The draw of the Americas to the native populations of the UK, Ireland and Europe has long been existent. From the nineteenth century, millions boarded emigrant ships for numerous reasons, but for those fleeing persecution or trying to claw their way out of poverty there was often no other choice. The hardships emigrants faced en route to their new countries are well known, but what is often ignored is the role that the ships had in these. At first unregulated, the vessels with new regulations still did not guarantee a safe, pleasant crossing. Here Cartwright and Cannally examine the human story of emigration over the North Atlantic and the fascinating effect the individual ships had on the passages. They combine a compelling social history of nation building with the maritime history of this important movement of humanity.