從饑荒到移民：論十九世紀中期愛爾蘭人的移民美國運動

From Famine to Immigration: Irish Immigration to America in the Mid-19(superscript th) Century

張勝柏(Sheng-Po Chang)

《成大西洋史集刊》 10期 (2002/06) Pp. 215-254

https://doi.org/10.7077/JWH.200206.0215

摘要

本文主旨在探討十九世紀中期愛爾蘭人移民美國的歷史意羲。首先，釐清愛爾蘭人祖先的來源，再探討愛爾蘭人移民美國的歷史背景及意羲。一百多年前愛爾蘭人大量的往美洲遷徙造成封美國、愛爾蘭與英國三地社會重大的變化。而這個遷移事件導因於愛爾蘭十九世紀中期的馬鈴薯病變。由於愛爾蘭人過於依賴馬鈴薯，造成事件發生後難以收拾。與其他世界其他各國情形相似，愛爾蘭在近代人口大增，但其勞動人口的增加業並沒有反映在糧食的儲藏量上，因爲英國人挫制了愛爾蘭的經濟，大部分的愛爾蘭人只是佃農，當農産品産量增高時，英國人便提高土地的租金，造成愛爾蘭人幾乎都是無産階級。
當愛爾蘭人忍受饑荒的煎熬時，貪婪的英國人仍然將愛爾蘭人辛苦工作得來的食物往英國本土運送。據估計十九世紀的饑荒來襲時，愛爾蘭的食物儲存量仍夠愛爾蘭的總人口吃四年，這證明瞭英國人落井下石的心態。許多愛爾蘭人忍受不住饑餓的折磨，紛紛遷居他鄉。1847年起，移民人數比以往更多，愛爾蘭地區的港口附近到處是人，仿佛遇到洪水猛獸般的逃離家鄉。這種整體的由先前移民鼓勵並資助未來移民的行爲，終於導致愛爾蘭農村經濟徹底崩潰。與中國人及猶太人一樣，愛爾蘭人非常重視教育，也因爲重視教育，他們的下一代很快的由小小的基層工人躍居爲技術勞工或是更佳的工作頭銜，且漸漸的立足於美國社含。

關鍵字

愛爾蘭 ； 遷入 ； 饑荒 ； 美國 ； 馬鈴薯

並列摘要

The origin of Irish people is known as the Celts, were a group of people, who diverged very early in Central Europe from the primal Indo-European horde and swept westward to the rest of Europe. As early as the twelfth century the British ruled Ireland. The Irish people are different from the British people in many ways such as, religions, languages, and cultures. By means of military power and conciliatory policy, the British forced Irish to accept English as their first language. However, the Irish are always fighting for their destiny.
Most Irish relied on the diet of potato meal. The potato-fed Irish remained relatively nourished and healthy. The potato provided a well balanced diet when combined with milk and some vegetable. The average amount of diet for an adult was 10 pounds. It's overwhelming as today's standard but an essential requirement for people in the 18(superscript th) century.
When the potato crop failed in the fall of 1845, it was not immediately brought disaster. Robert Peel, the British Prime Minister, put into action what could be done to help the Irish to survive. A relief commission was established in Ireland. The Poor Law offered people a minimum of wage to work for public service. Later, the so-called Soup Kitchen replaced the public service and provided people free food.
With the massive and repeated failure of the potato crop in Ireland from 1845 on, the Irish rushed to America. In the nineteenth century, many Irish immigrated to the U.S., some were looking for a new land to preach, some were suffered from religious discrimination, and some were looking for a new place to restart their new life. After the mid-nineteenth century, the immigration rush reached a historical high record. The reason was Irish potato fungi ruined their potato fields and caused a great famine. In ten years, over two million populations were disappearing from Ireland, some were killed by famine, and some went to the U.S.
This is not only a journey of pain and suffering but also a journey of death and unsureness. In some respects the Irish, one of the early immigrant groups of America, have unintentionally, and often despite themselves, maintain greater cultural diversity and greater cultural distinctiveness than groups that come after them. Despite a long period in America, the Irish are still a group of hard working and respectful people in America. They soon changed their status from low-class to middle class in American society.
The significance of Irish immigration brought people respect to the diversity of cultures and helps us to understand how Irish survived under the hostile environment both on board and in the New World.

並列關鍵字

Ireland ； Immigration ； Famine ； America ； Potato