Impacts of the Empire on Scotland Flashcards
Creation of jobs
Factories across Scotland were used to make products using materials made grown or found overseas, only to be sold in another country too. Scots worked to collect materials, transport them, create products and sell them, so this created many jobs which fed money into Scotland.
Providing resources
Mills in Dundee used jute grown in India. Mills such as Camperdown Works in Lochee, the largest jute mill in the world, provided many jobs in Scotland but would not have functioned without Indian jute.
Buying goods
Glasgow built huge numbers of train engines, which often went to countries developing their railways, like Canada, India and New Zealand. This fed money ack into the Sottish economy, and the increased sales bolstered certain industries.
Job opportunities
Empire membership meant that Scots had better access to jobs abroad, with many Scots moving to Canada or Australia to pursue a variety of careers, from mining and farming to doctors and lawyers. This gave many Scots better opportunities than they had while in Scotland.
Banking
Many Scottish banks benefited from loaning money to Scottish companies throughout the Empire. This made the banks a significant profit, which benefitted Scotland overall.
Heightened competition
Competition from the empire, such as cotton and jute, undermined Scottish businesses and eventually saw some companies collapse. This caused some serious economic problems within Scotland.
Reduced population
Locations such as Canada and Australia attracted Scots in huge numbers, reducing the countries’ population, particularly in areas like the Highlands. Membership of the Empire led to a huge number of Scots leaving their homeland to build a new life elsewhere
Architecture
The Merchant City area of Glasgow was built using money from Caribbean goods like tobacco and cotton. Many buildings across Scotland were built using money made from trading with the Empire.
Language
Words such as pyjama and bungalow were taken from languages in India, while budgie was taken from Australian speech. Language has been permanently altered and influenced by Scots moving abroad and returning with new slang.
