Scots-Irish "race"
The term "Scots-Irish" refers to a distinct group of people who migrated from Ulster in Northern Ireland to North America, primarily during the late 17th to early 19th centuries. This migration was largely driven by desires for land and religious freedom, with the largest influx occurring between 1717 and 1775. The Scots-Irish, comprising primarily Ulster Protestants and Scots who had settled in Ulster, brought with them a strong Calvinist tradition, often identifying as Presbyterian. They are noted for their rugged independence and deep-seated suspicion of authority, which influenced their cultural legacy in the regions they settled, particularly in Virginia and the Carolinas.
Despite sharing a common Irish heritage, Scots-Irish immigrants were often distinguished from Irish Catholics in the United States, with the former enjoying closer ties to established Protestant English settlers. Over time, the term "Scotch-Irish" emerged as a way to differentiate these Protestant immigrants from the newer influx of Irish Catholics, who faced significant discrimination. Throughout American history, Scots-Irish Americans played notable roles, such as supporting the American Revolution and participating in the Civil War. This rich and complex history highlights the diverse experiences and identities within the broader Irish immigrant narrative in the United States.
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Scots-Irish "race"
The term “Scots Irish” refers to a group who migrated to North America and settled the frontier in the eighteenth century. An older label is “Scotch-Irish.”
The Scots Irish originated largely from Ulster, the northern counties of Ireland. Scots-Irish immigration to North America began around 1695 and continued through the early 1800s, the largest wave arriving between 1717 and 1775. These consisted of native Ulster Protestants and Scots who had settled Ulster. Mostly Presbyterian, they brought to the New World a strong Calvinist tradition. Some may originally have been Catholic but adopted Protestantism after arrival, in response to social prohibitions on Catholicism. Desires for land and religious freedom were the primary motives for immigration. Edged out by English settlers for arable land in the low country, the Scots Irish traveled the wagon roads that led to the western areas of Virginia and the Carolinas.
The Scots Irish developed a reputation for being rugged, devout, and fiercely independent, leaving a stamp on the regions they pioneered. Past experiences created a deep suspicion of authority among the Scots Irish. A majority of Scots-Irish Americans supported the American Revolution and later backed the Confederacy in the Civil War. Conversely, many Irish Catholics in the US Army deserted during the Mexican-American War (1846–1848). Many believed the war was being fought to extend slavery into Mexican territory and took up arms with their fellow Mexican Catholics. They formed the noted San Patricio (Saint Patrick) Brigade and are still celebrated as heroes in both Mexico and Ireland. In the American Civil War, three groups of Irish immigrants formed the 63rd, 69th, and 88th New York Infantry Regiments that would later achieve renown as "The Fighting Irish" Brigade.
Despite the common heritage of Ireland, these two groups of immigrants were regarded quite differently upon their arrival in the United States. The Protestant Scots-Irish shared a common faith with the large numbers of established Protestant English settlers. Although early Scots-Irish settlers referred to themselves simply as “Irish,” the term “Scotch-Irish” came into use in the nineteenth century, as Protestant Irish disdained identification with a newer group of immigrant Catholic Irish. Irish of Catholic and Celtic heritage became the focus of widespread ethnic discrimination following their immigration. In the later decades of the nineteenth century and the early portion of the twentieth, Irish Celtic communities in the United States began to capitalize on their growing political clout. New York City elected its first mayor of Irish descent in 1880, followed by Boston in 1884.
Bibliography
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