Living in the time of The Irish potato famine

1. Living in the time of The Irish potato famine By Navya Dixit

2. How the Irish Potato Famine started • The Irish Potato Famine started when a fungus traveled from Mexico to Ireland, small parts of England, Scotland and Canada. But even the poorest in these parts could afford other sources of food but in Ireland it became a killer . Ireland however had only potato as there main food resource. • When the Irish people went to pick up there potatoes' they found them dull and days later it turned black and rotten. • The Irish people thought that next year when they went to pick up there potato's they would be fine but the famine went on for the next five years.

3. What is the Irish potato famine • The Irish Potato Famine is when a fungus traveled from Mexico to Ireland . The fungus name was phytophthora infestans, which only killed potatoes. The potato famine killed over a million men, women and children in Ireland and caused another million to immigrate out of the country. Ireland only had potatoes as there main food resource.

4. Living there • The type of houses people lived in the 19 century were one room mud houses. The houses had one door ,no windows, and most of the time were shared with animals such as cows, caves, and pigs. Potatoes were grown on small plots of land beside the cabin. Workhouses were usually located in the 130 districts of Ireland.

5. Workhouses • In Ireland places called workhouses were built to help people who were not able to help themselves. Poor people hated the workhouses and tried to avoid going into them, but when there was no way they could support them self they crowed into the workhouses. • The workhouses in Armagh was designed to hold around 1000 people. It was meant to look untracked and cheap .Although it would cost 8,800 to build it, in Irish currency. • People staying in workhouses were separated into males and woman. • They were given 5 things. A knife, spoon, cup, plate, and po that would help them survive. A po is a pot, which is used as a toilet at night. • You had to work very hard.

6. Workhouses • Three meals were served every day • Breakfast- 6 ounces oatmeal, 1/3 Quart buttermilk . • Supper - 6 ounces oatmeal, 1/3 Quart buttermilk . • Dinner- 3 pound potatoes, , 1/3 Quart buttermilk

7. Landlords • This is the sort of house people would live in during the famine. People who were poor would have bareley own there own house. Instead a landlord would have owned it but collect rent. Landlord also had the power to evict people from their house if they could not afford to pay the rent. • Some Landlords were nice and let the family stay and some paid for other people to immigrate out of the country. • Other landlords Kicked out the people living in their houses and sometimes brought soldiers to throw away all their stuff and get them out of the house