In the last three centuries, there have been hundreds of widespread human tragedies, but only a few of these have left indelible marks on the culture and mind-set of Americans. The short list includes the Holocaust, the African slave trade and the conquest of Native Americans.

Ireland's Great Hunger, known to most as the Irish Potato Famine of 1845, is on this list too, because it sent more than 1 million Irish people to American shores.

Source & Full Story