2. In today’s class I am learning to:
• Explain why many emigrant Scots were
successful in their new homes
• Describe evidence that shows that not
all emigrant Scots were successful
Success of emigrant Scots
3. The Scots who emigrated to other parts of the
British Empire often built new and successful lives
for themselves, although on occasion did not.
Success of emigrant Scots
4. There were many reasons
emigrant Scots succeeded:
• Nationality
• Language
• Education
• Reputation
• Skills
• Setting up businesses
• Other Scots
Success of emigrant Scots
5. Scottish people being part
of Britain gave them a
huge advantage when
they looked to build new
lives overseas.
The British government
needed to build its empire
so often recruited workers
directly from different
parts of Britain.
Success of emigrant Scots
6. Britain’s government gave
help to Scots who wanted
to move elsewhere in the
Empire.
This included paying for
travel, subsidising the cost
of buying land and
offering training. All of this
made it easier for Scots to
make the journey.
Success of emigrant Scots
7. There were also jobs
running the British Empire
which were expected to
be done by British people.
This included acting as
governors and in civil
service roles in places
such as Australia and
India, all of which helped
Scots to get work abroad.
Success of emigrant Scots
8. The Scots speaking English
also helped them succeed
abroad.
Many jobs in different
overseas companies were
run by British people and
so the ability to speak
their language made it
easier to get a job, and
also promotion.
Success of emigrant Scots
9. The Scottish education
system also helped
migrant Scots succeed.
Most Scots had a higher
standard of basic literacy
and numeracy than even
people from elsewhere in
Britain. Again this made
the Scots good employees
when firms recruited.
Success of emigrant Scots
10. Scottish emigrants built a
positive reputation for
themselves. They were
seen as being hard
working and also seen as
careful with money.
All of this made businesses
more likely to hire Scottish
workers, again making it
easier to succeed.
Success of emigrant Scots
11. Scots who moved abroad
also succeed because they
often had the skills which
were needed to find work.
Many Scots that sought to
leave the country had
worked as farmers or in
mines, and there were
many jobs available
overseas in this work.
Success of emigrant Scots
12. Other Scots had trained in
professional roles such as
lawyers and doctors. The
need for such workers in
the Empire made it easier
for Scots to succeed.
Other Scots had scientific
knowledge, leading to
new inventions, such as
the telephone.
Success of emigrant Scots
13. Many Scots set up
businesses. This made
them wealthy, and created
jobs for others.
Prominent examples of
this include Andrew
Carnegie’s steel company
in the USA and Robert
McCracken’s brewing
company in Australia.
Success of emigrant Scots
14. The existence of Scottish
communities in different
countries also helped the
Scots succeed.
This meant that Scots
could emigrate to places
they knew people and
could replicate their
Scottish lives, such as
religious worship.
Success of emigrant Scots
15. However not all emigrant
Scots did find a better life
in their new homes.
Evidence such as diaries
from Scottish settlers
show that many faced
problems such as poverty,
unemployment and also
loneliness due to often
living in isolated areas.
Success of emigrant Scots
16. Some of these Scots
described their problems
in letters home to friends
and family.
Others even made the
long journey back to
Scotland, although others
could not afford to do so
and were stuck in
unhappy lives overseas.
Success of emigrant Scots
