Scotish Heritage - Essay Example

Scottish Heritage (school) Scottish Heritage Introduction The Scottish ethnic group traces its roots in Scotland and millionsof these immigrants now consider America their home. This ethnic group has since played a major role in American society. This paper shall now seek to explain the role of the Scottish ethnic group in American Society and the social functions it supports and/or promotes. It shall seek to define the Scottish ethnic group from the American society’s view of the group through social institutions such as the government, education, and the mass media. It shall also discuss whether or not I consider myself an active member of the Scottish community group; and finally it shall discuss how I represent the Scottish ethnic group to other members and non-members. Discussion (1) Qualities Considering the fact that the Scottish ethnic group numbers to millions in number in the US, it is a group which therefore has a significant impact in American society. American society views the Scottish group as a group of individuals who actively participate in the political processes of America. Even as election periods may spawn much discussion on the Irish vote or the German vote or the Jewish vote which may affect the turnout of such elections, discussions about the Scottish vote are few and far between (McLelland, 3). This is not to say however that there is no Scottish vote or that their votes do not have any impact on the turnout of elections; however, it goes to show that the Scottish group has an inherent desire to be a good American. In this sense, the Scottish voter would participate well in the political processes without having to raise a major shift in known and established trends in voting (McLelland, 5). As proof of their participation in politics, the names of James Beck, a representative from Kentucky, David Henderson, from the state of Iowa, Arthur MacArthur, as an associate justice of the US Supreme Court, and General Douglas MacArthur, have been brought to the table. Their participation in American politics has been exemplary and highly noted by their colleagues and by citizens alike. For which reason, McLelland (8) has expressed that “the Americanized Scot is ever advised upon the public questions of the day and can always give as sound reason for the faith that is in him, and when he votes, be it always said to his credit, he votes as an American and not as a Scot”. Scottish Americans have been involved in the US politics and economy as landholders, farmers, legislators, and even Presidents through Bill Clinton, Andrew Jackson, Ulysses Grant, Woodrow Wilson, and Ronald Reagan (Every Culture, 6). They have also been involved in the military by joining in the American Civil War and the American Revolution. They were also active in the anti-slavery movement (Every Culture, 4). Their participation in politics has been considered rich and dynamic. Analysts claim that it is difficult to predict the Scottish vote because they can be diverse depending on their area and on their political affiliation. But there is no denying the fact that they do participate and they do engage in the political processes in the United States (Every Culture, 7). In terms of education, Scots men Adam Smith, Thomas Reid, David Hume, and Thomas Reid were among those who impacted on the founding fathers of America, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton (Caribe, 5). John Witherspoon and Jeffry Morrison are also Scotsmen who closely impacted on American education and politics. These Scotsmen were in the era of Scottish enlightenment which later impacted on the colonial and revolutionary America. The ideas under this enlightenment formed the basis of the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and the Federal Constitution (Caribe, 6). Their major concerns in enlightenment were on moral philosophy, history and economics wherein moral philosophy considered the ideas of capitalism, sociability, sympathy, and justice. In the political economy, it was the Scott Hume who highlighted commerce as a major source of economic progress (Caribe, 8). This enlightenment was focused on the Universities of Edinburgh however, it impacted on the American society as well. In terms of the mass media, the Scottish ethnic group has made its mark on it as well. Its mark has not been as impactful as previous aspects of society; however, its effect has not been diminished in any way. Scottish American writers like James McPherson, Robert Burns, Walter Scott, and Thomas Carlyle formed the onset of Scottish Romanticism which very much impacted on the development of American literature. William Faulkner is also a Scott who impacted on the American mass media and he earned the ultimate honor through a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1949 (Shepperson, p. 168). Other writers like Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, and Edgar Allan Poe are all noted Scots who had a major impact on American society and mass media through their writings (Elliott, p. 5). In terms of reaching people on a massive level, Uncle Sam, the icon of military recruitment, is said to be a Scott. His figure has graced the halls of military recruitment centers and schools and his figure and initials have been adopted as a popular reference for the United States (Son of the South, 8). The above discussion indicates how the Scottish ethnic group has managed to infiltrate and impact on American society. (2) Membership I consider myself an active member of the Scottish community group because I am very much involved in their activities and, in some instances, their festivals and social gatherings. I also consider myself an active member of this group because I have qualities which are very much identified with this ethnic group. I have participated in the Scottish Highland games which are considered to be a primary festival and game for the Scottish ethnic group (Chhabra, Sills, & Cubbage, p. 423). I have also joined in the National Tartan Day in our community. I have inherited a bagpipe from my grandfather. I have also been taught some basic Gaelic words by my grandparents from a very young age. Our family has also inherited the Tartan of our Scottish clan which carries the colors of our clan. I consider myself a member of this group because of these physical elements; but beyond these physical elements, I have been taught about the rich heritage of our Scotland clan by my grandparents. By listening to their stories, I have come to value my heritage and the different traditions and practices that go with being a Scott. In this sense, I have learned to value the qualities that make me uniquely Scottish-American. Representation I represent the ethnic group to other members in a way which is different from non-members. Among non-members, I have presented the group with more detail and explanation in order to achieve better comprehension and understanding among listeners. I have also made the effort to represent the ethnic group as a group which is not much different from theirs, in the sense that, the Scottish group has ethnic and traditional practices which other ethnic groups also distinctly practice in their group. Among other members, I often do not make a major effort towards explaining the traditions and practices of our ethnic group. I know that they are already familiar with our practices and that they would not appreciate me preaching about our Scottish traditions. I also represent the ethnic group to other non-members by choosing our traditions to explain the richness of our culture. I will explain the relevance of our tartans, of the Scottish Highland Games, and of the Gaelic language. I would also express to them how many Scottish Americans have influenced American culture, traditions, politics, and education. I would proudly represent my ethnic tradition among other non-members by highlighting the qualities which are uniquely Scottish. In the same vein, I would maintain this pride in our traditions by discussing the unique qualities of our heritage among the members of our group. In this sense, we can all commune on elements which proudly join us as a people. In effect, I would represent the Scottish ethnic group to non-members as a means of educating and enlightening them about our unique culture and traditions. On the other hand, I would represent this same heritage to other members as a unifying element and as a common source of pride and glory for our group. Conclusion Based on the above discussion, the Scottish ethnic group has had a major impact on the political, social, and educational processes in the United States. They have been active participants in politics and governance and have helped in the development of educational and enlightenment processes. I consider myself a member of this group because I actively participate in the different traditions of the people and when explaining and representing my group to other non-members I represent the unique qualities of our culture. These are the qualities which make our culture dynamic and enduring. Works Cited Caribe, M. (2010) Scottish influence in American Culture: Enlightened Education and Democracy. HubPages. Retrieved 06 December 2010 from http://hubpages.com/hub/Scottish-influence-in-American-culture-US-Constitution-and-Princeton-University Chhabra, D., Sillsm E., & Cubbage, F. (2003) The Significance of Festivals to Rural Economies: Estimating the Economic Impacts of Scottish Highland Games in North Carolina. Journal of Travel Research, volume 41, number 4, pp. 421-427 Elliott, E. (1991) The Emergence of the Literatures of the United States. Wiley Publishers. Retrieved 06 December 2010 from http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/25/06312089/0631208925.pdf McLelland, C. (n.d) Scots in American Politics by Charles P. McClelland. Electric Scotland. Retrieved 06 December 2010 from http://www.electricscotland.com/history/descendants/chap25.htm Uncle Sam (2008) Son of the South. Retrieved 06 December 2010 from http://www.sonofthesouth.net/uncle-sam/ Scottish and Scotch-Irish Americans (2010) Every Culture. Retrieved 06 December 2010 from http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Pa-Sp/Scottish-and-Scotch-Irish-Americans.html Shepperson, G. (1954) Writings in Scottish American History. The William and Mary Quarterly: Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture. Read More