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The Scotch Irish aka Hillbillies one of the Greatest people in American history
American Scotch Irish special forces during French and Indian war(1754-1763).
Origin of Scotch Irish
You can see on Germanic Italo Celtsthat Britain and Ireland were conquered by Celts in the bronze age somewhere from 3,000-4,3000ybp. They had almost only Y DNA R1b1a2a1a2c L21 around 95% with small minority I2a2a1 M284 from about 3-6%. Which they got by inter marriage with native Continental Europeans who had I2a2a M223 which formed into I2a2a1 L161.1 while migrating to Britain, then inter married with native Neolithic people who had G2a P15 and I2a1b2 L161.1 which together are about 1-5% of modern British and Irish Y DNA. And there is some good evidence that these Celts nearly completely killed off the natives (British ancestry almost all from Celtic and Germanic invaders). Then the Germanic tribes Angeals, Jutes, and Saxons originated around Netherlands and Denmark from 400-600ad invaded and conquered southern Britain. They changed that area of Britain genetically very much English especially southern and eastern English probably trace most of their ancestry to the Germanic invaders. Lowland Scottish and all English are a total mix of Germanic and Celtic invaders. Lowland Scottish probably have more ancestry from the Celts already in Britain. I have not heard of any DNA studies of Scotch Irish in the Appalachian mountains. But since they have 10-15% red hair like highlander Scottish, Welsh, and Irish most of their ancestry is probably Insular Celtic.
In the middle ages and 1600's there was constant fighting at the border of Scotland and England. So for safety they made a system of family ties known as Border Reivers. In 1603 King of the Scots James IV succeeded Elizabeth I ruler of England Scotland and England were unified under one monarch. After wars with Ireland (Nine years war, Flight of the Earls) to bring peace to the Scottish - English border and to have fighting men that could suppress the Irish King James made the Plantation of Ulster. The Catholic Irish of course were very angry with Protestant Scottish and English settlers in Ulster and there was alot of fighting(Irish Confederate wars).
Settlement in America
After a few Generations of settling in Ulster Ireland alot of Ulster Scots migrated to British colonies in North America 1717-1770 about 250,000 i what would become The USA. With almost all of them being Presbyterian. Since they were late settlers they could only find land in the Frontier's. As they settled in the frontiers of America mainly Appalachian mountains. They quickly became known as hillbillies which has is origin when they were Scotland or Ulster Ireland. The term Hillbilly was associated with Poverty, Violence and backwardness.
Because of their toughness and being strong Protestants they were invited to settle the American frontier by Cotton Mather. The first major spots they settled were Pennsylvania and Delaware but they quickly moved more and more west into the frontiers. Since they were on the frontiers of British territory in North America they were the main fighters against Indians. Scotch Irish settlements were constantly raided by Native American tribes mainly the 1760's. But they were able to hold up their settlements and push hostile tribes back.
American Military
The Scotch Irish were very important in the American revolution. 40% of the soldiers fighting forAmerican Independence were Scotch Irish including Sam Houston and american folk hero's Danial Boone and Davy Crokect. A British Hessian Officer said
A British major general testified in the house of commons thatCall this war by whatever name you may, only call it not an American rebellion; it is nothing more or less than a Scotch Irish Presbyterian rebellion
. The Scotch Irish were one of the biggest supporters of American Independence from Great Britian."half the rebel Continental Army were from Ireland
The Scotch Irish Overmountain Men from Virginia and North Carolina formed a militia and won the battle of Kings Mountain in 1780 which was the end of British campaign in the south and a turning point in the American revolution. The 25th President of the USA William Mckinley who was of English and Scotch Irish decent. SaidWhen Genral Robert E. Lee was asked what race makes the best soldiers he saidThey were the first to proclaim for freedom in these United States; even before Lexington the Scotch Irish blood had been shed for American freedom.In 1814 during the war of 1812 another war between America and Britain. Son of Ulster Scot immigrants Andrew Jackson brought an army of mainly Scotch Irish Appalachian sharp shooters down to Louisiana to stop British invasion. And long story short fought a battle and New Orleans on January 8, 1815. And had a major victory over the British. Defeating British general Edward Pakenham who was also killed in battle. Even though they were outnumbered 4,748 to 11,000. After this Andrew Jackson became an American hero and later the 7th President of the United states and the first who was born a common person.The Scots who came to this country by way of Ireland
Country song by Johnny Horton about the Battle of New Orleans from the perspective of an American Soldier.
Three signers of the United States Deceleration of Independence were Scots born in Ulster and five were sons or grandsons of Scots from Ulster. Same Houston a full blooded Scotch Irish who was partly raised in his early life by Cherokee Indians in Tennessee he could speak their language and was seen as apart of the Cherokee nation. He was the leader of the Texas Revolution which gave the American settlers independence from Mexico. He supported US annexation of Texas in 1845. In 1827 he was the governor of Arkansa and in 1859 became the governor of Texas. The capital of Texas Houston and the fourth biggest of city in the USA was named in his honor.
In the Civil war of course there were many people of Scotch Irish ancestry fighting since most men in the south and tons in the north fought. Since Scotch Irish are in the south they fought mainly on the confederate side. One famous one is Confederate general Stone wall Jackson . Click here it shows how the Confederate flag probably has some of its origin in the Scottish flag mainly St. Andrew's X shaped croos. Sorry i cant find alot of info on it. But i did a school project on the Scotch Irish a few years ago and i remember an unbelievable amount of famous military leaders and politicians with Scotch Irish ancestry click here for alot alot more details.
Music
Ballad and Fiddle both which the Scotch Irish aka Hillbillies brought to America from Scotland. This song is "When i first come to this country".
Musicologist Ceil Sharp studied 100's pf traditional Appalachian folk songs. And said the Music tradition of the people points to lowlands of Scotland and northern England. And for Appalachian tunes the same story English speaking Lowlands of Scotland and northern England not very Gealic speaking Highlands of Scotland. Sharp who was an authority on British Ballards was able to identify 1,600 versions of 500 songs from 281 singers almost all having their origin in English/Scottish Child Ballards. And that Scotch Irish in the Appalachian mountains were able to keep these rythems for over 200 years and became popular in the 1960's and 1970's.
Another very traditional form of music of Scotch Irish is Ballad singing. Which is also still very popular in the all of the UK. A Ballad is a narrative poem sung about life. The oldest record of a Ballad is in the England during the 1200's the song Judas which is still sung in England. Ballads were very popular in Scotland and England in the Medieval age and up to the 1800's and today is seen as one of their main traditional forms of music. It might even go as far back as the old Germanic tribes from pre Roman Europe over 2,000 years ago. Narrative storytelling in poems and songs are mentioned in the book Beowolf which was written between 700-1000ad. It is about English Germanic ancestors around modern day Netherlands and Denmark in the late 400's. It also mentions very old Germanic traditions going back over 2,000 years.
On top is a Traditional Appalachian Scotch Irish Ballad speaker who says she is 8th generation ballad singer but probably many more generations than that considering how old the song is probably over 16 generations. and on bottom a Scottish Ballad singer singing the same song "Black is the color of my true loves hair" in Scotland and Ireland it is considered one of their Gaelic Celtic song. Who today in Scotland or America says Rosie fair it shows in my opinion the song in very old. since Scotch Irish left Scotland before 1610 the song is over 400 years old. It shows strong tradition in Scottish and and Scotch Irish in America.
To of their main instruments the Fiddle and Banjo have two very different origins. The Fiddle which is just another name for a violin they brought over from Scotland then ulster then America. The Appalachian Scotch Irish type of Fiddle playing is considered in the same family as Scottish and Irish "Celtic" Fiddles.
The Banjo was not adopted by whites in the south until the years leading up to the Civil war so 1840's-1850's. It was invented by African slaves while in America and formed out of similar instruments in the areas of west Africa the slaves and free blacks traced their ancestry to. Their are related instruments in other parts of the America's that African slaves were brought to. Then there are also different forms of Banjo's. Joel Sweeny who claimed learned to play the Banjo from local African Americans IS the earliest documented white banjo player. He invented the modern 5 string Banjo and he changed the construction of the chamber from the traditional African way constructed from a groud to a drum like resonating chamber.
Appalachian folk music eventulley formed into modern music forms Bluegrass and country music in the 1900's. And were probably the biggest part in forming old time music. Besides old time African Americans who also were in the south were a big influence in creating distinct american music. American music was formed mainly from a mix of African and Scotch Irish music in the south.
Influence on American identity
In the Video above was a US senator representing Virginia and in the Democrat party. author of the book Scotch Irish: Born fighting and narrator of this documentary Scotch Irish: born fighting. He was born in Saint Joesph, Missouri and is Scotch Irish. He shows in his book and documentary he thinks the main character of the Scotch Irish is their fighting spirit. And that the American character was mainly formed by the Scotch Irish. The love of freedom, Individualism, military tradition and resilience against foreign and oppressive rulers he says goes back to their life in Scotland and even as far back to their ancient Bronze and Iron age Celtic ancestors and it helped form American democracy.
The Scotch Irish were extremely important in creating distinct American music like i showed above. They were very important in creating mainly culture in the traditional south. They are the real Hillbillies and rednecks. When i first learned about them a few years ago because of a school project. I could not believe that Hillbilly's could trace back to a specific area in Europe and so much of their culture and traditions go back to Scotland. They defintley are extremely influence on American culture maybe more than any other ethnic group in American history which is crazy when u consider how small they are kind of like Jews. They defintley are a great example of true Americans with their hard working, rebellious, independent, fighting spirit. Honestly it is annoying on how little they are mentioned in School history books i dont think they are at all. In School i learn that in the American Revolution everyone was English and saw England as their mother country not true 40% were Scotch Irish that is more than English many coming straight from Ulster and their ancestors had been fighting at the border of England and Scotland since The Hadrien's wall for almost 2,000 years. They even made Nascar because during the Prohibition era so they could sell their white whiskey their signature drink. Which they invented in America off the Whiskey they had in Scotland. Even though i have very little Scotch Irish blood i still admire them as great people in American history.
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Originally Posted by Horatio
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