Irish Famine (1740–1741)

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/irish-famine-17401741

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the event?Irish Famine (1740–1741)
2. What is the irish name?Bliain an Áir (The Year of Slaughter)
3. What caused the big freeze and empty plates in Ireland in 1740-1741?A very cold winter followed by a dry summer hurt crops and pastures, leaving people with little food.
4. Why did the famine affect many foods, not just one?The cold and drought damaged grains, milk, and potatoes, so people had less bread, milk, and root vegetables.

Little Ice Age: A period of regional cooling, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, lasting from about the 14th to the 19th century.
Demographic Shock: A sudden and significant change in the size or composition of a population, often due to widespread death or migration.
Climatic Variability: The extent to which climate conditions, such as temperature and rainfall, fluctuate over time.