

Workhouses continue, Soup Kitchen Act, run by Quakers, supplied by gov for 6 month before closing

Question 13

What happened in 1848?

Answer 13

Workhouses continue, Public Work Schemes: 750,000 employed, famine roads

Question 14

Consequences of the Famine

Answer 14

Fall in population, end of subdivision, decline in Irish language, distrust for British gov

Question 15

Fall in population

Answer 15

Death and emigration, worse along west coast. Mostly cottiers and agricultural labourers. Population fell by 6 million

Question 16

End of subdivision

Answer 16

Oldest gets land, others emigrate/rent. Low birth rate. Clearance of estates due to death resulted in larger farms

Question 17

Decline in Irish language

Answer 17

West coast worst hit, where most native speakers lived

Question 18

More distrust for British gov

Answer 18

Blamed for handling of famine. Increase in radicals, call for home rule

Question 19

Irish diaspora

Answer 19

Irish people mostly emigrated to Canada, Australia and America (NYC and Boston)