Scotch-Irish Research Paper

Scots-Irish: The Scots-Irish were an ethnic group that comprised a fair percentage of American colonial immigrants. They made up around 7% of the population in 1775. Although they were dubbed the Scots-Irish, they were not Irish but Scottish lowlanders. Because of their Presbyterian background and lack of available farmland, they were forced to the outskirts of the colonies and quarreled with both other white settlers and the Native American population. Their cultural qualms with the king of England, however, made them valuable resources for the fight for American independence.

The book, “The Irish Way” by James R. Barrett is a masterpiece written to describe the life of Irish immigrants who went to start new lives in America after conditions at home became un-accommodative. Widespread insecurity, callous English colonizers and the ghost of great famine still lingering on and on in their lives, made this ethnic group be convinced that home was longer a home anymore. They descended in United States of America in large numbers. James R. Barrett in his book notes that these people were the first group of immigrants to settle in America. According to him, there were a number of several ethnic groups that have arrived in America. It was, however, the mass exodus of Irish people during and after the great

Stereotypes in the past had a significant impact on the Irish people. Stereotypes such as the religion of the Irish: Catholicism. Catholicism brought new holidays: Ash Wednesday and lent. English-raised Americans were scared of these. Leading to the names “vampire” and baby killer” for the Irish’s belief of wine and bread to represent Jesus Christ: Transubstantiation. Then, the Irish were compared to apes and equivalent to the blacks in the South. Irish were now seen as inferior to those of English-decent. Not only were the women unmarried, all the men were young and single. It was assumed any single woman staying in a tenement was sleeping with all the men. Leading to names “Bridget” and “Paddy” being derogatory for the Irish women and man. Whereas in reality, they were street smart and independent. Traditions were twisted into stereotypes, such as the Irish’s “pub-culture.” The men would drink before and after work in order to relax themselves for the day, but was depicted as alcoholism.

The life of Irish immigrants in Boston was one of poverty and discrimination. The religiously centered culture of the Irish has along with their importance on family has allowed the Irish to prosper and persevere through times of injustice. Boston's Irish immigrant population amounted to a tenth of its population. Many after arriving could not find suitable jobs and ended up living where earlier generations had resided. This attributed to the 'invisibility' of the Irish.

They would take the poorly paying jobs that required little skill such as jobs in brickyards, meatpacking plants, etc. They would settle in the neighborhoods with less money, like Bridgeport on the South Side or Kilglubbin on the North. It was in one such neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago where the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 started in the barn of 2 Irish immigrants, Patrick and Catherine O'Leary. The economic status of the Irish Immigrants improved as time passed. The newer generations of the Irish seems to be better off than their parents economically and educationally. At the end of the century, the Irish in chicago were still very much a part of the working class and much of them still lived in

For the most part the Scottish did real well for themselves once they were in America. A fair went on to have children who became presidents; Andrew Jackson was one of those children. Along with Andrew Jackson there were a few more Scots to help sign the Declaration of Independence. Many presidents later would be of Scottish decent. Many went on to become successful tobacco and cotton farmers. Many went on to settle and discover the American West

When many think of the times of immigration, they tend to recall the Irish Immigration and with it comes the potato famine of the 1840s' however, they forget that immigrants from the Emerald Isle also poured into America during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The assimilation and immigration of the Irish has been difficult for each group that has passed through the gates of Ellis Island or South Boston. Like every group that came to America, the Irish were looked down upon; yet, in the face of discrimination,

I learned that the Irish people were in a scurry to leave their homeland for reasons that were comparable with the Chinese. Some of these push factors included their government being influenced by the British and also the great famine of Ireland called the ‘Potato Blight’ that drove many to seek shelter in America. Other reasons were the pull factors that drew Irish men and women to the America. Almost identical to that of the Chinese, the Irish saw a chance to start a new life by grasping the supposedly high paying jobs. But like the Chinese, their hopes did not turn out the way they intended it to. The Irish acquired jobs in the railroad industry as well as in the steel factories, and coalmines. Expected, even though they had a true unity with each other, both the Chinese and Irish had to work together in the similar environment of the railroad. Also the Irish government was being manipulated by Britain. Which caused war that lead to an economic degradation. This unappealed many of the Irish people and pressured them to migrate. This situation resemble that of the Chinese.

After the Civil War, with the economy in shambles and increased openings for jobs, attitudes toward the Irish shifted slightly. Unlike earlier times, when the Irish first came to America, store windows no longer flashed "Irish Need Not Apply" signs. The Irish had won their place amongst the natives, having heartily participated in the war: thirty nine Union Regiments contained a majority of Irishmen, and the famous 69th regiment "Fighting 69" was comprised almost totally of Irishmen. But, don't let the Confederates be forgotten either, over forty thousand Irishmen fought for the grays. The Irish Americans gained some respectability for their involvement in the Civil War and were now more accepted by American society. The Irish Americans in post-Civil War era were more economically successful. Several of the Irishmen that had been manual laborers now held managerial positions in the railroad, iron and construction industries, their hard work has allowed them to rise through the ranks. Irish Americans also became educated and trained professionals. Fortunately Irish women, although held back by the restrictions placed on all American women around the turn of the century, achieved higher positions in society as teachers, nurses and secretaries.

In the middle to late decades of the 19th century, new immigrant arrivals from Germany and Scandinavia were pivotal in establishing and settling the western frontier of the United States. You would find in the large cities that Irish immigrants where considered a major source of labor in the railroads, roads, construction and transportation arenas

Their entrance into America created challenges for them. They were disregarded and perceive as blacks. “Irish immigrants found themselves compared to blacks. They were stereotyped as “a race of savages” (Takaki 141). They consider themselves “slaves for the Americans”. As both groups experienced rejection, Irish immigrants and African Americans had to scorn each other to find their place in American society.

Although we don’t live in Scotland, we still practice some cultures of Scotland. We live in a similar climate to Scotland: it rains a lot, we have beautiful landscapes, and the weather is similar. Another similar practice to Scotland is our religion. We practice the same religion that Scotland does: Christianity. A difference between Scotland and my family is the food we eat. The foods are immensely different. “Scotland is known for its Angus beef, porridge, stovies, shortbreads, scones, cheese, toffee, and the term “whiskey” is also from Scotland. These are some similarities and differences between my culture, and Scotland’s culture.

Over time the Irish and Germans were finally accepted and considered part of the “American society”. By the time the next big wave of immigration occurred, the Irish and Germans were considered the old guard as opposed to the newcomers. The changing ethnic composition was critical and the Irish as well as the

Ireland is a country that is rich in culture, traditions, and faith. This country has struggled with over time with famine, religious tension, and even freedom. Many individuals immigrated to America in search of a better life. The person I chose to interview family came over to the United States when Ireland was struggling with famine. They came over on a boat through New York and changed there name to make it more American. For this paper I will further discuss the Irish culture and the person I interviewed.

To those of us who live outside of Ireland, the Ireland of our imaginations is in many cases a pastiche of such contradictory images. The existence of such contradictions suggests however that such stereotypes do not always have even the bare grounding in reality that lazy adherents assume they must have. Ireland is in fact, like many societies, a delicate blend of old and new.