Ships Of Death In Ireland In The 1840's

!!!Ships of Death

Can you imagine being so hungry that you sailed across an ocean to get food? In the 1840's, the people of Ireland suffered through the Great Famine, and many did just that.

To escape the threat of starvation, people sought a new life in places like America. It's estimated that 1.5 million people, or about 4,110 people per day, left Ireland to come to America between 1845 and 1855.

\\\

[{Image src='famine.jpg' alt='famine' caption='Irish family during the famine'}]

\\\

Along with passenger ships, cargo ships used for hauling materials like timber were also used to transport people. The ships leaving Ireland earned the name __coffin ships__ because of the high number of deaths that occurred on them. On coffin ships, 20%-50%

A family of four was usually assigned six square feet in which to live. To squeeze into such a small space, they had to sleep head to toe. Hopefully, no one's feet were stinky...but, unfortunately, they probably were!

Hygiene on coffin ships was almost non-existent. As a passenger, you would have been allowed no more than an hour a day on the deck of the ship to get clean air. You would have spent the rest of the day below deck, where there where no showers, kitchens, or bathrooms. When you had to use the bathroom, you did so in a bucket. You ate, slept, and relieved yourself in the same space as your fellow passengers, which meant germs were easily spread.

Throughout the voyage, you would eat whatever was available on the ship. This was generally hardtack - a hard cracker - or nothing at all. The only fresh water was stored in barrels, and sometimes that water was contaminated and unsafe for drinking. Some ships ran out of both food and water before landing.

!!!Passenger

Due to the lack of hygiene, illnesses like cholera, typhus, and dysentery spread throughout the ships. People suffered from high fevers, huge pus-filled sores, and diarrhea. Can you imagine being exposed to such dangers all day long with no way to get away from