Migration: Crash Course European History #29 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Between 1840 and 1914, 40 million people left Europe for various reasons, including inequality, famine, and the promise of work opportunities in other countries.

Key Insights

• 💆 Europe experienced mass emigration between 1840 and 1914, with 40 million people leaving the continent.
• 🧑‍🏭 The migration was driven by factors such as inequality, famine, and the promise of work opportunities abroad.
• 👥 The Irish were a significant group of emigrants, leaving due to famine and inequality.
• 🇳🇿 Europeans migrated to destinations like the Western Hemisphere, Australia, and New Zealand.
• 👯 Agents manipulated people to emigrate by making false promises and exploiting economic downturns.
• 🏛️ Emigration had mixed outcomes for individuals, with some building prosperous communities and others struggling.
• 👻 Governments and officials often allowed marginalized groups to migrate, while restricting others' mobility.

Transcript

hi I'm John Green and this is crash course European history so between 1840 and 1914 an astonishing 40 million people left Europe it was one of the greatest migrations in human history and it might seem a little odd because like after all Europe was leading in technological and other innovations at the time agriculture was thriving railroads were c... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did so many people choose to emigrate from Europe during this period?

Many people left Europe due to inequality, famine, and the promise of work opportunities in other countries. The prosperity in Europe was not universal or widely shared, leading to mass emigration.

Q: Where did most European emigrants go?

The Western Hemisphere, particularly the United States, was a common destination for European emigrants. Australia and New Zealand also attracted a significant number of emigrants, including convicts who were sent to Australia.

Q: How were people convinced to emigrate?

Agents recruited people to emigrate by making false promises and exploiting economic downturns. They manipulated individuals with offers of better jobs and living conditions, often lying about working conditions and the lengths of contracts.

Q: What were the reasons behind Irish emigration?

In the 19th century, the Irish faced famine, inequality, and starvation. Many Irish people migrated to avoid these conditions and seek better opportunities elsewhere.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Between 1840 and 1914, prosperity in Europe was not uniform, leading to mass emigration.

• The United Kingdom saw a significant number of Irish emigrants due to famine and inequality.

• Europeans migrated to destinations like the Western Hemisphere, Australia, and New Zealand in search of work opportunities.

• Agents manipulated people in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe to emigrate by making false promises and exploiting economic downturns.