SAS 30 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Oomycete, Scurvy, Indentured Servant
Document Summary
40% of us corn is used to make ethanol. Inca empire: used potatoes to feed their people. They didn"t know how to cook and got sick. By the 18th century, potato became a staple crop in northern europe. Most important food source in northern europe. Late blight: disease that out broke in 1845. Symptoms: leaves die, stems die, plants collapse, potatoes rot. Not recognized as a cause of disease in plants or animals in 1845. Failure of the potato crop resulted in famine especially in ireland. No other crop would provide enough food. Substitute lacking nutrients with an occasional meals of pork. Corn laws: no grain should be imported until domestic price reaches 80 shillings/quarter. Prime minister robert peel repeal the corn laws. Didn"t sit well with the wealthy because of the low income. Susceptibility to disease was enhanced by a poor diet. 2 million emigrated to america by boat. Encouraged by british, paid for by landlords.
