How did the introduction of potatoes change the lives of the poor in Europe?

Question

Accepted Answer

The introduction of the humble potato significantly transformed the lives of the poor in Europe. It allowed them to eat better and live longer because it was cheap, nutritious, and easy to grow in poor soils. In Ireland, the poorest peasants became so dependent on potatoes that when disease destroyed the crop in the mid-1840s, hundreds of thousands died of starvation.

History: The Making of a Global World

❓ Sibling Questions in this Chapter