The Scotch-Irish: From the North of Ireland to the Making of America

About this book

In the seventeenth century thousands of lowland Scots crossed the channel to the northern part of Ireland to participate in a colonization effort established by James I. Many years later political and economic events inspired the descendants of these sturdy adventurers to depart for yet another shore. Except for the English the Scotch-Irish constituted the largest group of immigrants to eighteenth century America. The story of the Scotch-Irish in America begins long before James Is settlers set foot on Irish shores. Author Ron Chepesiuk traces the history from the British Isles early Christian period to the time hundreds of years later when numerous American presidents would proudly trace their lineage to Scotch-Irish immigrants. Along the way Chepesiuk discusses the life of lowland Scots in Ireland their reasons for emigration to America their movement westward across their new land and life on the colonial frontier. An appendix features sites of Scotch-Irish interest in the north of Ireland.