Question hi
I'm doing a immigration project for my class and i chose to do it on Scotland. i was wondering if you would be able to tell me where the Scottish most likely settled in America and what jobs did they have when they got there. Also if any woman worked and what they did? thank you give you can help!!
Answer Hi Kelly,
Sorry for the delay I have been tied up at work lately and unable to catch up on my correspondence. You certainly have picked a great topic and one that many books have been written about. Certainly one way to vast for this limited forum. But perhaps I can give you some suggestions.
Scots certainly began to settle America very early. In the early 1st century Scotland established early trade routes to America and even before in the 1640's they shipping tobacco from Virginia and Maryland. There were many Scottish farmers and businessmen all along the east Coast of the United States and Canada. Many early politicians, doctors, teachers, traders and trappers were also Scots.
The education in Scotland was certainly superior to most countries so educated Scots were in high demand. They were experts in Animal Husbandry and Farming, Medicine, much of the early writing in America had there roots in Scottish literature. There music and love of art spread throughout the new world. Early Schools including Women's Schools were founded by Scots.
Women certainly worked with their husbands on farms but were early teachers and proponents of education.
A good book to continue your studies on this subject would be "Scots in the USA" by Jenni Calder. In this book you will read that every part of our culture was impacted by Scottish Immigrants.
I wish you great success in your studies.
Thomas McIntyre
