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Usa's Immigration Expansion

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Usa's Immigration Expansion
Geographic and Environmental Influences of U.S. Expansion
The two most significant environmental and geographical factors that contributed to the expansion of the United States (US) were the California Gold Rush and the Irish Potato famine. The gold rush created a movement of people to Northern California, specifically to the area around San Francisco and Sacramento from all over the United States (Udall & Emmons, 2003). In addition, migration was not limited to US fortune seekers but triggered a worldwide migration. The Chinese migration was particularly large. In fact, the migration was so large that in 1850 legislation was passed to assess fees to foreign miners.
The prospectors mostly in their twenties came over land and by boat. …show more content…
The gold rush brought economic prosperity to California. The businesses, stores, farms, craftsman and industries that grew to supply the prospectors continued to take advantage of California’s growing industry and rich agriculture trade.
California’s massive migration was the lure of gold and fortune. Gold fever swept through California bringing immigrants in search of their fortunes. The Irish on the other hand fled England searching for their own golden calf, survival.
Ireland always had potato blight, but was usually isolated to a specific region. The potato blight had spread throughout Europe in 1845 and Ireland looked to be mostly unaffected (Smith, 2011). The potato blight was not discovered in Ireland until August of 1845 and was not reported until September of that year. By October there were grave warnings of potato famine spreading through Ireland. The blight had wiped out 30 per cent of the potato harvest (Smith, 2011, p. 42). Farmers that were spared from the blight were forced to harvest crops early. Farmers fended off starvation and ate the seed potatoes they had for spring …show more content…
With little hope of survival in the current conditions Ireland needed a quick remedy for relief. These homeless people made their way to Liverpool and boarded boats for the journey across the Atlantic Ocean to America. In April 1847, 85,000 (Smith, 2011, p. 49) Irish people left Ireland for North America. After this initial voyage, Irish immigrants came by the thousands seeking passage to America. Ships that had once been used for cargo were now enlisted as passenger ships for the Irish immigrants headed for America. Many left dressed in rags with little food and no money to last the 40-day journey and many would die on these
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