More detail of the conditions that resulted in significant migration of Sicilians, mostly to America.
Source:
Source:
PDF]5 A very brief history of Sicily - Stanford University
web.stanford.edu/group/mountpolizzo/handbookPDF/MPHandbook5.pdf
"1860 was not the end of Sicily's troubles, however. In the late 19th century northern
Italy was rapidly industrializing, while the south (the Mezzogiorno) remained agricultural. Sicily in particular lost population to the north, and in the 1890s massive emigration to America began. Industrial growth was slow in Sicily, with the main non-agricultural activity being sulfur mining. This was done in horrible conditions, with most of the underground work left to children. The new Italian state introduced compulsory primary schooling and other social schemes, but class hostilities grew ever more severe in Sicily. In 1893-94 workers' leagues organized the Fasce uprisings, which disrupted food supplies and led to famines. In 1901 there were violent clashes between striking workers and police, and in 1920 there was a full-blown farmers' rebellion against landowners, in which kidnapping was first used as a political tool. Patterns of landholding were more unequal in Sicily than in any other part of Italy. The Mafia emerged as a major force in these years, being used to break up workers' organizations and to assassinate state officials. As if these political and economic troubles were not enough, on December 28th, 1908, an earthquake destroyed Messina and killed 10,000 people."
Italy was rapidly industrializing, while the south (the Mezzogiorno) remained agricultural. Sicily in particular lost population to the north, and in the 1890s massive emigration to America began. Industrial growth was slow in Sicily, with the main non-agricultural activity being sulfur mining. This was done in horrible conditions, with most of the underground work left to children. The new Italian state introduced compulsory primary schooling and other social schemes, but class hostilities grew ever more severe in Sicily. In 1893-94 workers' leagues organized the Fasce uprisings, which disrupted food supplies and led to famines. In 1901 there were violent clashes between striking workers and police, and in 1920 there was a full-blown farmers' rebellion against landowners, in which kidnapping was first used as a political tool. Patterns of landholding were more unequal in Sicily than in any other part of Italy. The Mafia emerged as a major force in these years, being used to break up workers' organizations and to assassinate state officials. As if these political and economic troubles were not enough, on December 28th, 1908, an earthquake destroyed Messina and killed 10,000 people."
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