A Touch of Scotland

Some of the early immigrants coming to America came from Scotland, but records are sketchy, since ship's captains were not required to keep such information prior to 1820.  The Scotch-Irish seemed to settle in all the colonies, as well as in Canada. The majority of those claiming Scottish descent eventually ended up in the southern states, especially North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and Texas.

The early immigrants tried to recreate some of the culture and lifestyle they'd been familiar with, but they had to adapt it to their new environment. First, homes in places like Canada resembled those they'd known in Europe, but this soon changed, due to the influence of other nationalities and available materials. The New World had ample supplies of timber, and log or wooden structures became more feasible.

Those coming from the highlands tended to look for a similar area in the colonies. In Canada they settled the mountainous region of Nova Scotia. In the South, they liked the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains. In colder climates, the highland cattle and Soay sheep did well. 

Clans were more important in the beginning, but as groups became more scattered, they didn't have the same influence. However the tartan plaids were still favored, and weavers continued to fashion cloth in the family patterns. If many of us looked carefully into our family tree, we'd likely find a few leaves from the Scots.

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