The Clearances

[Jock Scot]

One could argue that planting only potatoes as a personal food source did not help matters.

I agree,that's part of the knowhow bit.

[starbkjrus]

Very little in history is completely black and white and when it comes to the clearances the interpretation of them can get pretty emotional.

There is an excellent book by John Prebble called The Highland Clearances that outlines the history and events of this period in Scottish history that explodes some of the commonly held myths and gives a good grounding in the subject and a general understanding of the period of migrations and upheavals throughout Europe will also help put it in context,

I bought this book in a little shop in Wigtown last June and read it on the plane coming home. Fascinating! (and a bit startling. )

[Kilted•for•Life]

Even in Scotland only about 50% of people have any decent grasp of Scottish history.
It seems enough for most people to watch Braveheart and be rabid-foaming-at-the-mouth-nationalists with no real idea of WHY they are nationalists.

Hmm, you could say that about most nationalities actually. I think it's human nature. The need to belong is a very strong drive, even for people who consider themselves individualists.

[way2fractious]

I presume Xmarkers are better informed and are aware enough of the subject [the highland clearances] to discuss it intelligently.

I did not know much regarding the Clearances until researching in preparation for my Robbie Burns Immortal Memory toast last January. Below is one paragraph:

First off here is way2fractious'

The Immortal Memory of Robbie Burns

Ladies and gentlemen – friends –
. . .
Robbie Burns was born in 1759, into a time of subsistence farming – and massive changes. He came at a time when the agrarian societies were about to be displaced by revolutionary developments in industrialization. Great aggregations of land and other resources were commencing to capitalize on new inventions and processes. The Highland Clearances, both the man-made ones driven by greed and the natural ones due to potato blight, forced many of his countrymen to move on. Africa was not the only source of slaves - some number of Scots, also, were sold into slavery in the American colonies. Many places around the world became home to the dispossessed.
. . .

Also, I agree with Beloitpiper, if I'm following his reasoning, that a Force greater than Nature used a naturally-occuring potato blight to hasten the Scottish diaspora. After all, a fledgling American nation was in desperate need of those Scottish bloodlines to "color" its "lines of strength." (Most Scots did not enter America as slaves.) Ireland, Canada, Australia, and many, many other places have also benefitted immensely from such population infusions.

Just my two cents - and a penny more.

w2f

[JS Sanders]

John Prebble's book is an excellent treatise on the subject. It's available here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Highland-Cle.../dp/0140028374 . It's not too textbook-like and terribly informative.

To perhaps clarify my original post...
My intent was to illustrate how all too often aficionados of all-things-Scottish are under-informed regarding the Clearances.

Many can describe dozens of tartans down to the thread counts, but know bupkus about the translocation or transportion of entire regions of the Highlands - areas even today that are void of humans.

All too often Scotland is illustrated with tartan kitsch, Highlandism, Bravehearters, and Brigadoonery - all having origins in the mid 19th century. And even notables such as Sir Walter Scott were in complete agreement with turning the Highlands into a single vast sheep farm.

On the flip side, without the Clearances much of North America's, Australia's, and New Zealand's recent histories would be significantly different.

Don't let your knowledge of Scottish history stop at Culloden.

Slainte yall,
steve

[katmills2005]

My daughter will often ask me "why do we have to study history?" My son, however, thrives on history. He is always watching the history channel or going to SCA and other such events with me.

History is more than names and dates. Its a map of who we are, how we got to the place we are and a glimpse into the future that can be. I don't consider myself a history buff by any means. I do enjoy learning, reading and discovering. I go through spurts that usually (but not always) focus on medieval society.

I do still try to intrigue my daughter with history, slip bits of knowledge into conversations, or engage her in a documentary. These give mixed results. Ultimately I hope she develops the desire to enjoy history as her brother and I do.

Too many people associate history with a dull, boring class where a monotoned teacher drones on and on about dates that seem surreal and names or events that seem to most to be unimportant. They become conditioned to tuning out history with the impression its not important or not as exciting as Hollywood movies. The reality of history is lost in memories of a stifling classroom environment. The joy that can be found in learning, clouded by mundane drilling of information.

[Jock Scot]

I agree with you all the way Steve,sadly knowledge about Culloden and before is pretty scetchy too.Particularly with added myth,half-truth,propaganda,and genuinely well meant mis-information being bandied about as FACT.

[highlander_Daz]

There have been a number of "what if" Tv programmes
what if hitler won what if someone were to shoot George bush etc.

What if CES had won at Culloden? what sort of ruler would he have been? would the clearences have taken place? would he have "welshed" the Highlanders and had is own agenda which didnt include them?
would his French allies have taken advantage and invaded England? would they have then dumped CES ?

would CES then turned his eyes to Wales ?

who knows
CES doesnt come across as much of a stratergist, what if the English had rebelled if he had gained the English crown?

[JS Sanders]

Unrelated...

Jock Scot,
Where in the Highlands are you located? I have friends in Killin, though I realise that could be some distance away from you. Shall be over there again in a few months.

Private message me if'n you prefer not to post private info here.

Slainte,
steve

[Splash_4]

Folks, I want to say that this has been a most enlightening thread and I am pleased to see all of the resources that have been mentioned here. To that end, I just ordered Prebbles book to do further research. Thanks again one and all.