2. In today’s class I am learning to:
• Identify factors which attracted Scots
to emigrate during the 1800s-1900s
• Explain why each factor led to Scottish
emigration
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
3. Although many Scots chose to emigrate due to
problems faced in Scotland, there were also various
positive reasons that Scots decided to move abroad.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
4. Pull factors are when
people are attracted to
move elsewhere by the
prospect of a better life in
their new homes.
Scots were encouraged to
move due to employment,
higher wages, land,
family, religion and better
housing.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
6. • Scots had a much higher
chance of getting a job, if
they were prepared to
make the journey.
• Many travel companies did
not simply advertise
transport abroad; they
also included the promise
of work on arrival in places
like Canada.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
7. Scots used their skills -
such as factory work and
trades - to get jobs in their
new homes.
Scots worked in the Indian
Civil Service, helped
establish sheep farming in
Australia, and became
miners in places like
Canada and the USA.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
8. It was not just manual or
industrial workers that
emigrated – professionals
were recruited too.
British and Colonial
governments encouraged
doctors, lawyers and
teachers to travel, often
due to guaranteed jobs or
better wages.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
9. Many Scots did not just
want to go and work for
someone else – they
wanted to set up their
own businesses.
Foreign countries offered
the chance of owning
businesses such as trading
goods or as part of the
farming trade.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
11. Britain’s Empire colonies
needed workers with a
variety of skills, including
farmers, factory workers,
miners and professionals.
One of the ways that they
tried to attract these
people was with the
promise of higher wages
than in Scotland.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
12. On average, emigrant
Scots with a job could
expect to earn more
overseas than they could
back home.
For instance, in the late
1800s, granite workers in
the USA could earn more
than three times their
income in Scotland.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
14. Many Scottish emigrants
were farmers who lived in
poverty, with too little
land to make a living.
In the Highlands they lived
on land owned by
someone else, and lived
with the risk of paying
higher rents or being
evicted from their homes.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
15. Countries such as Canada
and Australia needed
experienced farmers to
grow crops on their land.
Emigrant Scots were
offered cheap or even free
land if they travelled,
allowing them to become
a landowner and giving
security against eviction.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
16. The Scots made great use
of these opportunities.
Scots helped develop
Australia’s wool industry,
and Scottish farmers
prospered in parts of
Canada because they had
experience growing crops
and tending animals in a
similar climate.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
18. Many emigrant Scots had
the chance of better
housing abroad.
This was partly because
they often moved to areas
which did not have the
same overcrowding
problems as was the case
in towns and cities across
Scotland.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
19. Other Scots had better
housing standards
because they were able to
build their own.
Farming Scots who were
given free or cheap land
built their own homes,
and could do this to a
higher standard than
they’d previously had.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
21. Family and friends played
a crucial role in attracting
Scots to move to other
countries.
People in Scotland often
received letters from
abroad describing better
lives abroad and
encouraging them to make
the journey too.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
22. Family and friends were
also able to help arrange
jobs and housing for
emigrant Scots before they
had even travelled.
In addition, knowing
people overseas meant
that Scots knew they could
continue their culture,
such as religion.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
24. Some Scots chose to
journey abroad due to
their religious faith.
They believed it was their
duty to spread the
Christian message around
the world, and so travelled
to parts of the Empire
where Christianity was not
properly established.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
25. Missionary societies
helped support, including
giving training and paying
for travel.
Famous missionaries
include David Livingstone
(who became an explorer)
and Mary Slessor, who
also campaigned for
women’s rights.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
27. In the 1800s travelling by
sail ship to the USA and
Canada could take up to
one month, and it was
potentially three months
to get to Australia or New
Zealand.
These long, dangerous and
difficult journeys put some
Scots off travelling.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
28. The development of
steam ships in the mid-
1800s hugely reduced
travel times. For instance
it was possible to get to
the USA in only one week.
This made the journey less
unpleasant, and also
meant Scots could
possibly return home.
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
29. Make a colour spider diagram titled
‘Reasons for Scottish Emigration
PULL FACTORS’
Include all the following but add detail/
examples
Job Opportunities
Higher Wages
Free or Cheap land
Family or Friends
Religious Reasons
Steam ship travel
Scottish emigration – Pull Factors
