Question

1. what was a result of the situation described in this document?

a) the irish nationalist movement grew.
b) the irish farmers destroyed their crops.
c) the irish cut off diplomatic ties with the british government.
d) the irish were forced to work in british colonies by the millions.
base your answers to questions 5 and 6 on the passages below and on your knowledge of social studies.
...the influence of laissez faire on the treatment of ireland during the famine is impossible to exaggerate. almost without exception the high officials and politicians responsible for ireland were fervent strong believers in non - interference by government, and the behaviour of the british authorities only becomes explicable understandable when their fanatical belief in private enterprise and their suspicions of any action which might be considered government intervention are borne in mind....
source: cecil woodham - smith, the great hunger, harper row publishers, 1962
...far from allowing the market to work, england launched a massive program of government intervention, consisting mainly of building workhouses, most completed just prior to the onset of the famine....
the workhouses, an early version of new deal make - work programs, only made the problem of poverty worse. a system of extensive public works required heavy taxation on the local economy. the english officials directed money away from projects that would increase productivity and agricultural output into useless road building....
in addition to the fundamental failure of the government programs, workhouses, public works, and soup kitchens tended to concentrate the people into larger groups and tighter quarters. this allowed the main killer of the famine—disease—to do its evil work....
source: mark thornton, \what caused the irish potato famine?\ mises institute, 2008

1. which conclusion about these passages is valid?

a) british officials disagreed about an appropriate response to economic problems.
b) irish peasants refused to accept government assistance during the famine.
c) agricultural productivity increased as a result of british government.
d) britains long - term objective was to support irish nationalism.

1. what was a significant consequence of the events described in these passages?

a) a majority of the irish people converted to protestant christianity.
b) ireland became the most agriculturally diversified country in europe.
c) government intervention no longer took place in ireland.
d) approximately one million people emigrated from ireland.

Explanation:

• Question 4: The first passage mentions the laissez - faire approach and lack of proper British government response during the Irish famine. This led to growing discontent, which in turn contributed to the growth of the Irish nationalist movement as people became more frustrated with British rule.
• Question 5: The first source talks about high - ranking officials and politicians being believers in non - interference (laissez - faire), while the second source shows that England launched a massive government intervention (building workhouses etc.). This indicates a disagreement among British officials about the appropriate response to economic (famine - related economic problems) problems.
• Question 6: The Irish Potato Famine led to a large - scale emigration. Approximately one million people emigrated from Ireland as a result of the hardships (poverty, disease exacerbated by workhouse conditions etc.) described in the passages.

Answer:

1. A. The Irish nationalist movement grew.
2. A. British officials disagreed about an appropriate response to economic problems.
3. D. Approximately one million people emigrated from Ireland.