Evicted By Force - The Tragedy of the Highland Clearances

At the start of the 18th century, roughly 30% of Scots lived in the Highlands and Islands. By the turn of the 20th century, the figure was only 8%. It is estimated that somewhere around 70,000 people were driven out of their homes and their country. And there continue to be ripple effects of the Highland Clearances down to the present day.
The Highland Clearances is a deeply complex subject. In this video we set the stage, then illustrate two of the most egregious examples of what happened.
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[@williamnash2597]

Evicted By Force - The Tragedy of the Highland Clearances is very professionally presented and informative. Rocky is a good story teller and knowledgeable of the subject matter. I liked the use of Eric as a narrator. It brought his authority to the subject. As descendant of the MacKay’s and clans of the Outer Hebrides who immigrate to lower Canada during the clearances, I was especially moved by the message. Thank you for sharing this information. Slàinte Mhath

[@akpatriot6398]

Excellent job Rocky! I've been teaching about Scottish heritage, history & the Clearances for 30 years and I could do no better! Very informative indeed.

[@TheAdventuringFoodie]

Well done, Rocky. The Clearances were tragic in countless ways. Yet, there are other examples of how good came from them. Many of us whose ancestors survived the evictions (as did my great-grandfather) found success in their new homes. The Scottish work ethic and spirit of ingenuity are alive today in Canada, the US, New Zealand, Australia, and other parts of the globe. Do I wish I lived on the Isle of Skye, as did my forefathers? Sometimes. Yet, I also know my life is blessed here in America.

[@leighcecil3322]

Land clearances descendent... MacPherson clan...🇦🇺 Amazing the strong willed Highland Scott's in a harsh country... proud to be a descendant..🍻

[@the-kilted-trucker59]

Quite informative. Also it was different to hear Rocky giving it, most times Eric covers the history lessons.

[@greeneyedlady7290]

Clear, concise and concluded in less than 18 minutes. Nicely done!

[@kevinbuchanan6687]

Outstanding!!!! Very well done! I will share the link with our Clan Buchanan Society International membership. Keep up the great work!!!

[@Landlubber13]

Thank you. A nice balanced account of what happened.

[@donnaconnell]

Thank you!

[@barbaricyawper14]

Fantastic! Well done and thoughtfully researched. Looking forward to more of this type of format from you guys at USAKilts!

[@la_old_salt2241]

Thanks guys. I had heard of the clearances, but never knew any details. I'm happy my ancestors made it to the states, but wish it had been their choice. Oh how wretched a time! God bless, Rob

[@mjgrubbs1]

I very much enjoy watching your history and culture videos. Nice work Rocky, Eric and production staff! Slainte! 🥃

[@delmarhaynes7006]

Finally, someone is telling the truth to to what really happened.

[@thomasbgage]

love these history videos. Keep em up!

[@PhilipCrichton]

Thank you for making this. I learned much of what I only had hints of understanding. Terribly important. Wondrfully produced!

[@redsword1659]

My ancestors were evicted from the Sutherland estate and this partly explains my existence as an Australian

[@redsword1659]

We are told that the scots emigrated to new south wales under bounty (my ancestors came on the NSW transport "Asia") on the condition that they would set up rural communities away from convicts and blackfellas and take members of extended family. My ancestors actually went to gunnedah and intermarried with the children of convicts.

[@kenbuchanan5753]

that was awesome; great job guys!

[@matthewporter1107]

This sounds like a great topic.

[@IosuamacaMhadaidh]

Slàinte mhath mo charaidean.

[@kiltedpatriotatheart]

Great video, guys!

[@nanabutner]

Thank you for the wonderfully informative video. SO VERY SAD!

[@sheleavitt06]

Wait you ended it there without talking about the effects the new sheep had to the Māori people of New Zealand?!?!? Lost opportunity man. I know you wanted to end on a high note but that’s not real ending. Part two please?🙏

[@leslieross8708]

My ancestors were victims of the clearances. They made their way and ended up settling in the mountains of western NC because they said the land there reminded them of home. All these years later, we're still stuck in America. Not one family member has ever made it home to Scotland 😢

[@stephencorson7572]

This was excellent Rocky! Huzzah!

[@iand5369]

Well done Rocky I prefer your delivery of such content over Eric's performances

[@bushy13]

Well done Rocky. My people I found came from a place called Caen Kildonan in the north of Scotland (Duke of Sutherlands lands). A historical group has been doing a research dig and reconstruction of Kildonan Clearances during the early 1800's. My ancestors names were listed amongst the last tennants there and ended up at Helmsdale on the northwest coast as a result the clearances. After a small time at Helmsdale they made their way to Australia. This was on my father's side. On my mother's there is a different story. It turns out they go back to the MacDonalds of Glencoe, where some came to Australia via the Isle of Skye. Hearing any tales of Scotland I love. It seems I have a selection of tartans to choose from, but none from my father's line. Still I am designing my own tartan. Thanks for your vids.

[@ericrose7450]

Great video. And thank you also for showing the image of a Rose clan member at the 1:29 to 1:35 mark. Constant and True.

[@Sam-lm8gi]

The length of the video is 17:45. I see what you did there.

[@vixendoe6943]

Thank you Rocky. I first heard of this from my bagpipe instructor, a man from the Isle of Skye and he only mentioned it once, a very short sentence. Progress in favor of sheep.

[@gallowglass2630]

Please don't call it the potato famine whether in ireland or scotland it wasn't the lack of potatoes that caused the famine it was the export of non affected crops and livestock that caused the starvation.More or less the same happened in ireland but the key difference was the land league and the landwars.The Land league made it to the scottish highlands without the support of a scottish version and a Charismatic leaders like Cs Parnell and Michael davitt it failed as a result land ownership in the scottish highlands is still where it was in ireland in the late 1800s with small numbers of people owning most of the land.

[@angusdrummond6719]

Ok. I am just going to put it out there. Was it Purposefully done or no that this video ends at 17:45?

[@deannamcmurtrey5794]

Heartbreaking.

[@briancarey2662]

I've learned that my patrilineal family was just such an evictee. The family moved from Scotland to Ireland in 1725 and came under the Carey name (clan unknown but a MacLeod lass married in around 1820 and left that name to all her offspring as a middle name). I suppose the original father of that family was killed in the clearances and mother and possibly children fled across the Irish Sea and married into my current surname's lineage. Generations of service in the British Army ended for my direct lineage in the mid 1800s when the my ancestor set up house in Kingston, Ontario and took the daughter of a fellow military member as his wife. Not at all surprising to hear of the destitution of those who arrived in New France. I get a bit annoyed when progressive types infer I am a "colonizer"...history needs to be remembered accurately.

[@j.warrenpadgett8192]

Rocky very well done!! How can we get this on PBS!

[@maggietaskila8606]

One of my ancestors a Great Uncle went to New Zealand , he established a sheep opperation there, quite a large one from the letter . I don't at this moment remember his first name but his Sir name was MacLean. By the way those tactics are being used right here in in England's child's country today as we speak .

[@colinp2238]

Herd is the collective term for cattle. It is flock for sheep.

[@johnathanx]

does anyone know where that shot at the end is? Looks very much like the landscape of the cairngorms but i've never stumbled across this ruined village.

[@alexgibson733]

Nice one. More like that please! How much did the collapse of the various fisheries also impact Scotland over the last 150 years and also influence migrations?

[@susiesturman8180]

And some people wonder why those of us with primarily Scots-Irish ancestry do not embrace our British ancestry? The British have a LONG history of conquest and subjugation. Thanks, Rocky-well done!

[@gallowglass2630]

Scots irish had very little to do with the highland clearances as they were from the lowlands mostly ,but they would have experience3d evictions in ireland. and the oppression of the penal laws which applied mostly to caholics but also affected presbyterians which most of the ulster scots were

[@FortheBudgies]

My ancestor was a prisoner during the uprising and during Culloden. He was moved between prisons and eventually transported and sold into some kind of servitude in Virginia. His wife and children followed him and they had 10 total children. They were Gibson's and I think they came from Fife. I can trace their family into the 1600s. Not really Highlanders but he fought with Prince Charles and was luckily already in prison before the battle. That probably saved his life.

[@pcarmical]

Excellent video, Rocky! Please do more historical videos like this! Maybe mix in Scotch tastings?😂

[@USAKiltsOfficial]

I ALREADY have a tough time enunciating my words well enough when speaking. Add in whiskey and it won't go well! :-)

[@Sat-gg3vv]

@@USAKiltsOfficial Aaaaaah - no E in Scottish whisky! You did well with the Gaelic most people mistakenly say it the Irish way

[@sasquatchbrett6331]

Do you know the only Gaelic College in Canada is in Cape Breton; Nova Scotia (New Scotland in gaelic)

[@rob3998]

Where’s Eric?

[@kumasenlac5504]

The equivalent agricultural changes in England, Southern and Central Scotland also occasioned resistance and bloodshed.

[@skessisalive]

I’m a Campbell, is this how I got here?

[@Wee_Langside]

Last remaining old man in a Highland township to a recruiting sergeant looking for recruits for an army to fight another war somewhere far away. "Since you preferred sheep to men let sheep defend you"

[@timothycook7388]

Revenge for skibbereen! Oh wait, wrong story

[@fa-q-2]

...Rocky...I love you brother, but Eric is the best story teller...just say'n...give a thumbs up for more Eric...

[@peterroodt5343]

The sheep in NZ are merino sheep developed in south Africa

[@danielmontaigne1219]

Many tourists visit Dunrobin castle What happened was when the laird had done robbing they used their ill gotten gains to build this edifice.

[@delmarhaynes7006]

My ancestors are McDonald and McCalister's

[@brianmallon1810]

It was a deliberate genocide against the Gaelic People, just as was the handling of the Irish Famine. Both were successful in destroying the Gaelic Language.

[@leighcecil3322]

A descendant of the land clearances... Macpherson's..sent.as free settlers LoL to Australia ‼️🍺...

[@BCSchmerker]

+USAKiltsOfficial *Clan Carmichael underwent the forced expansion described this video during the reign of George III.*

[@davidking7353]

was ethnic cleansing

[@anthonywoodford7214]

what england did is discusting

[@USAKiltsOfficial]

This was often Scots doing it to other Scots.

[@Albanach-je1nk]

​@@USAKiltsOfficialit was us doing it to ourselves

[@Sat-gg3vv]

Unfortunately you are right- it wasn’t just the English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿. This is a really good balanced account, well done.

[@Red-kp9ur]

No offense but didn’t the Scottish help the British do the same to the Irish and took land from them making the Scot Irish and the hate group the orangemen