For what re1qasons did the Europeans migrate to America in the mid 1800's?
In Ireland, crop failure due to potato blight was one of the causes of a mass migration to America during the mid-1800s (and of the loss of over a million lives). During the Alaskan Gold Rush, potatoes were so highly valued that they were traded for gold. Immigrants came to America during these eras for a wide variety of reasons, political social and economic. While not all immigrants' reasoning fit neatly into one type, the general listing below is a good overview of the motivations for many. Many of the governments of Europe were dominated by nobility and landed elite, the common man found that he had little to no say in the government of his homeland. As a result many came seeking a political voice or freedom from an oppressive government. Others such as the Germans and French in the early 1800's were seeking to escape political unrest and violent political turmoil at home. Religious freedom is the greatest example of social motivation in immigration. The Pilgrims, the Quakers and many other groups came to the Americas seeking freedom from religious intolerance in their homelands. This tradition of religious freedom had become a fundamental principle in American government. Seemingly the greatest motivating factor for most immigrants. Vast numbers of the earliest American Settlers came to America seeking land, as much of the land in Europe was controlled by nobles or the church, leaving little opportunity for the common farmer to achieve success. The vastness of the Americas and easy access to land, drew many of these opportunity seekers. The Irish immigrants