higher migration and empire - impact of scots on native peoples (by country)

Migration &
Empire,
1830-1939
Impact of emigrant Scots on
native peoples: by country

In today’s class I am learning to:
• Describe the impact of Scottish
emigrants on the native peoples of
various countries (Australia, Canada,
India, New Zealand)
Impact of emigrant Scots on native peoples

When moving abroad, emigrant Scots met native
peoples. Sometimes these links were positive, but at
other times they led to various problems.
Impact of emigrant Scots on native peoples

Australia
Emigrant Scots in Australia

There was extreme
tension between
immigrants to Australia
(such as Scots) and the
native peoples.
The British gave native
Australians the name
aborigines, although this
wasn’t a name the natives
used themselves.

Land arguments were the
main cause of conflict
between Scottish settlers
and aborigines.
Scots wanted land for
farming and to build
towns, but this meant
taking aborigine land,
including often sacred and
holy places.

Professor Tom Devine, a
well known Scottish
historian, has pointed out
a strange element of Scots
taking aborigine land:
“It was ironic that some of
those most notoriously
involved were Highlanders
who had themselves
suffered clearance.”

Arguments were also
caused when aborigines
took animals being farmed
by the Scots.
All of this led to battles
between Scots and
aborigines. Many
aborigines were killed by
Scottish settlers as a result
of this.

One infamous attack
involving the two groups
took place at Warrigal
Creek in 1843.
Twenty settlers – led by a
Scottish emigrant called
Angus MacMillan –
hunted down and killed at
least 60 aborigines, and
possibly up to 180.

Disease was also an issue
which caused problems for
native Australian people.
Many Scots (and other
European migrants) had
diseases such as smallpox.
Aborigines could not cope
with these illnesses and
large numbers died as a
result of this.

Scottish emigrants also
had a role in splitting up
aborigine families.
Some Scots believed it was
their job to ‘civilise’ the
aborigines, whether by
teaching them the
Christian religion, or other
actions such as learning to
speak English.

Large numbers of native
Australian children were
taken from their parents
and sent to schools where
they were taught
European values.
Governor Lachlan
Macquarie set up the
Native Institution to teach
the Aboriginal children.

Children who went to the
Native Institute were only
allowed to see their
parents once per year.
Between 1869 and 1969,
100,000 Aboriginal
children were forcibly
taken from their families,
most commonly never
seeing them again.

Other Scots tried to
influence aborigines by
changing their religious
beliefs.
Missions were set up to
not only try and convert
Aborigines to Christianity,
but also to allow emigrant
Scots to continue their
faith once overseas.

Canada
Emigrant Scots in Canada

There are three groups of
native peoples in Canada:
• First Nations
• Inuit
• Metis
Some people call them
Indians or Eskimos,
although many people
dislike these names.

Scottish migrants to
Canada had a mixed
relationship with native
peoples.
Although at times there
were examples of positive
relations, there were also
issues which led to
arguments, especially
concerning land.

Some Scottish (and other
British) settlers tried to
build links with native
people including trading
and providing them with
medical care.
One reason they did so
was to try and win the
support of natives in wars
against other Europeans.

It was not just the Scots
that provided help, the
native Canadians also gave
support to the settlers.
They taught Scots various
skills which were essential
to surviving in Canada’s
extreme winters, including
where to find food and
how to make clothes.

The positive connections
between Scots and some
groups of native peoples
were also evident during
World War One and Two.
It is estimated that around
6000 native peoples
fought on Britain’s side in
the wars, many of them
volunteering to do so.

Given that many Scottish
men made the journey
without a wife, there were
some marriages between
Scots and native peoples.
The mixed race children of
these relationships were
known as Anglo-Metis and
they sometimes faced
hatred and prejudice.

Treatment of the natives –
including Metis people –
eventually led to extreme
conflict.
The North West rebellion
of 1885 saw natives take
part in a violent uprising
against the Canadian
government, although this
ultimately failed.

There was also conflict
between natives and
settlers about land.
Europeans (including
Scots) wanted Canadian
land in order to use it for
farming and other
purposes; this often
meant taking land owned
by native peoples.

Other Scots had travelled
to Canada as missionaries
and tried to convert
natives to Christianity.
In some cases they
succeeded, however other
natives were angry at
criticism of their own
religious beliefs, and the
attempts at conversion.

In 1876 the Canadian
Prime Minister (Scottish-
born Alexander
Mackenzie) oversaw the
passing of the Indian Act.
This said where many
native people were
allowed to live, and saw
children taken from their
parents to be educated.

The Indian Act included
other provisions, such as
banning some native
religious practices
(including Sun dances).
The rules imposed by the
Act inevitably led to fights
between natives and
settlers, and later resulted
in court cases too.

One controversial policy in
which Scots were involved
was residential schools.
This was when native
children left their homes
and were given a
European-style education,
including learning about
Christianity and speaking
English.

Some natives agreed to
send their children
because they believed it
would help them.
However others were
angry at the poor
treatment the children
received, including being
forbidden from speaking
their native language.

Scots made up a tiny
proportion of all people
living in India, but also
held a lot of power.
Although there are
examples of positive links,
there was also instances of
very poor relations,
including numerous
examples of violence.
Emigrant Scots in India

British settlers – including
Scots – traded with
Indians, and helped make
some tribal leaders rich as
a result of this.
This obviously led to Scots’
presence in India being
supported by those
leaders, and brought some
benefits to other Indians.

Some other Scots
integrated into Indian
society.
There were instances of
marriages between
Indians and the Scots. At
the start of the 1800s,
around one third of British
men in India were married
to an Indian woman.

Many Scots’ role in India
was as part of the military.
Scots went to India as part
of British Army regiments
– including the Sutherland
Highlanders – and their
job was to provide
protection for British
traders, and also control
the local population.

A great many Indians
resented Scottish and
British presence in their
country.
British actions in setting
up a government in India,
taking control of the
country, led to anger from
Indian nationalists who
wanted independence.

The most prominent
example of resistance to
British rule was the Indian
Mutiny of 1857.
Indian soldiers who
worked for the British East
India Company in the
town of Meerut started a
major rebellion, which
spread across India.

At least 100,000 people
died as a result of the
fighting. Scottish army
regiments played a major
role in ending the revolt,
led by men such as
General Colin Campbell.
It is also worth noting that
some Indians fought for
Britain during the mutiny.

Some British decisions in
India received a mixed
response from Indians.
The British outlawed some
practices, including
slavery and thuggee. This
was an action which
involved armed gangs
attacking people and
committing ritual murder.

Britain also banned
suttee, where a wife was
burned alive after the
death of her husband.
Some Indians did not want
these practices to end so
were angered by Britain,
however other Indians
welcomed changes which
improved their lives.

Some British actions in
India improved the status
of Indian women.
This not only included the
outlawing of suttee, but
also letting women get an
education, and also
banning the practice of
child marriage (girls then
had to be 14 or older).

Other British actions were
not especially beneficial to
Indian women.
The British Army set up
chaklas, which were
brothels to be only used
by British soldiers. Many
women worked in these
places because they came
from poor backgrounds.

Many Scots – such as
Alexander Duff - who went
to India did so as
missionaries to spread the
Christian message.
They established churches
across the country, and
converted many Indians,
suggesting elements of a
positive relationship.

Many missionaries also
helped develop education
in India, again improving
relations with Indians.
However other Indians
who were from different
faiths – including Muslims
and Hindus – were
offended at attempts to
change their beliefs.

New Zealand
Emigrant Scots in New Zealand

Scottish relations with
native New Zealanders –
known as Maoris – were
often difficult.
Although there are some
instances of good
relations between the two
groups there are also
examples of extreme
violence.

Initially there were some
positive links between
Scots and the Maoris.
Scots traded with the
native peoples that they
met, and the Maoris
responded by helping the
Scots to survive winters in
the area, including
supplying food.

Land issues inevitably led
to arguments between
Scots and Maoris.
The Scots wanted land to
start farms and set up
towns, but this meant
taking control of land
which was used by the
Maori people (especially
in the Otago area).

Scottish farms being set up
across New Zealand had a
major effect on the
environment, resulting in
mass clearance of trees to
create suitable land.
This had an influence on
the Maori people,
especially on how they
moved and hunted.

Partly to try and stop land
disagreements, some
Scots made deals with the
Maoris to buy land –
however this often led to
other problems.
For instance it was not
always clear who owned
land, or the wrong land
was claimed.

The 1840 Treaty of
Waitangi was a legal
agreement between the
British government and
Maori tribes.
The British wanted this to
allow them to buy land;
some Maoris wanted this
to get military help
against French forces.

The treaty agreed Maori
ownership of land and
that the British
government was the only
body authorised to buy
this land.
The treaty was not backed
by all Maoris, and many
leaders urged others to
reject the deal.

The deadliest period in
Scottish/Maori links was
the New Zealand Wars (of
1845 to 1872.
This involved regular
battles and hostilities
between settlers and the
Maoris, often caused by
arguments about land
purchases.

Examples of battles during
this was include the
Northern War and East
Cape War.
It is estimated that around
3000 people died as a
result of these conflicts (c.
750 British deaths and
more than 2000 Maori
casualties)

Many of the Scots that
went to New Zealand did
so as missionaries hoping
to convert the native
people to Christianity.
However many Maoris did
not change their religion
and were angry at the
Scots’ dismissal of their
beliefs.

Many Maoris did change
their religion and built
good links with Scottish
missionaries.
There were instances of
missionaries trying to
protect Maoris during
periods of conflict
between the Scots and
native peoples.

Some Scots married Maori
people, although these
relationships often led to
criticisms.
Some churches later sent
Scottish women to be the
wives of male
missionaries, to prevent
Scottish and Maori
marriage.

Trade
Religion
Education
Land issues
War
Marriages
Native
children
Other
Scots and
native people

higher migration and empire - impact of scots on native peoples (by country)

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