Dear Angus,

Dear Angus,
My friend claims that the Scottish had little influence in getting the New World established, in comparison to the English or even the Irish! Can you please help me correct her?
- SCOTTISH AND PROUD OF IT!

Dear Proudly Scottish,
Well ye can tell your confused friend that ye are jestly proud of the Scottish heritage!

The Scots an invaluable addition to the developing the new 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. 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. Scots arriving in the New World soon established universities, colleges and other educational establishments, such as Princeton University.
During the mid-17th Century Scottish medical establishments were second to none. Many recipients of these teachings came to America, where their influence can be seen to this day! Why it’s known that in 1775 there were 3,500 people practicing medicine in the US, though only 350 or 400 actually held a medical degree. Most of those holding degrees had been educated in Scotland.

So there ye have a few facts to share with ye’r friend and I dare her to say that education and medicine were not valuable additions to the colonies!