British emigration during the early 1850s with special reference to emigration to the U.S.A
This dissertation utilizes recently developed techniques to explore with precision some basic questions that have long puzzled historians: who were the 19th-century European emigrants, and why did they emigrate? In the case of the extensive British emigration to the U.S.A. during the early 1850s, there is special interest in the possible influence of the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. Also of interest is whether industrial change in Britain influenced the emigration. Contrary to the current opinion that the repeal of the Corn Laws did not result in the catastrophe predicted by many contemporaries, the fall in grain prices that resulted from repeal was the main cause for agriculturalists dominating the emigration of the early 1850s. Grain farmers on poor soils without the capital necessary for improvement comprised the bulk of the agricultural movement because they were losing their limited capital and saw no future in a free-trade Britain. Those farmers not experiencing such distress in Britain did not emigrate. Emigration seems to have been an option taken reluctantly by farmers. Surprisingly few persons experiencing industrial change in Britain at this time emigrated to the United States. The growth of
Van Vugt, William E.
United States
British emigration during the early 1850s with special reference to emigration to the U.S.A. This dissertation utilizes recently developed techniques to explore with precision some basic questions that have long puzzled historians: who were the 19th-century European emigrants, and why did they emigrate? In the case of the extensive British emigration to the U.S.A. during the early 1850s, there is special interest in the possible influence of the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. Also of interest is whether industrial change in Britain influenced the emigration. Contrary to the current opinion that the repeal of the Corn Laws did not result in the catastrophe predicted by many contemporaries, the fall in grain prices that resulted from repeal was the main cause for agriculturalists dominating the emigration of the early 1850s. Grain farmers on poor soils without the capital necessary for improvement comprised the bulk of the agricultural movement because they were losing their limited capital and saw no future in a free-trade Britain. Those farmers not experiencing such distress in Britain did not emigrate. Emigration seems to have been an option taken reluctantly by farmers. Surprisingly few persons experiencing industrial change in Britain at this time emigrated to the United States. The growth of
british emigration special_reference emigration usa utilize recently develop technique explore precision basic_question long puzzle historian th_century european emigrant case extensive british emigration usa special_interest possible influence repeal corn_laws also interest whether industrial_change britain influenced emigration contrary current opinion repeal corn_laws catastrophe predict many_contemporary fall grain price result repeal main cause agriculturalist dominate emigration grain farmer poor soil without capital necessary improvement comprise bulk agricultural movement lose limited capital saw future free_trade britain farmer experience distress britain emigration seem option take farmer surprisingly person experience industrial_change britain time united_states growth