How Scottish is Washington DC?
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- čas přidán 6. 09. 2024
- Is Washington DC Scottish? If so how much? Scottish historical tour guide, Bruce Fummey travels to America's capital to take a look at just how much Scots were involved in its creation.
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Scotland History Tours is here for people who want to learn about Scottish history and get ideas for Scottish history tours. I try to make videos which tell you tales from Scotland's past and give you information about key dates in Scottish history and historical places to visit in Scotland. Not all videos are tales from Scotland's history, some of them are about men from Scotland's past or women from Scotland's past. Basically the people who made Scotland. From April 2020 onward I've tried to give ideas for historic days out in Scotland. Essentially these are days out in Scotland for adults who are interested in historical places to visit in Scotland.
As a Scottish history tour guide people ask: Help me plan a Scottish holiday, or help me plan a Scottish vacation if your from the US. So I've tried to give a bit of history, but some places of interest in Scotland as well.
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I always get a chuckle reading the comments from fellow Americans that weren't aware of just how deep America's Scots roots are.
When I taught American Government, the textbooks the District had chosen, failed to mention the tie between the Declaration of Arbroath and the US' Declaration of Independence, but I made sure my students were aware, by having them read the first and then compare it to the second. It was always an interesting discussion in the class after they "discovered" just how much influence Jefferson took from Arbroath.
Nothing we were taught about American history was true, aside from the fact they made a government and had presidents... And even in that, false victories that spark wars 😉
I really wish I would’ve learned stuff Ike that in my government class in high school. All we did was cover from the forming and presidents. What I’ve learned about government has happened 15-20 plus years later from random comments like yours lol
You were a good teacher.
My father's family settled in "the Highlands" of Virginia (now West Virginia). Plenty of Scots history here! Enjoy your time here, Bruce.
Wow, those Scots roots run deeper than I thought
yeah a lot of Scottish fought in the American Revolution too, my ancestors were among them scottish immigrants who fought on the American side.
Well hello Mr Bruce! Welcome to the States! Thank you for highlighting the Scottish connections to this nations history! Another great video full of knowledge!
Thank you kindly
I live in the most Scottish area in the US, Southern Appalachia. That's where you need to visit. Because of isolation, I'm over 50% Scottish DNA and both sides of family has been here since Jamestown. Even our area looks like the Highlands.
You should check out Rhythm and Roots in Bristol where I live. Lots of Scots come here for the festival. Lots of bluegrass. They have other genres but we are the Birthplace of Country Music.
Any reggae bands?😎
@ScotlandHistoryTours not that I know of, but almost everything else. You can see the line up by searching Rhythm and Roots. Over 100 bands and they shut downtown down. Half town in Virginia and half in Tennessee. It's a blast
The first European permanent settler of Tennessee was my way back grandfather, William Bean, shortened from McBean. I've got Duncan, Robeson, Guthrie plus more Scottish names in my line. Beautiful area and friendly folks
Agree. NC has the largest Scottish immigrant population of any state in the US.
Enlightened once again. They need to start teaching this in US History and if they do,sure it has been glossed over. Cheers Bruce.
Welcome to the United States Bruce and family! Thank you for another super educational and enlightening video. Love it!
This is crazy to me, I’m from DC and have lived here my whole life and have never heard about this… I’ve taken DC history classes in high school and everything but they never touched on this! Definitely fascinating for sure! 👍🏽
Our school systems do not touch on many things that are so important to out history. Slavery seems to he so overwhelming pushing all other history away it is sad!
I grew up singing parts of Scottish songs my grandfather taught us. We didn't connect them to the importance of our history until much later in life.
Ancestors came to US in mid 1700. Proud of my ancestry.
I saw the show in Toronto last week. Great night. Hope anyone that gets a chance to see Bruce live do it!
Got a ticket for Hamilton and driving from Flint, MI. Good to hear that it will be as good as expected and well worth the effort. Thanks!
I'm looking forward to seeing Bruce's show in Vancouver come July!! ❤
Love this channel.... Was always told about the impact us Scots had on the rest of the world by my late father!!! Love these stories!!!!! ❤
This was a brilliant watch Bruce, thank you for the info. And making us proud❤
My two sisters are Daughters of the Rock, as was my mother and her four sisters i.e. born in Dumbarton.
My father was from Alexandria, the one up the Vale of the Leven, next to Balloch. When we were kids Nana (Jeannie) and Papa (Alexander / Sandy) Johnstone still lived in Alexandria. Before retirement Papa Johnstone was a crane driver in a foundry, associated with the torpedo factory(!).
Yay! I'm originally from Brucehill Dumbarton and just visited my aunt in Balloch.
I too am from Alexandria, now live in NZ. Much of the family is still thereaboots.
It’s been many a year since I studied USA history at University. This is the most interesting history of Washington I’ve heard. Thanks.
Brilliant
Thank you Bruce for this amazing history. Being of Scottish descent (MacRae), and a historian myself, I'm always interested in knowing more about our history. My clan was split by the time Culloden Moor occurred, half Jacobite, half Hanoverian, but my
side came to America in 1754 to fight the English again in the Seven Years War.
The history you share is an enlightenment and a true gift...Thank you for what you do.
The British and the Americans fought on the same side of the Seven Years War and the American theater was called the French and Indian War. How could your family have fought against the British in America?
@@Ru_1963 ...and that is where the disappointment began. They came to fight the British but found the war was three sided. Many wound up fighting with the Brits for their new found country, while some fought alongside the French because of the long term "good" relationship with France. To be honest, I don't believe the whole clan has agreed on anything for the last 500yrs. 😂
My Dad from County Angus was always telling me about much of these type histories that he gleaned from publications such as Scots Magazine. He made sure we got copies of "How Scotland Invented the Modern World". Davidson's always seemed to be on the rebellious side of any issues with the Crown. My Dad died a few years ago a few months shy of 95. He came to America in his mid twenties. He was happy here but he still found time to make it back to the " Old Country". He graduated Highschool in Edzell, Angus I believe.
He wouldn't have gone to high school in Edzell, it's too small. He would have gone to Brechin, where my first job was teaching physics
Yes he graduated high school in Brechin. He grew up in Glen Esk but was born in Edzell in his Maternal Grandparents house attached to the shop at the corner of Highstreet and Manse. His Mums brother came to Portland, Oregon about 1900 as a Banker of course. He had much to do with the the early roads in the Pacific Northwest and surrounding states. The Scots had a huge economic and historical impact in North America far beyond their numbers.
@@905royals yup. Many of the early Davidson's came to America after the 1745 Jacobite rebellion either by force of the Crown or trying to escape the Crown. The latter groups were more economic. The Davidson's that came to Ohio in the latter 1800's and eventually started the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle company were from the same area of Forfar now County Angus near Brechin. The Scots Immigrants to America did very well compared to where they came from.
@@robdavidson4945 , I wasn't aware of the Harley Davidson Scottish connection. I'd been thinking about getting back into biking (mid-life crisis). Ok, i'm sold. Take my money
@@dublindave78 well I sure that the Harley-Davidson family are distant relatives but I don't think I'm going to get a dividend check. A couple of my Scots cousins have Harley- Davidson bikes however I can't ride anymore. At 69 with bad balance I'm afraid those days are behind me.
Having grown up not ever knowing my heritage, I am enjoying your channel. My first trip off of North America was to Scotland, where I felt so comfortable and at home. Nee Graham.
@mariehughey5390 ..........Did you visit Dundee - home of the Grahams?
No. I didn’t know where to look when I was there. We went to Edinburgh, Sterling, met wonderful people. I would love to visit again one day. I hear the Graham clan has a reunion every 5 years.
Starting my weekend with one of your videos, Bruce, is becoming a treasured tradition :)
Cheers for sharing these interesting stories of Scottish people and history!
Welcome to the USA🇺🇸🇺🇸. Had no idea that Scots roots ran so deep in our country. Thank you for your knowledge.
There ye go
My Scottish family came before 1700. When I go to DC, I like to stop by the Lincoln hitching post at NY Avenue Presbyterian. My friends and I have organized many Kirking events.
From a descendant of the Dunlops, excellent videos. I am able to walk with you in Scotland. I enjoy all of your videos. Thanks
Glad you like them!
Nicely done Bruce. You advanced this American's understanding of U.S. history.
Just back from Washington DC, gutted I didnt know more of this! Great video! ❤
Next time!
Thank you so much for this video! I am a direct descendant of Col. Ninian Beall and Alexander Magruder. I really appreciate this video.
Delighted
Thanks Bruce, I never new the history and and have lived in America all my life, My Scottish heritage is more proud than ever
I love your videos! As an American having been to DC many times, I didn't know much of this history, so thank you for telling it in your wonderful accent and sense of humor. Great channel!!
You are so welcome!
Welcome over to this side of the pond! Look forward to your videos every week. Hoping you'll have tour dates here sometime!
Aye, talk to your visa department😁
As a follow-up to your superb video I hope you might consider doing another one (or more) on the participation of Scots in the American Revolution. We are coming up on the 250th anniversary in 2026 of the US Declaration of Independence and I think this would be very timely. I am an American and am aware of LOTS of Scots-Americans who are extremely proud of their heritage who would really appreciate your perspective on this! Thanks again for all your excellent work. :)
Which should I cover? The Scots who rebelled, or the Scots who remained loyal
I'm one of the descendants of the Georgetown Scots, still living about 25 miles away and extremely proud of my heritage 🏴 I plan on traveling to Edinburgh next year to try and track down my lineage and any family members (if there are any left) from my once great family crest.
Wow! Interesting history of Washington, D.C. Lots we didn't learn in American history classes. I hope you have/had a great visit. So many museums, so little time.
Great video! I'm related to the Beall's and Magruder's through my grandmother. Her family left Maryland for Tennessee. Learning more about the Scottish influence on DC is interesting! Thanks!
Magruders are actually MacGregors in disguise. You’ve heard of, or seen the movie, of Rob Roy MacGregor ?
Itself even more surprising than we were taught for sure!!! Love to hear about Henry Sinclair & his voyage to Acadia ( New Scotland)!!!
Great video. My Grandfather, Capt. John Chancellor, Shieldhill Castle, Scotland was sent to America as slave/Indentured Servant and later stayed in D.C. area when freed/pardoned, so this hit home. Thanks!
Aye it's easy to slip from indentured servant to slave. I know, I've lazily done the same thing myself, but they were very diffferent things
@@ScotlandHistoryTours appreciate the feedback and more than likely Indentured Servant. I can only find so much on line, but it appears he was more involved later in 1670's with Covenanters, but the same result. A book at the British Govt Library called "Chancellors of Shieldhill" I hope to review on visit next year for more info. Looking forward to the show in Hamilton. Travel safe!
Omg, lodge #8 Edinburgh and the double Scottish Rose...why am I not surprised. EVERYONE here has guns, its the wild wild West. Spot on sarcasm Bruce and son? THIS IS A GEM!!!
always a school day here great stuff as usual
I've lived near Washington my whole life and I've I just learned more from you then I've known before😅
Brilliant
Kinda surreal to sit down to my morning cuppa, and see this video with you standing in front of the bridge i just drove under on my way back from the market. Nice to have some things cleared up about D.C. Thanks for the info, sir.
As a 70% Scot myself, living in DC, this was long overdue!
So many towns and cities in Virginia are named after places in Scotland. Dumfries, Va, Fife, Va, Alexandra, VA et... This Virginian, now Floridian, thanks you for this video!
أهلا و سهلا فيك على فلوريدا!
Bienvenidos a La Florida
Welcome to Florida!
Hey I`m in Fife, Scotland.👋. Slainte!
So happy to see you guys are here !
Thank you, Bruce. As always I learn all kinds of interesting things from your videos! Have a wonderful time and safe travels!
We have just been tutored and re-educated by Bruce . Now take notes class there will be a test by the end of the week . You have to pass this test in order to graduate .
Terrific history! Well told!
Thank you
I've been putting on metal roofs in DC for 45 years. A lot of this history is new to me, although a lot I did know. I have worked on many of the buildings you featured. There are two you omitted that I surely thought should be included. Benjamin Stoddart's home, Halcyon House, at 3400 Prospect St. NW and the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple on 16th St NW. You could have mentioned that Stoddard was our first Secretary of the Navy, too. Great video. Thanks
I could have made a 30 minute video and included much more, but that's not really what I do
@@ScotlandHistoryTours I can dig it. But you were two blocks from Stoddart's home in Georgetown. And the Scottish Rite Temple is two blocks from the White House
@@ScotlandHistoryTours I didn't realize I wasn't subscribed, sorry. I watch all your videos.I am partial to those two buildings because I put the roof on them. Thanks.
Excellent as always 🏴🏴
Thank you! Cheers!
Wow! I live here in the DMV and had no idea! Thank you. This vid is fantastic!
Dude! Are you in town? That's great! Welcome! Enjoy the DCA!!!
I'm in Nova Scotia now. One the go all the time😁
@@ScotlandHistoryTours I'm glad that you were here in the sunny weather. It has been rainy and chilly this weekend. Enjoy Canada!
Wow. I didnt know any of this. Thank you for sharing.
Delighted to help
Thank you, Bruce, for your delightful history lesson! I was born in DC but did not know who Georgetown was named after. I always thought it was named after either King George I or George II. So thanks for setting this straight! Yes, Scottish influence on the formation of the US is indeed great, I think mostly because the Scots had so much experience rebelling against the English. :) Please keep up your excellent series on the Scots in the US and I hope you are enjoying your visit here and will come back often!
Please!!! Take all of the DC metro area back to Scotland with you!!!
What are you prepared to trade?
Todd, they might not want it back!
@@ScotlandHistoryTours we will give you southern California if you take DC!
Ah, I knew about Carnegie, but the depth of this for Washington (down to the naming!) was marvelous, well done Bruce!
Delighted
Thoroughly enjoyed that historical tour of our past greatness...
Bha deagh àm agam!
Loved watching this, learned a lot from this. Thank you Bruce!
Wow - our awesome Scottish ancestors! Thanks!
I don't believe we've ever actually claimed outright to be civilized... LOL Having lived in what the locals call the DMV (District-Maryland-Virginia) for the majority of my 65 years, I have to say I learned a *LOT* from this video -- and enjoyed doing so! Thanks! Have a good one... :-)
Great video as always Bruce. The ending was so funny.❤
Thank you 😁
Did you get the chance to go to Aquia Church? My Scottish grandfather, Rev. John Moncure oversaw the building of it in the early 18th century. He was from Mearnes County, Scotland. The church is beautiful and steeped in American history. Btw Aquia (pronounced a-KWAY-a) was the indigenous name for the area supposedly meaning “place where there are seagulls.” My mother’s side of the family, Donald, were apparently rabble rousers who were shipped from Scotland in the early 1740s to the Carolinas under indenturement, but declined to stay put 😉 I grew up a few miles west of The District, in Falls Church and know much of the Scottish influences in the area, but I never knew the Scottish history of Georgetown. Thank you so much for your videos ❤
Brilliant work sir 🫡
Thank you so much for sharing this as American this means a lot to me thank you
Amazing video- like tour japanese videos truly a unique point of view!
Love your channel!!!
Thank you very much!
For all the Welsh viewers, you might be interested to know that a stone at the 240-foot (73 m) level of the Washington monument is inscribed in Welsh: Fy Iaith, Fy Ngwlad, Fy Nghenedl, Cymry am byth (My Language, My Country, My Nation, Welsh forever). The stone, imported from Wales, was donated by Welsh citizens of New York.
Brilliant
Our Family Pitbladdo has strong connections with America, especially Boston. I believe back in Scotland we must have been with the wrong side at the time as the lands north of Cupar where Pitbladdo originated from was acquired by Lord Lynsey via 2 generations. The older also moving over to America. I found it quite fun that my sister moved over there and as Fifers she lives in a place just outside Edinburg no H where it was owned by Germans. Today she is a Martz living on Martz Lane.
I told you Scottish history runs deep here and Thank you
You're welcome
Another excellent vid ma man 🏴
Much appreciated
Thanks so much for your excellent information........enjoy the coffee
Excellent video Bruce!
Many thanks!
I know the City well as I was born there and grew up in and around it. Thanks for this great story!
Glad you enjoyed it!
See, Fife's not all bad is it?
Saw your show last weekend in Toronto. My great grandparents are from Kirkaldy. 😂
Really im watching this video in kirkcaldy right now
@chrisinnes2128 well, to hear Bruce tell it, everyone in Kirkaldy is related. So maybe we're cousins 😉😁
😂My daughter's man's fae Kirkcalday
@@musingwithreba9667 we are not quite all cousins but it's close like
As an aside to Hamilton, he was the father of the Revenue Cutter Service, which became the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard Pipe Band wears a variation of the Hamilton tartan as their uniform. They have a website with a photo of the band playing in the NYC St. Patrick's Day parade one year. Pretty impressive.
Fascinating Bruce, I did not know that🤔
I believe the correct term is "ah didnae ken that pal " 😉
I believe the correct term is "Ah didnae ken that pal" 😉
Informative and a good laugh as well. Thanks!
Really enjoy your content!
Glad to hear it!
I love these videos
Masons from Lodge no. 8 (Lodge of Journeymen Masons) built the Whitehouse - fascinating. I didn't know that. I had the privilege of meeting some of the modern members of Lodge No. 8 a couple of months ago when they came to visit my local lodge (Lodge St Andrew No. 1318) in Golspie.
There ye go. D'ye ken ma pal Alan in the Golspie Inn?
@@ScotlandHistoryTours Aye, I do. Although I usually only see him when he's drinking in The Stag after work.
Said it before, I was never interested in history until I found your channel. Once I did (being an American🙄) I started to see the connections and this video truly knocked it out of the park for me. Now, history makes more sense to me and its fascianting as you provide the details my brain needs for it to all come together. THANK YOU again!!
Delighted
As a vaguely Jockenese person, I have been to DC a couple of times. It's basically a non-grey Edinburgh or Inverness. So, really nice! 😚
Betwern Scottish and Gernans' efforts, now we we enjoy a beautiful DC!
Love hearing the Gordon name bring mentioned 😊
Excellent, really interesting story I had no idea of.
Glad you enjoyed it
I wish I’d known you were in DC. I would have came up to see you. I live 60 miles south in Spotsylvania. I could have shown you Kunta Kintes grave. Alex Hailys ancestor he wrote the book Roots about.
Washington DC, originally the Federal Capitol, was designed by a French Army officer Pierre L'Enfant who was General Washington's Aide de Camp during the Revolutionary War. The White House, originally called the Executive mansion, was designed by James Hoban, an Irish architect after the Duke of Leinster's city house in Dublin Ireland. The White House was physically built by borrowed black slaves. The only Scotsmen I know of that had anything to do with it were stonemasons who did the actual carving of the sandstone blocks and detailed decorations of the White House's outer walls. (See "the President's House" by William Seale)
Isn't there a line from some Monty Python (or maybe Second City?) with a Scottish guy saying: "If it's not Scottish its crap!"
Mike Meyers maybe?
Are you thinking of "So I married an axe murderer"? Mike played the Scottish father. "HEED!!!" and "It's like a planet on a stick" etc
Mike Meyers on Saturday Night Live
Myers..and ironically his folks were not Scot, but English scousers from Liverpool. And he is a proud Canadian.
SNL WITH Mike Meyers it was a reoccurring skit about a shop "All things Scottish". One episode he had hired Chris Rock at the shop who would say "If it's not Scottish it's $hit". I remember Christopher Walken in another.
@@bluebird3281 That's the one!!! Thank you.
I must say, that was a pretty damned good “y’all!”
I should have added iam here in Alexandria, along from Dumbarton. My kids are 6th generation here in 'old bonhill'. I do have extend family that have moved to the stated. My grandfather's aunt, uncle and a few niece's.
Wonderful video! I already know about the Scottish (enlightenment) influence on the founding fathers, but I had no idea how involved the Scots were in the creation of Washington DC! But, we can't forget that slaves made up the majority of laborers that built those structures and the landscapes. As always, I look forward to your videos!
Aye, when I do my West African History Tours channel the slaves will get more mentions
David Stuart was my 4th Granduncle.
My son is in Washington working and saw you filming this but since he is from Kirkcaldy I told him to be wary of speaking to you 😂. Great video and he is going to use it to educate his colleagues.
🤣🤣🤣
Would you like it back??
Depends.What are you taking in return?
@@ScotlandHistoryTours You have to take the congress idiots too.
Only if you keep Donald Trump he would turn Scotland into his own private golf course.
@@ScotlandHistoryTours 1 bottle of Ardbeg would be enough for me!
@@andrewwalker9830 - You have seen through my clever plot. LOL
"Have a nice day y'all" at the end felt wrong 😂
😜
Glasgow / American accent love it xx wee Scottish lassie here .
Chuck was my college tutor.
You should check out Dunedin Florida someday. Their high school has a pipe band.
Another crazy thing is how Scottish people have helped others around the world. Including them next door. Yet its the same nations who have held the nation back. Especially them next door. Today in Edinburgh yes Edinburgh, we finally have a government of our own. Even if its not an independent government. But even that is under pressure from some. That we went to a spanish architect rather than something of our own. Sad. Thanks again Bruce, another great example of your talent as a story teller. Plus thanks for the laughs.
It's interesting that we have to watch our words now as in for example using 'them next door'. Yt has become a cesspit of politically correct ridiculousness.
A'reyt Bruce. All that effort by Scots for the English to go and set fire to it in 1812!
I only had time to pass through those parts on the Greyhound, but saw quite a bit that way.
Nice to see a more detailed view with an explanation.
My pal with forenames James Stewart and I did get a day in Richmond (no, not the one near Scotch Corner) but that's another story.
To be fair it was the British who burned it, so I guess that was us too😇
@@ScotlandHistoryTours 🔥🏛🔥. Did I mention before that in Texas James got asked if we came all the way from England on the bus?
🌎🏜🏝🌊🚌🌊🏖🏞🌍
Mate this channel is incredible. Live your passion and knowledge.
I appreciate that!
Welcome to the States, indeed! Yes, 😊 many of us have guns! A good thing. Love your videos, and I like to think that I might have some Scots in my ancestry. But I think I'm all Sassenach, 😢.
Good to see you big man you’ll confuse a lot of Americans have fun with it👊🏼🏴
😆😆
Extremely informative, sir. You make it very interesting to listen. I love your videos. Surely there are some positives that came out of Sutherland, something other than the clearances? I’ve been to Sutherland and met many wonderful people.
you nailed it ..... again
Ah thanks
Hiya, Bruce.
Glad to see you made it across the pond to visit !!
Not sure how long you plan on staying or if you'll have time to visit other places......
However, IF there is time in your schedule you might want to visit the tourist site of Governor Tryon's Palace, in North Carolina. I'm guessing it's about 9 or 10 hours away from, DC ?? I've not been there I just know of the place.
Tryon's Palace was built in approx 1770. North Carolina being just 1 of the original 13 (US) colonies of, your King George III. The North Carolina territory was a particularly big draw for those wishing to leave the British Isles, as parts of its territory (allegedly) resembles landscapes in Scotland.
I was only in DC for a few days because Air Canada cancelled the direct flight to Toronto. Had a really good time though
@@ScotlandHistoryTours Good to know you had a good time. Hope to see you again, in America. Come back real soon.