Does anyone know what the reasons were for emigration from Scotland in this time period? Family legend has it that my G'Grandfather emigrated soon after completing his apprenticeship in carpentry. He evidently didn't even try to make a go of it in Scotland as a carpenter. Were economic conditions poor (as I would suspect)? If so, why? Compulsory military service seems unlikely as I am not aware that England was fighting any wars right about then. Economic conditions seem to be the only logical explanation for his whole family, including his brother and two sisters and his elderly mother, to pull up stakes and head for the USA.