Scots-Irish HillbilliesDiversity in Early America: How The Scots-Irish Contributed to Society

US History to 1877Professor Jarred Haas

Wentworth Institute of Technology, Summer 2016Chris Poliseno, Dylan Elliott and Randall Barth

Objective

To Highlight the Scots-Irish’s contributions to:

• American Identity• Politics• The Economy

Scots-Irish Influence"The Scotch-Irish people have been second to none in their influence upon modern civilization. Their impress upon American institutions has been especially strong. They have been leaders in every sphere of life, both public and private. They were the first to declare independence from Great Britain, and foremost in the revolutionary struggle; leaders in the formation and adoption of the Constitution, and its most powerful defenders; most active in the expansion of our national domain, and the hardiest pioneers in its development."

Robert Bonner, first President of the first Congress of the Scotch-Irish Society of the United States, 1889

Who are the Scots-Irish?

• The first wave of Irish Immigrants to colonial America.

• Ancestors originally from the lowlands of Scotland; had migrated to Ulster, Northern Ireland.

• Practicing Protestants who left Ireland and settled in America in the 1700’s. (Boundless.com)

• Strong, rugged, passionate, hot-tempered and hard-working individuals. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I

• Did not like to follow rules, made their own rules.

Scots-Irish: American Identity• Immigrants left Ireland• First settlers made permanent homes in mountains. They liked their rugged land, not rule followers.• Settled in rural colonies like Pennsylvania and Virginia and through the Appalachian Mountain region.

Scots-Irish: American IdentityAmerican Revolution

• During Revolutionary War, many Scots-Irish were in the forefront.• President Theodore Roosevelt is quoted as saying the Ulster Scots

were "a grim, stern people, strong and simple, . . . the love of freedom rooted in their very hearts' core". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I• Loyalists thought Scots-Irish would help them when they approached

the mountains, but they were actually first to sign up for war.

Scots-Irish: American Identity ContinuedAmerican Revolution

• Scots-Irish believed in freedom to their core, and were ready to fight for their freedom. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I• Newspaper editor Colonel A.K. McClure stated that War may not have

been won without Scots-Irish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I

Scots-Irish American IdentityMusic• The Scots-Irish were a big influence on music that was brought over here to

America. • Music was close to the Scots-Irish’s hearts and gave them a much-needed

confidence. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I• The most important instrument that they brought over with them was the

fiddle. Even music today uses some of the similar types of tunes that were used hundreds of years ago. • Ballads that were brought over from the old country are still played today.

While the Scots-Irish couldn’t bring many possessions to America, these songs gave them comfort and helped with homesickness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I

Scots-Irish American IdentityMusic

• Scots-Irish music still influences American culture today.• Legends such as Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn and others were brought

up and inspired by this music that was passed down for generations. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I

Scots-Irish: American IdentityWhiskey

• The Scots-Irish lived primarily in the Appalachian region. In this mountainous area the people’s main way to make any type of income was whiskey. • Distilling whiskey was a trait brought over from their homeland.• Whiskey was most profitable way of life (more so than farming crops)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I

Scots-Irish: American Identity – ContinuedWhiskey• Scots-Irish were part of uprising for “Whiskey Rebellion” – felt that

after fighting for freedom in American Revolution, they shouldn’t have to give their cash in taxes to the government. • Even today you can watch a show that focuses on the lives of

moonshiners

Scots-Irish: American Identity• The Scots-Irish were a very family oriented group.• They were a cohesive unit, very proud with an argumentative spirit• Usually they shared the same surname

http://www.ediblewildmusic.org/2015_08_01_archive.html

http://digitalheritage.org/2011/12/the-migration-of-the-scotch-irish-from-ulster-to-western-north-carolina/

https://www.google.com/search?q=map+of+ulster+ireland&biw=1280&bih=623&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwijn6P67KjOAhUMchQKHWeEAJsQ_AUIBygC#imgrc=1TL-Zj_lVq5DHM%3A

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/revolutionary-war/maps/pennsylvania-map.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I

Sources

Scots-Irish: American IdentityGroup ParticipationThe Scots-Irish Hillbillies worked together on this project as a group. The following is a breakdown on responsibilities:

• American Identity – Chris Poliseno• Political Issues of the Day – Dylan Elliott• The Economy – Randall Barth

I sent out initial emails and tasks to the group. I enjoyed learning about the Scots-Irish’s identity in American culture. Being Irish, it was interesting to learn about the Scots-Irish, whose ancestors came to America before mine.

Scots – Irish political involvement

Scots – Irish Involvement: Political Conflicts

• Among the first to sign up to overthrow British rule on American soil for George Washington's army. (vihttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I)

Scots – Irish: Political Conflicts Continued:

• Scots – Irish were thought of as the lowest form of person, one step above slaves. They were considered by the British to be below the English, Scots and Irish.

Scots – Irish: Political Conflicts Continued:

• Colonel Fergusson threatened to cross Appalachia to exterminate the people if they did not support the king. The scots - Irish adopted the Indian warfare techniques which allowed them to beat the British, snuffing out all hope of the British taking the south. Was a critical turning point in the revolutionary war for Americas victory. (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I)

• George Washington, “If I ever had to make a last stand I would want to stand with the over mountain boys who knew how to shoot and fight” (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I)

The center of the political eye:

• The whiskey rebellion, the rebellion ran from 1791 to 1794 and was due to a new cash tax on whiskey – Whiskey was made in the hills of Scots – Irish country and was

their form of currency; it was used for bartering and trade.– Cash was a rare commodity so a cash tax was very inconvenient.

The center of the political eye continued:

• The violence caused by the whiskey rebellion caused the government to take action– Washington was forced to march 30,000 troops into the hills of

Appalachia to crush the moonshiners who were refusing to pay– The same government whom the Scots – Irish had just defended

years before against the British.

Population of Scots-Irish in the USA

• In 1790 there were 400,000 Americans that were of Irish birth, half of them being from ulster and have from other Irish claims, making up a small percentage of each colony and territory of the American foreground. 47 Us presidents claim to be of Scots Irish dissent (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch-Irish_Americans#Population_in_1790)

Presidents to modern day that have Scots-Irish Blood• Andrew Jackson• James Knox Polk• James Buchanan• Ulysses S. Grant• Chester A. Arthur• Grover Cleveland• William McKinley• Theodore Roosevelt• Woodrow Wilson• Richard Nixon• Jimmy Carter• Barack Obama• (http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Scotch-Irish.aspx)

Sources

• "Scots+Irish+slaves - Google Search." Scots+Irish+slaves - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Aug. 2016.

• "Scots+Irish+slaves - Google Search." Scots+Irish+slaves - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Aug. 2016.

• "Scotch-Irish." Dictionary of American History. 2003, and TOM McARTHUR. "Scotch-Irish." Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, 01 Jan. 2003. Web. 05 Aug. 2016.

• "The Appalachians: The Scotch-Irish." YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Aug. 2016.

Scots-Irish: The Economy

• Exploited for labor long hours and low pay which in turn drove labor rates down

Scots-Irish: The Economy

Scots-Irish: The Economy• The Scots-Irish introduced a new crop to the colonies: the

potato. This vegetable became a staple in American diets and many colonies were able to plant them. They even became an abundant crop in the state of Maine, as well as other states.

http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/how-the-scots-irish-came-to-america-and-what-they-brought-with-them/

• Upset native-born laborers as they had to fight for jobs

Scots-Irish: The Economy

•Settled in areas that created a buffer zone between the American settlers and the French and Indians. (Scotch-Irish)

Scots-Irish: The Economy

Sources

Boundless (2016). Boundless U.S. History. Retrieved from https://www.boundless.com/u-s-history/textbooks/boundless-u-s-history-textbook/religion-romanticism-and-cultural-reform-1820-1860-14/immigration-118/irish-immigration-624-10431/

"Scotch-Irish." Dictionary of American History. 2003, and TOM McARTHUR. "Scotch-Irish." Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, 01 Jan. 2003. Web. 05 Aug. 2016.