PUSH factors- emigration Flashcards
highland/lowland clearances
Crofters were evicted from their homes as it became more profitable for landlords to keep sheep on the land.
This pushed Scots to emigrate as some preferred to leave Scotland entirely to continue their rural life rather than move to an urban area of Scotland, as this felt more familiar to them.
criminal conviction
7,600 Scots were sent to Australia as prisoners by 1847 and many stayed once they were released.
This forced Scots to emigrate from Scotland as many prisoners could not afford to come home while others wanted to start a new life away from the issues they had experienced in Scotland which led them to crime.
orphan charities
Quarriers charity sent 7000 Scottish children to Canada to help them escape the poverty in Scotland and start afresh with the clean air of rural Canada.
This forced Scots to migrate as children were sent against their will, and sometimes unbeknown to their parents in a system of traumatic forced emigration.
missionary work
Some Scots became missionaries to spread Christianity to those living in the British Empire.
This forced Scots to emigrate as some were pressurised by their churches and families into becoming missionaries, through fear of being disowned.
financial assistance from landlords
Some landowners (such as the Duke of Sutherland and Duke of Argyll) provided payments, travel allowances or new homes abroad to encourage crofters to leave their land, with landlords sometimes receiving government help to do this.
This forced Scots to emigrate as the offers were not always voluntary and, in some cases, they were threatened and left with little choice but to take it.
religious persecution
There was a small Catholic minority in Scotland in the 19th century and some were persecuted for their religion.
This led some Catholics to emigrate to countries where they could practice their religion freely.
mechanisation
22 workdays were required to farm one acre of land in 1840 but by 1914 it took just 12 as many jobs were being done by newly invented machines. Fewer workers were needed on farms as a result.
This forced Scots to emigrate as some people preferred to leave Scotland entirely to continue their farming way of life and utilise their skills, rather than move to an urban area of Scotland.
lowland housing
The fast growth of population in Scotland’s cities led to overcrowding and dreadful living conditions. Families could live in houses with one room, no indoor toilet or windows.
This forced Scots to emigrate to find a home where they could have more space and be less at risk of catching deadly diseases.
working conditions
The industrial revolution led to rapid urbanisation and industralisation in Scotland. This led to problems including low wages, long hours, dangerous working conditions and child labour.
These poor working conditions led many Scots to seek a better life elsewhere.
lack of land
It was difficult for Scots to own the land they worked on due to high prices and rapid population growth putting strain on the amount of land available. Instead, they had to rent it from nobles.
This pushed Scots to emigrate as they tried to find a home with available land, where they could continue their rural way of life and utilise their farming skills.
