Many Irish people lived in poverty and two-thirds of the Irish were dependent upon agriculture as a source of income, but in the 1840's a European potato blight swept across Ireland which caused crop failures across the country. This affected many Irish people because they started to starve and lose money. Due to European potato blight many Irish people started to immigrant to America for a new life. In the 1840's there were many Irish Immigrants coming to America, so when it came to jobs many Irish Immigrants got the lowest paying job and the most dangerous jobs. Many Americans did not care of one Irish Immigrant because new Irish immigrants kept coming to America so they could be easily replaced.