Emigration Push Factors – Migration & Empire, 1830-1939 Emigration Push Factors – The Highlands

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors In today’s class I am learning to: Identify various problems faced by Highland Scots during the 1800s-1900s Explain why each reason caused Scottish emigration

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors In the 1800s and 1900s, large numbers of Highland Scots left their homes to seek a new life elsewhere, whether other parts of Scotland or overseas.

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors The Highlands relates to areas of Scotland in the north of the country (and islands), often with the highest mountain ranges. Push factors are when people are forced to move elsewhere to escape problems they face in their home area.

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors The Highlands of Scotland saw a mass exodus of people to Lowland Scottish areas, or to places such as Canada. Some major reasons for this were unemployment, poor housing, isolation and also the Highland Clearances.

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors Most people who lived in the Highlands worked as crofters (farmers). Due to overpopulation in the Highlands, there was not enough land. This meant that farms were often sub-divided, meaning they were too small to earn enough money on which to live.

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors Farming was very tough; the soil was often stony and of poor quality, and the harsh climate meant there was only a short growing season for crops. Also farming equipment was very basic, with Highlanders replying on limited tools such as the cas chrom.

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors The Potato Blight of the 1840s famously devastated Ireland – but it also hurt other places across Europe, including the Scottish Highlands. This resulted in a famine as Highlanders that relied on their potato crop did not have enough food to eat or sell.

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors Jobs were very hard to find in the Highlands. Many people worked collecting kelp (seaweed used to make chemicals). This paid very little, keeping the workers in poverty and when cheaper foreign kelp became available those Highland jobs were lost.

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors The fishing industry (especially herring) provided various jobs, such as catching and processing fish. However the inability to sell herring during World War One and also changing tastes meant less people wanted herring, causing job losses.

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors Poverty was a huge problem. Low incomes meant poor diets which led to poor health. The quality of housing was extremely poor; blackhouses were often shared with animals or had leaky roofs. Other houses lacked basic facilities such as toilets.

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors Highland village life was very isolated; villages or small farms might be located miles and miles from other people. As a result of this, many people found it hard to access health services or entertainment, such as music halls or football grounds.

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors Perhaps the most famous reason for people leaving the Highlands was the Highland Clearances. Farmers and fishermen were very poor, and some landowners wanted them off their land, so the land could be used for other activities, making them more money.

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors The landowners wanted to use the land for sheep farming. Sheep (like the Great Cheviot) could be sold for meat and wool. Other Highland areas became hunting estates, and attracted rich people who would come to hunt animals such as grouse or stags (deer).

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors Some landowners helped the Highlanders to leave, by giving them money or tickets to go abroad. However others used different means, including putting up rents to levels the Highlanders couldn’t pay, and then forcibly evicting them from their homes.

Scottish emigration – Highland Push Factors After being evicted, people’s homes were sometimes burned down to prevent them from returning. This caused outrage and anger across the Highlands and there were often riots to try and stop this. However most people were forced to leave.