Potato

The potato first originated in Southern Peru by the Incas in the 2500s.

Peru was then conquered by the Spanish conquistadors, who introduced the potato to Spain in 1536.

Eventually, 4 decades later to be precise, the potatoes spread throughout the rest of Europe and became much more common to people.

After Spain was introduced to the potato, it started to spread around Europe from 1585-1600. The potato was introduced to Ireland in 1589 by Sir Walter Raleigh on the 40,000 acres of land near Cork. It was also introduced to Germany, Belgium, and England

Before the end of the sixteenth century potatoes were cultivated along the Biscay Coast of Spain by Basque Sailors.

A major outbreak of potato blight, a plant disease, swept through Europe, wiping out the potato crop in many countries. The Irish working class lived largely on potatoes and when the blight reached Ireland, their main staple food disappeared.