Belles of the South discussion

Thanks Diane Lynn for suggesting this new thread!
Would love to hear your thoughts about Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America by John M. Barry. It's been awhile since I've read this one too but I do remember the government's grand idea for helping this devastated region was to give the destitute citizens a government loan. The government couldn't seem to understand why the poor southern farmers who had just lost everything they owned didn't want to go into debt to the government and refused the loans. No doubt the federal government hadn't had much dealings since the Civil War with the independent Scots-Irish that populate most of the South. Going into debt was a big taboo for the majority and just didn't make any sense either since they had no way to repay the loans.

Another of my favorite non-fiction books about the south is: Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America by Congressman James Webb.

So fascinating to learn the complex history of the Scots-Irish and their migration to America. It all goes back to when James I, King of Scotland, became King of England as well. Suddenly the border war that had been going on for centuries between the Scots and the English was over and peace prevailed. And just as suddenly the trained warriors on both side of the border were out of a job. No wars also meant a population explosion for both sides and the offer of free land in America was just too tempting to resist.

Before the Scots arrived in America though they made a detour to Ireland as a fighting force for James I to convert the Irish from Catholicism to good Protestant citizens under James's control. Even though the Scots were always fond of war, after 100 years they were ready to move on from Ireland and the endless religious war there.

Meanwhile in America, the colonists needed help in their endless wars against Native Americans and the Scots were agreeable to the idea of free land in America. The English colonists weren't too sure what to make of the wild Scots-Irish when they arrived. They were promptly given land and packed off to the colony borders to protect the colonists against Native American raids.
As more and more Scots-Irish arrived the only free land available was in the newly opened Southern colonies. The wide open spaces in the south suited their independent nature and they continued to arrive in droves successfully colonizing the south.

So that's the short version of how the Scots-Irish colonized the American South but one that I found so fascinating. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Southern History.

That sounds like an interesting book, Laurie.

A lot of Scots settled in the Cape Fear area and inland. In one local battle of the Revolutionary War, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_o..., the Scots fought mainly on the side of the Loyalists. There are quite a few place names around here that show Scottish influence.

Laurie wrote: "Thanks Diane Lynn for suggesting this new thread!
Would love to hear your thoughts about Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America by [author:John M. ..."

Sounds like an interesting read.

Diane Lynn wrote: "That sounds like an interesting book, Laurie.

A lot of Scots settled in the Cape Fear area and inland. In one local battle of the Revolutionary War, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_o......"

Thanks for posting this link Diane, very informative. I still have a lot to learn about the Scots-Irish during the Revolutionary War, especially the British invasion of the south. I would love to read more about the Swamp Fox, Francis Marion too.

Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America by David Hackett Fischer is another of my favorite non-fiction books. I ran across this book in a used book store and I found it to be very fascinating. Fischer focuses on where the different immigrant parties settled in America and from what areas of the old country they were originally from. This book is definitely a classic.

Laurie wrote: "Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America by David Hackett Fischer is another of my favorite non-fiction books. I ran across this book in a used book store and I f..."

This read sounds interesting

Laurie wrote: "Diane Lynn wrote: "That sounds like an interesting book, Laurie.

A lot of Scots settled in the Cape Fear area and inland. In one local battle of the Revolutionary War, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki..."

Laurie wrote: "Diane Lynn wrote: "That sounds like an interesting book, Laurie.

A lot of Scots settled in the Cape Fear area and inland. In one local battle of the Revolutionary War, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki..."

I am currently reading Lost Plantations of the South One section on several South Carolina plantations that were lost when flooded with the Santee Cooper Hydroelectric and Navigaton Project which created Lake Marion (namded after Brigadiar General Francis Marion) the Swamp Fox.

Interesting Sandy and a very appropriate name indeed!

I am going to try to get that book from the library, the photos must be amazing to see.