Internal migration push

Question 1

Highland clearances

Answer 1

Between 1780 and 1860 thousands of Highlanders were evicted from their homes by landlords who intended to use the land for sheep farms. Highlanders were pushed to migrate to find new homes.

Question 2

Crofters Act (1886)

Answer 2

This helped secure crofters’ rights to live on the land, but it also meant that the land could only be used for crofting, and condemned crofters to a backwards way of life. Crofters were pushed to migrate to escape economic deprivation.

Question 3

Decline of the Kelp industry

Answer 3

Kelp was used to make glass and soap, and many people made their livelihoods by collecting seaweed for kelp and selling it to glass and soap producers. As cheaper methods of producing these products were introduced, which did not require kelp, those who collected it lost their jobs. These people were pushed to migrate in search of new jobs.

Question 4

Decline of the fishing industry

Answer 4

Herring prices fell from 1884-1886 due to foreign competition, causing the average workers earnings to go from £20-£30 per season to £1-£2 a decade later. This pushed fishermen to emigrate in search of better-paying jobs.

Question 5

Highland potato blight

Answer 5

The potato blight came to the Highlands in 1846, and while it was not as severe as Irelands, it did leave thousands of Highlanders hungry or impoverished. This pushed Highlanders to migrate to areas without food shortages.

Question 6

Housing quality

Answer 6

Many Highlanders lived in ‘black houses’ which often lacked flooring, had poor insulation, and had makeshift roofs. They were also often shared with livestock. This pushed Highlanders to migrate to escape the unhygienic and unpleasant living conditions.

Question 7

Farm reorginisation

Answer 7

Before the 19th century, farms were runrig. However, to modernise land usage, this was replaced by larger farms with fewer farmers. This pushed farmhands to migrate as due to this reorganisation many lost their jobs, and by extension their homes.

Question 8

Education

Answer 8

Many rural communities had no schools, or schools were very far and long distances had to be traveled to reach it each day. This pushed rural Scots to migrate to areas with easier access to education for their children.