Reply #75: The Irish also got screwed

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Well it wasn't slave owners. That was a HUGE capital expense (sorry but they were seen a property...to some, to some part of the society/family) so most small farmers couldn't afford to buy them let alone house and feed them.

That's true.

Somewhat related: I've been reading about the history of the Irish in America. One thing that struck me was that, in the pre-civil war south, the Irish did all the most dangerous work because slaves were considered too valuable. Railroad building, for example, was said to have had so many fatalities that there was "an Irishman buried under every tie".

Even comparing things like living conditions, food, etc. most Irish in the US, even though they were free, actually had lives even more miserable than slaves.

Also, it wasn't uncommon that many Irish would die on the trip to America. In one of the worst years, 1847, about 40,000 died en route or upon landing. This is close to the 45,000 Africans that died on the way to the colonies and US during the entire period during which importation of slaves was allowed.

It's an incredibly tragic story and it's heart-wrenching.