Between 1800-1900 the population of the united states soared from 5 million to 75 million. There were over 20 million new arrivals, not only from England, Africa, Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia, as during the colonial period, but also from Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria, Russia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, China, and Canada. Except for the African slaves, who did not come of their own volition, journeying to the New World was undertaken for a number of reasons-religious liberty,escape from wars and unrest, economic enterprise,adventure, even curiosity. Not the least of these worries was hunger or freedom from the fear of recurrence food shortages..Some came to America in pursuit of a better diet or even of a rare and valuable foodstuff, as in the case of Columbus, who came, mistakenly, in search of the spices of the East Indies..By 1700, the thirteen colonies were bolstered in their conviction to wrench free of Britain largely by Americas self-sufficiency in food. Americas surpluses of grain, pork, beef, and fresh water fish were already being traded abroad for molasses, sugar, spices, dried fruits, tea, coffee, and wines. And all throughout the pioneering 1800s letters flowed back across the Atlantic urging relatives and friends from the devasted potatoe fields of Ireland to the despairing villages of Russia to come to the land where bread was more plentiful, meat was eaten three times a day, and pie for breakfast was commonplace.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Oct 2013 17:28:16 +0000
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