HAPPY TARTAN APRIL 6

[LLady]

WHAT IS TARTAN DAY?

Woodrow Wilson said of the Scots, "Every line of

strength in American history is a line colored with

Scottish blood."

The contribution of the immigrant Scots upon North

America is massive and these people have remained

proud of their heritage.

Numerous groups and societies throughout Canada and

America have taken the anniversary of the Declaration

of Arbroath (1320) as their national date to celebrate

their Scottish roots.

On December 19th 1991, in response to action initiated

by the Clans & Scottish Societies of Canada, the

Ontario Legislature passed a resolution proclaiming April

6th as Tartan Day, following the example of other

Canadian provinces.

America followed suit on March 20th 1998, when Senate

Resolution 155 (S.Res. 155), proposed by US Senate

Republican majority leader Trent Lott, was passed

unanimously.

The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:

[LLady]

S. Res. 155

Whereas April 6 has a special significance for all Americans, and especially those Americans of Scottish descent, because the Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish Declaration of Independence, was signed on April 6, 1320 and the American Declaration of Independence was modeled on that inspirational document;
Whereas this resolution honors the major role that Scottish Americans played in the founding of this Nation, such as the fact that almost half of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were of Scottish descent, the Governors in 9 of the original 13 States were of Scottish ancestry, Scottish Americans successfully helped shape this country in its formative years and guide this Nation through its most troubled times;
Whereas this resolution recognizes the monumental achievements and invaluable contributions made by Scottish Americans that have led to America's preeminence in the fields of science, technology, medicine, government, politics, economics, architecture, literature, media, and visual and performing arts;
Whereas this resolution commends the more than 200 organizations throughout the United States that honor Scottish heritage, tradition, and culture, representing the hundreds of thousands of Americans of Scottish descent, residing in every State, who already have made the observance of Tartan Day on April 6 a success;
Whereas these numerous individuals, clans, societies, clubs, and fraternal organizations do not let the great contributions of the Scottish people go unnoticed:
Now, therefore, be it Resolved, that the Senate designates April 6 of each year as "National Tartan Day."

[LLady]

THE SCOTTISH INFLUENCE IN AMERICA

Many locations in America were nostalgically named after the places the Scottish immigrants had left behind. There are eight Aberdeens, eight Edinburghs, seven Glasgows and eight places, simply known as Scotland, in the United States today.
Before the Declaration of Arbroath, Scotland was organized under a clan system. Many members of the great clans traveled to the New World and named the places in which they settled in honor of their clan names. Today there are areas named Campbell, Cameron, Crawford and Douglas, throughout the US.
The common Scottish surname suffix Mac or Mc can be seen at the start of many area names; in North Carolina alone there are 130 such places.
There are many societies in America, such as the St Andrew's Society - named after the patron saint of Scotland, that attempt to retain aspects of Scottish culture and heritage.
Clubs and societies celebrating Scottish ancestry were established in the 18th Century to assist struggling Scots in the new land.
Throughout America and Canada there are over 300 St Andrew's Societies, Caledonian Clubs and other Scottish societies.
Popular Scottish sport, such as golf and curling, were imported to America by the Scottish immigrants.
Modern American track and field events originated from massive Scottish athletic tournaments.
Whisky is the national drink of Scotland and none can surpass it for quality or taste, which is why real connoisseurs will always insist upon it.
Central to life at the time of mass immigration to the United States was the Kirk (Scottish word for the church). When the Scots moved to America, they brought their religion of Presbyterianism with them. Today the Presbyterian Church has over 3million members and, is one of the largest mainstream Protestant churches in the US.
In 1925 the Presbyterian Church of Canada formed, with two other Protestant churches, the United Church of Canada. In 1990 there were over 850,000 members.
The Scots were a valuable addition to a developing world. Their past experience of working in the harsh conditions of rural Scotland, combined with their hard-working Presbyterian upbringing, made them an ideal people to help build America in its formative years.
There were three distinctive groups of peoples of Scottish ancestry that immigrated to America: the Lowland Scots, the Highland Scots and the Scotch-Irish.
Religious persecution in Scotland prompted many to leave their homeland in the early 17th Century. Early settlements were established by these colonists in East Jersey in 1683 (now eastern and northern Jersey) and in South Carolina in 1698. Both these early colonies failed.

[LLady]

Scotland's history has been a tempestuous one, fraught with tension between England and Scotland. Between 1715 and 1745, more than 1,400 defeated Jacobite rebels were banished from their homeland and sent to America for their "crimes".
After the 1707 Union of the Parliaments, trade between Scotland and America dramatically increased. Merchants began to take advantage of the huge opportunities available in the New World, especially in the tobacco trade. Emigration by this group was mostly to Virginia where the tobacco trade was strongest.
The Scottish emigrants of the 18th Century were an educated group due to the Scottish Reformation, which had stressed the need for education, allowing every Scot the ability to read the bible.
Education has always played an important part in Scottish society, and these Scots played a crucial role in the early development of the New World. Most headmasters of the schools in the new colonies south of New York were Scottish or of Scottish ancestry. These establishments were fundamental in the education of America's future leaders; both Thomas Jefferson's and John Rutledge's tutors were Scottish immigrants.
Scots arriving in the New World soon established universities, colleges and other educational establishments such as Princeton University, which was initially named the College of New Jersey, when founded in 1746.
During the mid-17th Century Scottish medical establishments were second to none in the fields of education and science. Many recipients of these teachings came to America, where their influence can be seen to this day.
Many Americans traveled to Scotland to gain an education in medicine. In 1775 there were 3,500 people practicing medicine in the US, though only 350 or 400 actually held degrees. Most of those holding degrees had been educated in Scotland.
The Scots greatest contribution to American medicine was the belief that it was not simply the body but the mind that must be healed. Drawing upon their knowledge of philosophy and the humanities they expounded the need to be humane when treating patients.
Scots were crucial in establishing separate medical teaching institutions; previously all medical education had been taught within the confines of medical establishments.

[LLady]

Scots have played their part in the political history of the United States. More than one hundred governors of pre-Revolutionary colonies and post Revolutionary States were of Scottish birth or descent.

At least 11 Presidents of the USA were of Scots ancestry including McKinley, Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Polk, Lyndon B. Johnson and Ulysses Grant, who incidentally visited Scotland after he ceased to be President. There is a street in Scotland that is named after him.


• 35 US Supreme Court Justices have been Scots.

• Of 73 Great Americans in the Hall of Fame, 25 were of Scottish blood.

• Nearly half of the Secretaries of the US Treasury and one third of the Secretaries of State have been of Scots origin.

• Of the fifty-six signatories of the Declaration of Independence, nine were directly or indirectly descended from Scots.

• 9 out of 13 Governors of the newly created United States were Scots or of Scottish descent.

• Of fifty judges of the Supreme Court from 1759-1882 at least fifteen were of Scottish ancestry.

• James Pollock (1810-90), responsible for putting "In God We Trust" on the US coinage, was of Scottish descent.

[LLady]

Some Famous American Scots

The Early United States

First State Governors
When the United States were first formed and the thirteen states selected their first governors, nine were of Scottish ancestry:

Archibald Bulloch (Georgia)
George Clinton (New York)
William Livingston (New Jersey)
John MacKinlay (Delaware)
Jonathan Trumbull (Connecticut)
Richard Caswell (North Carolina)
Patrick Henry (Virginia)
Thomas McKean (Pennsylvania)
John Rutledge (South Carolina)
First Cabinet Members
In addition, all the members of the first American cabinet had Scottish ancestry:

Secretary of State - Thomas Jefferson
Secretary of the Treasury - Alexander Hamilton
Secretary of War - Henry Knox
Attorney General - Edmund Randolph

Also:

John Paul (alias John Paul Jones) was a Scotsman, and founder of the U.S. Navy.

The breech-loading rifle used during the Revolutionary
War was invented by Maj. Patrick Ferguson.

[LLady]

New York celebrates Tartan Day in a very big way!

www.tartanweek.com

Here in Michigan it's much smaller but still celebrated.

Detroit, MI
The St. Andrew's Society of Detroit is presenting its Annual Tartan Day Ceilidh Celebration on Saturday, April 1 from 6:00PM to 11:00PM at Monaghan K of C, 19801 Farmington Road (Between 7 and 8 Mile Roads), Livonia, MI. The event is open to the public and entertainment includes the St. Andrew's Pipe Band, Highland Dancers, Scottish Country Dancers, Queen of the Highlands. A Fish and Chips Buffet Dinner will be served at 6.30 PM. Cash Bar. For more information, see the St. Andrew's Society of Detroit Web site or contact Franklin Dohanyos.

Battle Creek, MI
The Scottish Society of SW Michigan is holding a Tartan Day celebration at 6pm on April 6 at Arcadia Brewing Co. on Michigan Ave in Battle Creek, with pipers, Scottish food, and various other entertainment. They also have a Scottish Tartan Display at the local library with items such as books, a kilt, targe, swords, photos, etc.

Royal Oak, MI
The first ever Tartan Day in Royal Oak, Michigan is being celebrated on Thursday, April 6th as Lily's Sea Food, 410 S. Washington. The event will include the Guys in Kilts mini pipe band, Scottish entertainment by Colin Page, special Scottish foods, Scotch tasting and more. Scottish foods will be available all day and entertainment starts at 7 pm. Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has sent a proclamation in honor of the event and in celebration of Scottish heritage. Call 248/591-5459 for more information.

It's also being celebrated in many countries throughout the world.

So no matter where you are or will be on April 6th Have a Very HAPPY TARTAN DAY and be sure to wear them if you got them!

[LLady]

[dreamy]

GREAT info, LLady, great job! I learnt quite a few new things I didn't know before. Thank you...

AND HAPPY TARTAN DAY!!!

[Elly]

Thank you Llady for the wonderful information, it's a great thing Tartan Day, imagine Princeton being founded the same year as Culloden, just amazing, hope you and all who celebrate it have a wonderful Tartan Day #ssmile#

[Elly]

They don't celebrate it the same here in Australia but they do have a few gatherings in the month of April, Bundanoon a few hours to the south of Sydney in an area called the Southern Highlands have a good few days each April. It's a lovely wee village and the scots heritage is very strong there.
www.highlandsnsw.com.au/brigadoon/adayin.html

The other one that attracts a lot of scots to in April is the Celtic Festival at Glen Innes also in NSW. Its in an area called the New England Tablelands you'd think they could have called it New Scotland eh but is a very interesting town too.

Glen Innes'unique Standing Stones

The Australian Standing Stones in Glen Innes in the New England Tablelands of New South Wales are unique - one of the first to be built in the World for more than 3500 years.

Glen Innes, settled largely by Scots in 1838, was chosen for the site of the Stones by the Celtic Council of Australia as an official national monument to honour all Celtic peoples who helped to pioneer Australia.

The Standing Stones draw visitors from across Australia and overseas, and are the centre of the annual Australian Celtic Festival held in the first weekend in May.

Building of the megalithic array in Centennial Park on the edge of Glen Innes - each granite stone averages 17 tonnes - resulted from a remarkable voluntary effort by a group of public-spirited citizens.

The inspiration came from the Stones of Callanish on the Isle of Lewis off Scotland's west coast. Stone circles were built by the ancient Celts as calendars and later developed religious significance.

The main feature of the Australian Standing Stones is a circle of 24 stones, representing the 24 hours of the day.

Outside the circle, four "cardinal" stones mark true north, east, south and west. These four stones, with a single stone just inside the circle, form the Southern Cross -symbolising the link between the old and new worlds.

Another formation represents the Ionic cross, symbol of the early Christian Church and still used on Roman Catholic churches today. Other stones mark the summer and winter solstices, the longest and shortest days of the year.

Of three stones in the centre of the array:

The northern stone, the Gaelic Stone, represents the Gaelic-speaking Celts from Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man;
The southern most stone , the Brythonic Stone, represents the Brythonic-speaking Celts of Wales, Cornwall and Brittany;
The gold-coloured middle stone, the Australian Stone, represents all Australians.
Outside this array, there are distinctive stones:

The Gorsedd Stone, for the Cornish and the Welsh, and the Ogham Stone for the Irish.
The Ogham Stone has an inscription carved in Ogham, the oldest writing known to have been used by the Celts. It translates in Gaelic as GLEANN MAQI AONGUSA, the Glen of the Sons of Angus, or, more simply, "Glen Innes."

When viewed from above the arrangement of the Australian Standing Stones also incorporates a Celtic Cross and the Southern Cross. The former indicates that the monument was erected in Christian times, the latter symbolises the heritage link between the old Celtic civilisation and the new.

The Australian Celtic Festival, a major event on the national calendar, traditionally begins at the Standing Stones with the skirl of pipes from a lone piper at dawn. Highlights include a street parade featuring national groups and clans, sheep dog trials, pipe bands, Celtic dancers, concerts and the Kirking of the Tartan. Glen Innes has also been awarded the title of Honoured Celtic City by the Celtic Council of Australia. It is also the sister `city` of Pitlochry, Scotland.

The Monument was officially opened by the Governor of New South Wales, Admiral Peter Sinclair, on the 1st of February, 1992. As Australia's National Monument to the Celts, it attracts visitors from far and wide, both from within Australia and from overseas.

POPULATION: Glen Innes 6000



ALTITUDE: 1062 metres

RAINFALL AVERAGE: 750 mm to 850 mm annually

TEMPERATURE: Summer min. 13°C - max.35°C, Winter min. 9°C - max. 12°C

INDUSTRIES: Wool, sheep, cattle, agriculture, sapphires, tourism

HISTORY: Scot Archibald Boyd, from Selkirkshire, was the district's first settler. He was guided by bearded stockmen William Chandler & John Duval. The town was gazetted in 1852.









www.australiancelticfestival.com/

[LLady]

admin said:

Thank you Llady for the wonderful information, it's a great thing Tartan Day, imagine Princeton being founded the same year as Culloden, just amazing, hope you and all who celebrate it have a wonderful Tartan Day #ssmile#

You're welcome, pretty cool eh? Thanks elly!