The Scotch-Irish: From the North of Ireland to the Making of America

by Ron Chepesiuk

The Scotch-Irish began emigrating to Northern Ireland from Scotland in the seventeenth century to form the Ulster Plantation. In the next century these Scottish Presbyterians migrated to the Western Hemisphere in search of a better life. Except for the English, the Scotch-Irish were the largest ethnic group to come to the New World during the eighteenth century. By the time of the American Revolution there were an estimated 250,000 Scotch-Irish in the colonies, about a tenth of the population. Twelve U.S. presidents can trace their lineage to the Scotch-Irish. This work discusses the life of the Scotch-Irish in Ireland, their treatment by their English overlords, the reasons for emigration to America, the settlement patterns in the New World, the movement westward across America, life on the colonial frontier, Scotch-Irish contributions to America's development, and sites of Scotch-Irish interest in the north of Ireland.

182 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2000

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Needs maps

[William Shep · Rating 2 out of 5]

This overview is somewhat novel for focusing to a large extent (two thirds of the book) on the Scottish as well as Irish origins of the Ulster Scots who became known as the Scotch-Irish in North America. However, there is little new, which cites but in no way replaces the standard accounts such as James Leyburn's The Scotch-Irish: A Social History and Wayland Dunaway's The Scotch Irish of Colonial Pennsylvania. He does not comment upon the origin and development of the controversial term 'Scotch-Irish,' an odd omission as this name is at the heart of any definition of who these people were or became in America. On the other hand, there is an entire chapter regarding the Siege of Derry in 1689 that he effectively argues is central to understanding the siege mentality and combativeness of the Ulster Scots or Scotch-Irish in both Ireland and the American colonies. Unfortunately, there are several historical errors that should have been corrected. For example, he mentions that the Romans did not conquer Ireland as they had the British Isles (p. 11), when it is well established that they did not conquer Scotland though they did temporarily occupy parts of the Lowlands. They also did not penetrate parts of Cornwall, Wales, and northwest England. He states that Edward I of England removed the Stone of Scone, the famed 'Stone of Destiny,' from Scotland in 1296 to London where it now remains (p. 14) but, as this book was published in 2000, he should have been aware the Stone was returned to Scotland in 1996. He refers to Aberdeen being in the northwest of Scotland when it is, in fact, in the northeast. The Scottish Reformation is mis-dated (p. 51) as 1660 rather than 1560. He also states that early Scotch-Irish migration to America began in 1780 (p. 99) when the correct date should be 1680. In conclusion, this is a rather average addition to the historiography of the Scotch-Irish.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid, accessible account of the history of the Scots-Irish, their back-and-forth between Ulster and Scotland and transference of enmity between the British and the native Irish, but always seeming to beyond, if not always above, their tribulations.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pretty dull account of what was otherwise a fascinating period in American history.