Tate Houff
Dr. Moon
Hist. 297
10/6/14
Analysis of Ireland and the American Emigration 1850-1900
During the mid-1800s, there was a mass exodus from Ireland consisting of mostly poor
farmers. There were multiple reasons for this immigration, the main reason being the potato
famine in Ireland. This necessary crop left many Irish people starving and crippled the largely
agricultural economy. Arnold Schrier, the author of Ireland and the American Emigration 18501900, is a professor of history emeritus at the University of Cincinnati whose research
specializes on Irish immigration. He has spent over two decades looking through primary sources
to compile data on Irish immigration. Schrier explains in his book Ireland and the American
Emigration 1850-1900 why many Irish people chose America as their escape route as opposed to
other prospering countries. He argues that this mass immigration to America from Ireland
affected both countries culturally and economically, and connected both countries through
people’s stories and experiences.
“Large-scale Irish emigration began with the terrible famine years of 1846-1848 when the
potato...fell prey to a blight for three successive years” (1). This potato famine left most of the
Irish population hungry and looking for a way out. It became clear that their only choice was to
look for salvation across the sea. As most immigrant populations were in that time, the young
and unmarried were the ones to make the trip while the old and weak were left behind. Irish
immigrants main destination was America. The Inited States was going through an industrial
revolution and this created many jobs and opportunities. The vast number of jobs and a chance to
make a better life gave the United States an alluring nature. This allure was fueled by countless
letters sent back to Ireland from the Irish immigrants living in America. “...by 1851 it was
declared that America was no longer regarded as a foreign country, but as if Ireland were “part
and parcel” of it” (2). This notion of having another Ireland to live in with the chance of being
wealthier and more successful led to many more Irish immigrants to flock to America. When the
Irish arrived in America they tended to stay in the cities, going against the advice they received
from back home. However, they stayed because there was already an established community of
people from the same country and same religion. They had a place where they felt like they
belonged, but the main reason was that they did not have the funds to go farther west. The Irish
immigrant at this point had spent all of their funds and needed to work right away. The Irish
immigrants who stayed in the cities endured harsh conditions compared to those who managed to
go west, but even under hard conditions the letters sent back to Ireland always shined a positive
light on American life.
This mass immigration helped change and connect these two cultures. In America, the
flow of immigrants into the country helped the economy and boosted the urban growth of the
cities these Irish immigrants lived in. The biggest effect on America from this immigration was
economic. The hard work and sheer numbers of this immigrant population helped shape the
North Eastern major cities during this time. However, this immigration pattern affected Ireland
on a greater scale. The number of Irish people that left Ireland for America in between 1850 and
1900 was a large portion of their population. This immediately affected Ireland’s economy due
to the fact that there were far less men to work the fields. The lack of people drastically
weakened Ireland’s economy. The press began running stories and ads to try to stop people from
leaving in hopes of saving their economy. This mass exodus also affected their culture through
songs and customs about leaving for the New World. “Important as the direct effects and
repercussions of the emigration in Ireland were, an equally significant though more indirect
consequence of the movement was that which may be described as the American return tide” (3).
Schrier describes this return tide as the money sent back home to Ireland and the returning
successful Irish-Americans. This money that was flowing in from America helped alleviate
Ireland’s economic troubles. Another returning factor to Ireland was the Irish-Americans who
brought with them American culture and ideas. This completed the exchange of cultures between
America and Ireland.
Ireland and the American Emigration 1850-1900 is organized logically on how the
events of the Irish immigration to America played out. It explains why the Irish left and chose
America, the reactions to this mass immigration in both countries, and finally the affects it had
on both countries. Along with the book itself, Arnold Schrier also organizes his facts and
research in a very accessible way. His bibliography is organized by chapter, which makes it
easier to understand. Census records from both Ireland and the United States are some of the
records he used for his research. Telegraphs and newspaper articles were also used to acquire the
full idea of what it was like for the Irish immigrant of this time. He used many primary sources
such as letters back home and stories recounting the lives of these immigrants. Much has been
written on this particular immigration, so Schrier also had many secondary sources to work with.
A few of these secondary sources include “Irish Immigration to the United States” by James
Gibbons and The Irish in America by John Francis Maguire. These records, writings, and
accounts all combine to create the story that Arnold Schrier is conveying.
The Irish immigration between 1850 and 1900 is one of the largest immigrations in
history, and because of this it has had major effects on both countries involved. The Irish
immigrants coming to the United States were a large part of the immigrant backbone that fueled
the industrial revolution. They stimulated the economy and brought along cultures and customs
that were integrated into American life. A portion of the money was returned to Ireland which
helped with the economic crisis that was occurring there. Also, the mass amounts of people
leaving Ireland affected their culture through stories, practices, and songs. This immigration
connected these two countries through stories and experiences and helped shape both nations. It
has had an everlasting effect in both countries that is still felt today.
References
1.
Arnold Schrier, Ireland and the American Emigration 1850-1900 (Minneapolis:
University of Minnesota, 1958), 3
2.
Arnold Schrier, Ireland and the American Emigration 1850-1900 (Minneapolis:
University of Minnesota, 1958), 19
3.
Arnold Schrier, Ireland and the American Emigration 1850-1900 (Minneapolis:
University of Minnesota, 1958), 103