Question: Why was North Carolina the most popular colony for Highland Scots to settle in?
Answer: In 1739, Royal Governor Gabriel Johnston encouraged 360 Highland Scots to settle in North Carolina and later gave them a 10-year tax exemption for doing so. Subsequent offers by Johnston attracted Highland Scots to North Carolina who wanted to leave Scotland primarily for economic and political reasons, including rising rents, the Battle of Culloden defeat, and Highland evictions, known as “clearances,” which forced many native Scots to give up their land so sheep could be raised.
