"The Irish Mother," April 19, 1849 | State Historical Society of Iowa

This newspaper article from 1849 chronicles the plight of an Irish mother who left her small children in Ireland and immigrated to America without them so she could earn money to send for them.

Courtesy of Library of Congress, "The Irish Mother," Burlington Hawk-eye, pp. 1, 19 April 1849

Description

This 1849 article appeared in the Burlington Tri-Weekly Hawk-Eye. It tells the story of an Irish mother who left her children in poverty in Ireland to go to America and earn money so the whole family could immigrate. The article relates a heart-warming end to the story as the family is reunited.

Transcript of "The Irish Mother" Newspaper Article

Printable Excerpt of "The Irish Mother" Newspaper Article

Source-Dependent Questions

According to this newspaper article, what caused this mother to leave her children and immigrate to America? Why was the family in such dire straits?
What alternatives did the mother think about to solve her problem? Do you agree with her decision to leave her children and immigrate to America? Explain your reasoning.
According to this article, who is to blame for the family's situation? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
What do you think is the author's purpose in telling this story? What in the text leads you to your conclusion?

Citation Information

"The Irish Mother," Burlington Tri-Weekly Hawk-eye, pp. 1, 19 April 1849. Courtesy of Library of Congress