Emigration Push Factors: Migration & Empire, 1830-1939 Emigration Push Factors: The Lowlands

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

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors In the 1800s and 1900s, thousands of Scots left their Lowland homes to escape different problems they faced in their everyday lives.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors The Lowlands relates to areas of Scotland outwith the Highlands, mostly in the east, south and central regions. Push factors are when people are forced to move elsewhere due to escape problems they face in their home country.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors Large numbers of lowland Scots left towns and cities to build new lives elsewhere. This was due to various poverty factors including unemployment, terrible working conditions, poor housing and also ill- health.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors The Industrial Revolution had transformed Scotland, creating new jobs and bringing more people into urban areas. Various new types of large industrial workplaces were created, including factories (such as textiles), shipyards and mines.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors Working conditions in these places were often damaging to health. Factories often had poor lighting and ventilation, causing problems for workers. Miners had to be underground for long hours, leading to similar problems.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors Poor safety also made working very dangerous. Injuries and deaths were a regular hazard. In factories accidents included people being trapped in machinery. Mining accidents included cave- ins or even explosions caused by different gases.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors Most workers received low wages, with limited opportunities to change this, for fear of complaints leading to unemployment. In the 1830s there were limited or no trade unions that could unite all workers and help them improve conditions.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors Unemployment was also a problem faced by Lowland Scots, leading to their desire to emigrate. Some Scots worked in seasonal jobs (such as shipyards) which did not always have work all year round, leading to financial strife during quiet times.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors Unemployment was an especially big problem in the 1800s because there was no government benefits for people who were out of work. This meant that people who lost their job faced the prospect of poverty and losing their homes.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors Workers in heavy industries also suffered from job losses after World War One. During the war there was a need for workers in places like shipyards and factories, but this ended in 1918, leading to high levels of unemployment.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors Poor housing was also an everyday reality faced by many Lowland Scots. Problems faced included major overcrowding (caused by increases in population), poor quality buildings and also terrible sanitation, which caused the spreading of diseases.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors In the 1800s many Scots lived in single ends. These were one-roomed houses where people were expected to eat, cook, sleep and socialise. The average number of people living in a single end was five, but there cases of up to 15.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors The overwhelming majority of homes did not have indoor toilets. This meant that people had to share outdoor toilets with numerous other families. Often these were not very clean, which led to poor hygiene and disease.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors Overcrowding meant that if one family member got an illness – such as tuberculosis – it would often spread. Other diseases – like cholera – were caused by drinking dirty water and living in unclean conditions.

Scottish emigration – Lowland Push Factors Disease and ill health were major problems because of the lack of support. The NHS was not introduced until 1948, so anyone who was ill either had to pay for treatment (which they could often not afford) or rely on scarce charitable help.