European emigration was caused by many different factors, including the Irish Potato Famine, poverty and pogroms. European emigration resulted in a change in Europe, but also a change in the countries that received European emigrants. Germany, Ireland, Italy and Russia were the countries with the most people emigrating between the years of 1820 and 1920.

The main reason for people leaving Ireland was the Irish Potato Famine. Throughout the famine, from 1845 to 1847, more than one million people died of starvation or emigrated. Also, over 50,000 people died of diseases such as Typhus and Scurvy. Within a decade, Ireland's population dropped from over eight million to less than six million. The potato was Ireland's main dietary staple for the people and animals. Even though the famine effected crops in the United States, Southern Canada, and Western Europe in 1845 and 1846, these places had other food sources, whereas Ireland had been exporting corn, wheat, barley and oats to Britain so they did not have another source of food to turn to. The Irish began moving to other countries to escape starvation. Between 1820 and 1920, 4,400,000 people left Ireland. What made it worse was that the British did not want to help Ireland during the time of the famine. During the 1860's the British believed in the Laissez-faire philosophy. The British did not want to interfere in economics. The Irish continued to suffer and starve, which is what caused the mass emigration of the Irish to other parts of the world.

A family evicted by their landlords in Ireland during the Irish Potato Famine

*One Irish man, Robert Whyte, was an ordinary person living in Ireland, but once the famine struck, he was forced to travel out of Ireland, to Canada, to escape the famine. He wrote an immigrant diary in 1848 entitled, The Ocean Plague: The Diary of a Cabin Passenger. It appeared in print in 1994 entitled, Robert Whyte's 1847 Famine Ship Diary. In his diary on May 30, 1847, he writes:

"It was a charming morning on which I left dear old Ireland. The balmy new-born day in all the freshness of early summer was gladdened by the beams of the sun which rose above the towers of the city, sunk in undisturbed repose. It was a morning calculated to inspire the drooping soul with hope auguring future happiness."

Robert Whytes's story is only one example of the way in which people were forced to leave Ireland. The Irish Potato Famine caused an enormous food shortage. People had to leave their homeland, Ireland, or stay and starve. Most people could not stay knowing that their chance of survival was very low. The Irish found better lives in other countries.

 During the late 1800's and the early 1900's the entire population of Russia had been listening to accusations by the government that Jews were responsible for all the evils in the world. In 1880 there were pogroms in Kishinev and Homel which were started by false rumors. These pogroms forced many Jews out of the designated parts of Russia. The Jews in Russia were being persecuted because of their religion. The Jews began to emigrate to other parts of the world to escape the religious persecution they were facing in their home countries. During the year of 1881, there was approximately 200 pogroms in the towns and villages of southern Russia, causing around 40 Jews' deaths. These pogroms also caused many people to be injured and hundreds of women to be raped. Jews were left poor and homeless. Many Jews emigrated to the United States to escape the poverty and persecution that had become their lives.

Judah Leib Pinsker (1821-1891) was a Jewish doctor. He was born in Russian Poland. Pinsker believed that all the problems with the Jews could be resolved if the Jews attained equal rights. His views changed however in 1881 when many anti-Jewish riots broke out. In 1882 he published a pamphlet, Autoemancipation, in which he urged the Jewish people to strive for independence. Today he is respected by many and an advocate for Jewish rights.

 A lot of Europeans emigrated to the United States, and because of this, the U.S. is now full of people from different ethnic groups and religions. These emigrants brought diversity to white American culture. A more open and tolerant society has been created. The Europeans emigrated to find better lives for themselves. A lot of these people found their better lives in the United States. The U.S. however is not the only country that received European emigrants. Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa also received emigrants. These countries benefited from emigration just as the U.S. did. Emigration created diversity in many countries. As more and more different types of people emigrated to various countries, those countries began changing. Tolerance levels began to slowly rise. Also, the population of the receiving countries grew rapidly. Employers began to employ the emigrants, because the emigrants would work for less money and less rights. In result, many natives lost their jobs. This was one of the downsides of emigration. All in all the mass emigration during the 1800's and the early 1900's helped shape our world and helped make it what it is today.

Emigrants awaiting the boat to ferry them to the steam ship at the Port of Hamburg in Germany

 

 

Bibliography

"European Emigration." European Emigration. 1996. http://www.americanwest.com/swedenigr/pages/emigra.htm (19 Oct. 2000).

"Immigration: 1820-1920." European History. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAES1920s.htm

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"Immigration 1800-1900." European History. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USA1800.htm

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"Immigration 1900-1940." European History. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USA1900.htm (20 Oct. 2000).

"Irish Potato Famine and Trade (History)." Irish Potato Famine. http://www.American.edu/projects/mandala/TED/POTATO.HTM (20 Oct. 2000).

"Pinsker, Judah Leib (Leon)." Portrait Gallery. http://www.iea.org.il/blueprint/bio/p110.htm (7 Dec. 2000).

"Pogroms in Russia." Pogroms. http://www.ukar.org/petiliu04.shtml (3 Dec. 2000).

Whyte, Robert. "The Journey of an Irish Coffin Ship." Irish Potato Famine. 1847. http://www.people.Virginia.edu/~eas5e/Irish/RWhyte.html (5 Nov. 2000).

*This was used as an important primary source, because Robert Whyte is a typical example of how the Irish had to move out of their homeland in fear of starvation due to the Irish Potato Famine. This story depicts the horror that accompanied the famine and the way people were forced to relocate.