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Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America
More than 27 million Americans today can trace their lineage to the Scots, whose bloodline was stained by centuries of continuous warfare along the border between England and Scotland, and later in the bitter settlements of England’s Ulster Plantation in Northern Ireland. Between 250,000 and 400,000 Scots-Irish migrated to America in the eighteenth century, traveling in groups of families and bringing with them not only long experience as rebels and outcasts but also unparalleled skills as frontiersmen and guerrilla fighters. Their cultural identity reflected acute individualism, dislike of aristocracy and a military tradition, and, over time, the Scots-Irish defined the attitudes and values of the military, of working class America, and even of the peculiarly populist form of American democracy itself.
Born Fighting is the first book to chronicle the full journey of this remarkable cultural group, and the profound, but unrecognized, role it has played in the shaping of America. Written with the storytelling verve that has earned his works such acclaim as “captivating . . . unforgettable” (the Wall Street Journal on Lost Soliders ), Scots-Irishman James Webb, Vietnam combat veteran and former Naval Secretary, traces the history of his people, beginning nearly two thousand years ago at Hadrian’s Wall, when the nation of Scotland was formed north of the Wall through armed conflict in contrast to England’s formation to the south through commerce and trade. Webb recounts the Scots’ odyssey—their clashes with the English in Scotland and then in Ulster, their retreat from one war-ravaged land to another. Through engrossing chronicles of the challenges the Scots-Irish faced, Webb vividly portrays how they developed the qualities that helped settle the American frontier and define the American character.
Born Fighting shows that the Scots-Irish were 40 percent of the Revolutionary War army; they included the pioneers Daniel Boone, Lewis and Clark, Davy Crockett, and Sam Houston; they were the writers Edgar Allan Poe and Mark Twain; and they have given America numerous great military leaders, including Stonewall Jackson, Ulysses S. Grant, Audie Murphy, and George S. Patton, as well as most of the soldiers of the Confederacy (only 5 percent of whom owned slaves, and who fought against what they viewed as an invading army). It illustrates how the Scots-Irish redefined American politics, creating the populist movement and giving the country a dozen presidents, including Andrew Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. And it explores how the Scots-Irish culture of isolation, hard luck, stubbornness, and mistrust of the nation’s elite formed and still dominates blue-collar America, the military services, the Bible Belt, and country music.
Both a distinguished work of cultural history and a human drama that speaks straight to the heart of contemporary America, Born Fighting reintroduces America to its most powerful, patriotic, and individualistic cultural group—one too often ignored or taken for granted.
Born Fighting is the first book to chronicle the full journey of this remarkable cultural group, and the profound, but unrecognized, role it has played in the shaping of America. Written with the storytelling verve that has earned his works such acclaim as “captivating . . . unforgettable” (the Wall Street Journal on Lost Soliders ), Scots-Irishman James Webb, Vietnam combat veteran and former Naval Secretary, traces the history of his people, beginning nearly two thousand years ago at Hadrian’s Wall, when the nation of Scotland was formed north of the Wall through armed conflict in contrast to England’s formation to the south through commerce and trade. Webb recounts the Scots’ odyssey—their clashes with the English in Scotland and then in Ulster, their retreat from one war-ravaged land to another. Through engrossing chronicles of the challenges the Scots-Irish faced, Webb vividly portrays how they developed the qualities that helped settle the American frontier and define the American character.
Born Fighting shows that the Scots-Irish were 40 percent of the Revolutionary War army; they included the pioneers Daniel Boone, Lewis and Clark, Davy Crockett, and Sam Houston; they were the writers Edgar Allan Poe and Mark Twain; and they have given America numerous great military leaders, including Stonewall Jackson, Ulysses S. Grant, Audie Murphy, and George S. Patton, as well as most of the soldiers of the Confederacy (only 5 percent of whom owned slaves, and who fought against what they viewed as an invading army). It illustrates how the Scots-Irish redefined American politics, creating the populist movement and giving the country a dozen presidents, including Andrew Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. And it explores how the Scots-Irish culture of isolation, hard luck, stubbornness, and mistrust of the nation’s elite formed and still dominates blue-collar America, the military services, the Bible Belt, and country music.
Both a distinguished work of cultural history and a human drama that speaks straight to the heart of contemporary America, Born Fighting reintroduces America to its most powerful, patriotic, and individualistic cultural group—one too often ignored or taken for granted.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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About the author
James Webb
97 books127 followersJames Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is an American politician and author. He has served as a United States Senator from Virginia, Secretary of the Navy, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Counsel for the United States House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and is a decorated Marine Corps officer.
Outside of working in government, Webb is also an Emmy Award winning journalist, filmmaker, and author of ten books. He taught literature at the United States Naval Academy and was a Fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics. As a member of the Democratic Party, Webb announced on November 19, 2014, that he was forming an exploratory committee to evaluate a run for President of the United States in 2016. On July 2, 2015, he announced that he would be joining the race for the Democratic nomination for president, but stepped down from running in the primaries on October 20, 2015, stating that he was "not comfortable" with many political positions from the party's leadership.
In 2020, Webb was named the first distinguished fellow of University of Notre Dame's International Security Center.
Senator Webb is also an author of many books, stating that "I've written for a living all my life, so writing is as much a part of me as working out."
Outside of working in government, Webb is also an Emmy Award winning journalist, filmmaker, and author of ten books. He taught literature at the United States Naval Academy and was a Fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics. As a member of the Democratic Party, Webb announced on November 19, 2014, that he was forming an exploratory committee to evaluate a run for President of the United States in 2016. On July 2, 2015, he announced that he would be joining the race for the Democratic nomination for president, but stepped down from running in the primaries on October 20, 2015, stating that he was "not comfortable" with many political positions from the party's leadership.
In 2020, Webb was named the first distinguished fellow of University of Notre Dame's International Security Center.
Senator Webb is also an author of many books, stating that "I've written for a living all my life, so writing is as much a part of me as working out."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 293 reviews
May 31, 2017
Dreadful history -- dishonest on every level!
I know that James Webb was a fighting Marine in Vietnam. I honor his service. But I still think this book is dishonest,distorted, and offensive on every level. Time and again as I was reading it I just wanted to throw it against a wall. Whatever his skills as a fighting man, Webb is a limited intellect with no sense of history and no capacity for self-perception. As a result, his book is so biased, selective and dishonest it boggles the mind.
It's great that he traces the roots of the Scotch Irish all the way back to Gaelic tribes who fought against the Romans. He brags that the Celts in Scotland "never submitted to Rome" and "would lie submerged in swamp water for days rather than submit to Roman slavery." Assuming any of this is actually true, it seems ironic that Webb never compares the Celts to black slaves in the American South. Or to the Vietcong. Evidently Webb only recognizes tyranny when the victims look just like him.
Moving on to the Middle Ages, Webb (having clearly watched BRAVEHEART several times) spends nearly an entire chapter describing the savage slaughter of whole cities in Scotland by the cruel tyrant English Edward I. My heart bleeds, it really does. But at least Edward didn't sell the Scots into slavery and force them to pick cotton for 250 years. And he didn't drop napalm on their cities either. Was Edward I really any worse than Andrew Jackson? And were the Scots who fought Edward really any more heroic than the Seminoles who fought Andrew Jackson? These are the kind of questions Webb is either too dumb to ask or too dishonest to answer.
It's very painful to hear Webb go on and on about Andrew Jackson's courage and love of liberty -- as if black slavery was somehow not "important" enough to count as a real crime against liberty. How come when Edward I massacres the Scots he's an evil tyrant, but when Jackson massacres the Indians he's a great American?
Again, Webb is either too dumb to see the comparison or too dishonest to think it through.
This book really left me feeling disgusted with American history, and with James Webb.
I know that James Webb was a fighting Marine in Vietnam. I honor his service. But I still think this book is dishonest,distorted, and offensive on every level. Time and again as I was reading it I just wanted to throw it against a wall. Whatever his skills as a fighting man, Webb is a limited intellect with no sense of history and no capacity for self-perception. As a result, his book is so biased, selective and dishonest it boggles the mind.
It's great that he traces the roots of the Scotch Irish all the way back to Gaelic tribes who fought against the Romans. He brags that the Celts in Scotland "never submitted to Rome" and "would lie submerged in swamp water for days rather than submit to Roman slavery." Assuming any of this is actually true, it seems ironic that Webb never compares the Celts to black slaves in the American South. Or to the Vietcong. Evidently Webb only recognizes tyranny when the victims look just like him.
Moving on to the Middle Ages, Webb (having clearly watched BRAVEHEART several times) spends nearly an entire chapter describing the savage slaughter of whole cities in Scotland by the cruel tyrant English Edward I. My heart bleeds, it really does. But at least Edward didn't sell the Scots into slavery and force them to pick cotton for 250 years. And he didn't drop napalm on their cities either. Was Edward I really any worse than Andrew Jackson? And were the Scots who fought Edward really any more heroic than the Seminoles who fought Andrew Jackson? These are the kind of questions Webb is either too dumb to ask or too dishonest to answer.
It's very painful to hear Webb go on and on about Andrew Jackson's courage and love of liberty -- as if black slavery was somehow not "important" enough to count as a real crime against liberty. How come when Edward I massacres the Scots he's an evil tyrant, but when Jackson massacres the Indians he's a great American?
Again, Webb is either too dumb to see the comparison or too dishonest to think it through.
This book really left me feeling disgusted with American history, and with James Webb.
November 2, 2015
This is a self-aggrandizing, myopic view of Webb's people, with an entrenched narrative of long-suffering while making excuses for anything negative. While I grant that there is a lot of truth contained in this book, and Webb does present a fair amount of the complexities of the history, he persistently casts everything in the light of how great the Scots-Irish are, and how they have been unfairly maligned by the "liberal elite" and those damn educated people. So while he talks on one side about how it's more complicated than what is usually presented, he then presents his own overly simplified spin. He slams multiculturalism, unions, the plight of the Indians (his term since he won't accept the term native Americans), political correctness (a term that is used to shut down any discussion, and silence people whose opinions one doesn't like), and anti-war sentiment. He defends the continued display of the Confederate flag, claiming it doesn't have anything to do with racism or slavery. He characterizes efforts to end discrimination by examining deeply institutionalized racist policies and enacting laws to correct them, as reverse discrimination. He claims that the Scots-Irish have suffered just as much as black people in America. On this point, it is clearly true that there are plenty of very poor white people, and that many of them do suffer from lack of privilege, but he seriously does not understand the scale to which black people in America have struggled for basic equality.
Where I do agree with Webb, is when he discusses the problems of class. The rich have benefited tremendously from increasing economic disparity, helped along by Reaganomics, and Wall Street influence on politics, but that is not, as Webb would have you believe, primarily resting on the backs of the Scots-Irish. It's just not that simple. And ironically, the exact class of people he celebrates have consistently voted into power the exact people who have led us to these extremes of economic disparity.
And finally, there's this gem 'creationists rationally argue that the living world could not have been fashioned without an "intelligent creator"'. While this argument might have held water 200 years ago, it is not even remotely rational anymore. Evolution is a fact. Webb doesn't like evolution, and he even pulls the creationist rhetorical trick of calling it Darwinian theory, completely ignoring the fact that the modern synthesis of evolutionary theory does not rest on the authority of a single man, that it has in fact been proven, and there are thousands of published papers establishing it's reality. But Webb calls it Darwinian because it fits his narrative of one authority verses another, for him it's the Bible vs. Darwin. Here's how he characterizes the conflict: "the core leaders of the Scots-Irish culture attempting to face down theories tossed at them by English intellectuals and New England elites." He makes it about class conflict, when in fact, Evolution is science, and it stands on it's scientific merit. Class has nothing to do with whether or not it is true.
I know I said finally, on the previous paragraph, but here's another quote to chew on "The hooded, cross-burning rallies of the Ku Klux Klan, many of whose members were motivated not by illusions of white supremacy so much as by bitterness at being dominated, came to symbolize the mores of an entire region."
I'm kind of angry I spent money on this book. But then, I think it was valuable to have read it, as much as it made me angry. It's good to read something from a very different perspective to mine. And I did learn quite a bit.
Where I do agree with Webb, is when he discusses the problems of class. The rich have benefited tremendously from increasing economic disparity, helped along by Reaganomics, and Wall Street influence on politics, but that is not, as Webb would have you believe, primarily resting on the backs of the Scots-Irish. It's just not that simple. And ironically, the exact class of people he celebrates have consistently voted into power the exact people who have led us to these extremes of economic disparity.
And finally, there's this gem 'creationists rationally argue that the living world could not have been fashioned without an "intelligent creator"'. While this argument might have held water 200 years ago, it is not even remotely rational anymore. Evolution is a fact. Webb doesn't like evolution, and he even pulls the creationist rhetorical trick of calling it Darwinian theory, completely ignoring the fact that the modern synthesis of evolutionary theory does not rest on the authority of a single man, that it has in fact been proven, and there are thousands of published papers establishing it's reality. But Webb calls it Darwinian because it fits his narrative of one authority verses another, for him it's the Bible vs. Darwin. Here's how he characterizes the conflict: "the core leaders of the Scots-Irish culture attempting to face down theories tossed at them by English intellectuals and New England elites." He makes it about class conflict, when in fact, Evolution is science, and it stands on it's scientific merit. Class has nothing to do with whether or not it is true.
I know I said finally, on the previous paragraph, but here's another quote to chew on "The hooded, cross-burning rallies of the Ku Klux Klan, many of whose members were motivated not by illusions of white supremacy so much as by bitterness at being dominated, came to symbolize the mores of an entire region."
I'm kind of angry I spent money on this book. But then, I think it was valuable to have read it, as much as it made me angry. It's good to read something from a very different perspective to mine. And I did learn quite a bit.
February 26, 2025
The history was indeed interesting, I learned some things I didn't know before, and the passion Jim Webb has for his heritage shows. However...I'm not so sure I'd recommend this.
There's a very obvious bias, and like, I too would agree that the English are to blame for everything ever (I'm kidding), but I'm not the one who's supposed to be objective here, Webb didn't even try to be.
I also wasn't a fan of him glossing over very obvious elephants in the room, and the fact that this felt more like him exploring his own family history than anything else.
I'm sure there are better books on the subject out there somewhere.
There's a very obvious bias, and like, I too would agree that the English are to blame for everything ever (I'm kidding), but I'm not the one who's supposed to be objective here, Webb didn't even try to be.
I also wasn't a fan of him glossing over very obvious elephants in the room, and the fact that this felt more like him exploring his own family history than anything else.
I'm sure there are better books on the subject out there somewhere.
August 12, 2009
This book was interesting in parts and reasonably well written. It's really a book in two parts, one about the history of the Scots-Irish beginning in Scotland, the Plantation in Ireland through the English civil wars, and emigration, the second about the Scots-Irish in America. The first part is revelatory since most histories of Ireland relegate the Ulster Scots to a minor role. A history from their perspective is enlightening.
The second part, the Scots-Irish experience in America, has both good and bad points. I had not been familiar with the role of the Scots-Irish in the Revolutionary War, one that may have turned the tide in Cornwallis march through Georgia. In the melting pot that was America most Scots-Irish relinquished their identities as a distinct ethnicity and became simply Americans at that point. But Webb is right that much of Scottish Celtic tribalism continued to mold the nature of (particularly Appalachian) Americans, individualists even to their own detriment, quick to take offense, hold grudges and pick a fight, dourly Calvinistic and hedonistic at the same time and in equal measure.
His incorrect analysis of the American civil war has been made before, that the fighting spirit of the Celts kept the Confederacy in the war much longer than it should have. My own Scots-Irish ancestors, however, fought equally hard for the Union and the area of Tennessee that my mother grew up in refused to secede. The Catholic Irish Celts when drafted made a potent force on the other side. However, his idea that poor Southerners were merely defending their homes and did not support slavery is not just wrong but ludicrous. They may have been misled by the landed gentry that was their leadership into a war not in their best interests, but a hatred of blacks, even if they didn't know them, was ingrained in these people. His analysis of Reconstruction is equally misleading. Yes, the North was responsible for some Southern misery and poor whites were not much better off economically than blacks, but they loved being able to use the white only drinking fountains. No doubt they were deceived again by wealthy white elites. Still, not only complicit in the treatment of freed blacks, if anything, they were more despicable as William Walker's Lanterns on the Levee makes clear. The problem with Reconstruction is that it ended too soon and never did mold the minds of poor Southerners. Webb takes pride in this attribute.
Equally appalling is his rather sad analysis of Vietnam War (this book does indeed become an all encompassing vehicle for spouting his conservative philosophy), affirmative action (though I agree that Appalachia received undeservedly short shrift in the program), the Confederate battle flag as a symbol of racism, and the anti-war movement. Sometimes his discussion of his relationship with his father is poignant and insightful. Sometimes it is bathetic. So all in all, the book is a mixed bag. Thankfully, I picked it up for a quarter.
The second part, the Scots-Irish experience in America, has both good and bad points. I had not been familiar with the role of the Scots-Irish in the Revolutionary War, one that may have turned the tide in Cornwallis march through Georgia. In the melting pot that was America most Scots-Irish relinquished their identities as a distinct ethnicity and became simply Americans at that point. But Webb is right that much of Scottish Celtic tribalism continued to mold the nature of (particularly Appalachian) Americans, individualists even to their own detriment, quick to take offense, hold grudges and pick a fight, dourly Calvinistic and hedonistic at the same time and in equal measure.
His incorrect analysis of the American civil war has been made before, that the fighting spirit of the Celts kept the Confederacy in the war much longer than it should have. My own Scots-Irish ancestors, however, fought equally hard for the Union and the area of Tennessee that my mother grew up in refused to secede. The Catholic Irish Celts when drafted made a potent force on the other side. However, his idea that poor Southerners were merely defending their homes and did not support slavery is not just wrong but ludicrous. They may have been misled by the landed gentry that was their leadership into a war not in their best interests, but a hatred of blacks, even if they didn't know them, was ingrained in these people. His analysis of Reconstruction is equally misleading. Yes, the North was responsible for some Southern misery and poor whites were not much better off economically than blacks, but they loved being able to use the white only drinking fountains. No doubt they were deceived again by wealthy white elites. Still, not only complicit in the treatment of freed blacks, if anything, they were more despicable as William Walker's Lanterns on the Levee makes clear. The problem with Reconstruction is that it ended too soon and never did mold the minds of poor Southerners. Webb takes pride in this attribute.
Equally appalling is his rather sad analysis of Vietnam War (this book does indeed become an all encompassing vehicle for spouting his conservative philosophy), affirmative action (though I agree that Appalachia received undeservedly short shrift in the program), the Confederate battle flag as a symbol of racism, and the anti-war movement. Sometimes his discussion of his relationship with his father is poignant and insightful. Sometimes it is bathetic. So all in all, the book is a mixed bag. Thankfully, I picked it up for a quarter.
August 29, 2010
An amazing book by (somewhat surprisingly) a Democrat, chronicling the history of the Ulster Scots AKA the Northern Irish Protestants AKA the Scots-Irish into the New World and beyond. I have been reading this book for 4 months. It is not a slow read, but I found myself so facinated with the history of this people that I had to stop after every chapter and read or watch more about the events described such as Hadrian's Wall, Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, the Ulster Plantation, The Siege of Londonderry, the Hatfields and the McCoys, Andrew Jackson, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, the Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement, and the War in Vietnam and it's aftermath. I have much more to read and understand, but what a tender lesson in how little I know.
I also never understood Appalachia, rednecks, and how The Republican Party which began with a bang, electing from it's early ranks, the great President Abe Lincoln, became known as a bigoted group of privileged WASPs. Webb shows that white southerners are anything but WASPs, as they have been the poorest citizens and poorest educated in this nation since its inception (with stats to back up this claim.) When you see what the liberal "radical republicans" did to the south during reconstruction, and how understandably bitter the south became against republicans, it would be easy to understand if the south continued to lean democratic to this day. However, the south leans 'red' or republican since they currently represent traditional American values. Yet, even as democratic Senator Webb berates Acadamia, Mainstream Media, and Hollywood for it's characterization and Depiction of southerners, confederates, and rednecks, he fails to elaborate on the transition from blue state to red state. This man, a by-product of the culture he describes so well, chooses to instead represent the party of the elite acadamia pseudo-intellectuals, liberal media skewers of truth, Hollywood pretentiousness, and cowards.
Senator Webb demonstrates an understanding of grassroots America that almost predicts and encourages the Tea Party Movement, and yet as a Democrat, I assume, unfortunately, that he finds himself at odds with it. He, better than any other democrat, should be able to understand why the socialist obamanation of our country will NEVER be taken lying down!
I also never understood Appalachia, rednecks, and how The Republican Party which began with a bang, electing from it's early ranks, the great President Abe Lincoln, became known as a bigoted group of privileged WASPs. Webb shows that white southerners are anything but WASPs, as they have been the poorest citizens and poorest educated in this nation since its inception (with stats to back up this claim.) When you see what the liberal "radical republicans" did to the south during reconstruction, and how understandably bitter the south became against republicans, it would be easy to understand if the south continued to lean democratic to this day. However, the south leans 'red' or republican since they currently represent traditional American values. Yet, even as democratic Senator Webb berates Acadamia, Mainstream Media, and Hollywood for it's characterization and Depiction of southerners, confederates, and rednecks, he fails to elaborate on the transition from blue state to red state. This man, a by-product of the culture he describes so well, chooses to instead represent the party of the elite acadamia pseudo-intellectuals, liberal media skewers of truth, Hollywood pretentiousness, and cowards.
Senator Webb demonstrates an understanding of grassroots America that almost predicts and encourages the Tea Party Movement, and yet as a Democrat, I assume, unfortunately, that he finds himself at odds with it. He, better than any other democrat, should be able to understand why the socialist obamanation of our country will NEVER be taken lying down!
May 7, 2013
Selective history at its worst..The English did not settle Scots lowlanders in Ulster to fight the Irish. The SCOTTISH King James VI did it to break up the Gaelic confederacy of McDonald in Scotland with their Irish kinsfolk McDonells in Ireland. This Gaelic alliance threatened Edinburgh rule.(He couldn't do it until he also became James I of England )It was to solve a SCOTTISH governmental problem. Historic enemy of the south west Scottish lowlanders was more the Gaelic Highlanders than the English. Greatest exodus of Scottish presbytereans to Ulster was actually later post 1660 when the Stuart monarchy set the Highlanders (not English troops) on south west Scotland to crush the presbyterean rebellion there.
17c Presbytereans democratic???? theocracy at its worst. By the way..I live in the real British Isles not some Mel Gibson Celtic Middle Earth and I am only one generation removed from my paternal Ulster prebyterean heritage not centuries. This drivel does for British history what Dick Van Dyke did for English accents in Mary Poppins...Please, Mr Webb, sort out your American generated angst without distorting my history to do it. A more balanced assessment of the 'Scots-Irish' can be found in "God's Frontiersmen" Rory Fitzpatrick (1989) which looks at their contributions to Canada, Australia and New Zealand as well as the USA
17c Presbytereans democratic???? theocracy at its worst. By the way..I live in the real British Isles not some Mel Gibson Celtic Middle Earth and I am only one generation removed from my paternal Ulster prebyterean heritage not centuries. This drivel does for British history what Dick Van Dyke did for English accents in Mary Poppins...Please, Mr Webb, sort out your American generated angst without distorting my history to do it. A more balanced assessment of the 'Scots-Irish' can be found in "God's Frontiersmen" Rory Fitzpatrick (1989) which looks at their contributions to Canada, Australia and New Zealand as well as the USA
July 7, 2020
Soldier turned Senator turned author Jim Webb has given us a total of ten books, of which the best known is probably 2004's Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America, an analysis of the Scots-Irish in history and especially in the USA. From William Wallace and Robert the Bruce on to the Battle of Bannockburn and the complicated plight of Ulster, the author shows us how the Scots-Irish fondness for direct action, tribalism and problem-solving has its origin in the old country and has endured to this day, especially in the Appalachian hills and hollows of western Virginia and Pennsylvania.
This book is well written and has much to offer. (It needed maps, though.) Its greatest single strength is probably its measured praise of President Andrew Jackson, the first and arguably best of the Scots-Irish American Presidents. (In this era of "cancel culture," though, the fact that Jackson owned some slaves is viewed more problematically than even in the recent past.) The book's greatest thematic strength is probably to show the strength and importance of Scots-Irish Americans, a group that has been relatively overlooked compared to other immigrants. Few other books show the significance of the Scots-Irish in America and particularly Appalachia, Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America and American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America among the few aimed at the general reader.
All told, Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America is well worth reading.
This book is well written and has much to offer. (It needed maps, though.) Its greatest single strength is probably its measured praise of President Andrew Jackson, the first and arguably best of the Scots-Irish American Presidents. (In this era of "cancel culture," though, the fact that Jackson owned some slaves is viewed more problematically than even in the recent past.) The book's greatest thematic strength is probably to show the strength and importance of Scots-Irish Americans, a group that has been relatively overlooked compared to other immigrants. Few other books show the significance of the Scots-Irish in America and particularly Appalachia, Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America and American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America among the few aimed at the general reader.
All told, Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America is well worth reading.
October 6, 2013
This is a book everyone interested in their Scots-Irish heritage should read. It is a non-fiction piece of work with a structure similar to a novel. It validates a lot of what I have always felt/believed, particularly about the generalization of WASP's and how the Scots-Irish history and culture is definitely contradictory than this over-generalization of white America. It also explains a lot about myself...a lot to embrace...particularly my own individualism and willingness to fight for a principled belief and not retreat. Fabulous work...taking three decades of the author's research.
April 18, 2011
I'm not a huge fan of ethnic boosterism, but this sweet and pugnacious paean to the hillbillies among us is moving and enlightening. The Scots-Irish are among the few groups in America that it's ok, for some reason, to despise, and Webb's book seems like a necessary corrective.
May 15, 2016
From Hadrian’s Wall to William Wallace to Robert the Bruce to the Roundheads and Cavaliers of the English Civil War – the American experience began centuries before and has carried on since the Jamestown Colony (1607) was founded in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The modern day education of the South is still rampant with myths that every white person owned slaves; Senator Webb dispels this and other myths of Southern States Americans and does so with a compelling argument backed up with facts of history to statistics of the modern day. The Scots-Irish clearly were as poor as their African American counterparts; sharecropping didn’t only affect the minorities of the South but many whites as well. The independent spirit learned during the border war battles of Scotland/England north of Hadrian’s Wall engrained a character that relied totally on self-determination. This self-determination and self-reliance was in effect a matter of character (maybe even genetically passed through DNA) that transcended generations who later fought for both the Americans in the Revolutionary War and then less than a century later formed the ranks of the Gray and Blue in the American Civil War.
In this book we come to truths of the American Civil War – based on a New England and Northeast retribution to the Southern States during Reconstruction. It is within the pages of Reconstruction that I have believed and will until my dying day that this period of time did not conclude until 7 December 1941 – Senator Webb falls just short of stating this within his book but it is clear that the supporting facts hold true to form in this sense. It wasn’t until the FDR Administration that we see a full consideration of concern by the Government on what was actually happening in the South. There is a little bit of something for everyone to possibly dislike within this book and this is the main reason why more people should read this book. There are many interesting historical facts in this book all well referenced and sources are clear and concise. The hundreds of thousands of deaths that became a tragedy is nearly succeeded in pure numbers by the Scots of the First World War and the Germans of the Second World War.
I am not from the American Southern States; I am from Southern California and as a first generation on my Father’s side here in the USA I have always found it strange that Americans of the modern age are always more willing to look at the Confederacy as a Nazified entity of old. Comparisons are usually made with the emotional argument that “…the reason for the Civil War was so that the South could own slaves…” Senator Webb puts this argument to rest when he shows that after the Emancipation Proclamation President Lincoln allowed slaves to be owned in the Border Union States of Delaware, Maryland, Missouri, and Kentucky. So, while the Southerner who fought in nearly every battle didn’t own a slave, the northern counterpart wasn’t asked to give theirs up. Slaves held in Union States were “Slaves” until the end of the war. African Americans wearing Confederate Uniforms of descendants arriving to the opening of the African American Civil War Memorial Museum in Washington DC were turned away and asked not return.
This is History – History is as it is and cannot be changed merely because of “political correctness” desires in the communities at large throughout the nation.
In this book we come to truths of the American Civil War – based on a New England and Northeast retribution to the Southern States during Reconstruction. It is within the pages of Reconstruction that I have believed and will until my dying day that this period of time did not conclude until 7 December 1941 – Senator Webb falls just short of stating this within his book but it is clear that the supporting facts hold true to form in this sense. It wasn’t until the FDR Administration that we see a full consideration of concern by the Government on what was actually happening in the South. There is a little bit of something for everyone to possibly dislike within this book and this is the main reason why more people should read this book. There are many interesting historical facts in this book all well referenced and sources are clear and concise. The hundreds of thousands of deaths that became a tragedy is nearly succeeded in pure numbers by the Scots of the First World War and the Germans of the Second World War.
I am not from the American Southern States; I am from Southern California and as a first generation on my Father’s side here in the USA I have always found it strange that Americans of the modern age are always more willing to look at the Confederacy as a Nazified entity of old. Comparisons are usually made with the emotional argument that “…the reason for the Civil War was so that the South could own slaves…” Senator Webb puts this argument to rest when he shows that after the Emancipation Proclamation President Lincoln allowed slaves to be owned in the Border Union States of Delaware, Maryland, Missouri, and Kentucky. So, while the Southerner who fought in nearly every battle didn’t own a slave, the northern counterpart wasn’t asked to give theirs up. Slaves held in Union States were “Slaves” until the end of the war. African Americans wearing Confederate Uniforms of descendants arriving to the opening of the African American Civil War Memorial Museum in Washington DC were turned away and asked not return.
This is History – History is as it is and cannot be changed merely because of “political correctness” desires in the communities at large throughout the nation.
May 19, 2009
While I was growing up in the 70's, I was very envious of my friends who had identifiable ethnicities. I wanted to be a hyphenated American but the roots of my family tree were sunk deep in the weeds and lacked the romance of stories of Cold War refugees, escaping pogroms, or sighting Ellis Island. Yet, WASP was certainly not fitting and caused my parents to recoil. As Born Fighting unfolded, the "aha" moments came thick and fast and I also understood that the lack of identifiable culture I grew up with is actually a mark of Scots-Irish culture. Sort of like a symptom of schizophrenia can be the denial of any symptoms. Since Webb is a politician, the last chapters veered off into policy discussions and personal history. The first three-quarters of the book however were worth it; I intend to bring this book to my family reunion and pass it around.
October 19, 2015
I picked this up from BookBub for an obscenely low price, having had it recommended to me by my friend Keith. I’m half Irish (“Potato Irish” not Scots-Irish), but my maternal grandmother came from County Antrim in North Ireland and believe you me she hated the English, so there’s some commonality, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Mr. Webb’s thesis is that is that many U.S. citizens are descendants of the Scots-Irish, which originated in Scotland, marked by intense tribal loyalty and a willingness to fight against big government of any sort. So to quote Mr. Webb: “(The) journey (of the Scots-Irish)…has been not simply one of hardship or disappointment, but of frequent and bitter conflict. These conflicts, from which they have never in two thousand years of history retreated, have followed a historically consistent cycle of, among other things, a values-based combativeness, an insistent egalitarianism, and a refusal to be dominated from above, no matter the cost.”
The history of these people dates back to the times when the Celtic tribes resisted the power of the Roman Empire, and eventually centered in Scotland. The prominence and importance of William Wallace (“Braveheart”) and Robert the Bruce in the development of the Scottish people is certainly given credit. The joining of four intense and bellicose independent tribal peoples to fight the English seems a daunting task, but it was accomplished. Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai’s attempts to bring the country’s fourteen tribal groups together certainly seems apropos in this context.
Many of the Scottish people immigrated to Ulster, in Northern Ireland, where they differentiated themselves from both the “potato Irish” Catholics and the English Protestants, becoming fundamentalist Calvinists, and fighting against religious persecution and England’s futile and violent attempts to bring this group into the fold. Those who left Ireland for America ended up not going to the large commerce centers but instead sought out the primitive and dangerous frontier of the remote Appalachians. Many of them made their way to the American South, also challenging both the Government and the frontier. Daniel Boone, among others, is set up as an example of such a person of Scotch-Irish lineage.
Again due to their willingness to fight for individuality, Mr. Webb indicates that up to 40% of the American militia during the Revolutionary War was made up of Sots-Irish. Many were also soldiers for the South during the Civil War. And, considering the recent conflict over the symbolism of the Confederate flag, Mr. Webb’s contention that what is now pejoratively termed “Redneck” is a continuation of the anti-government, tribal mentality that made the Scots-Irish survive. To quote Mr. Webb: “Blamed for slavery although only a minute percentage actually owned slaves, they suffered for generations after the Civil War due to the twin calamities of Reconstruction and an ever-increasing seclusion of the Appalachian and Allegheny Mountains.”
But it didn’t stop there: Many Scots-Irish have been members of the Military through every armed conflict the U.S. has had. And for their motivation, well, Mr. Webb describes it as related to “Celtic ties of kinship:” “From the earliest known history of the Celts, military service was viewed not simply as an obligation but as a high honor. Fighting for – and alongside – the tribal leader (or, later, the Great Captain, or as now, one’s branch of service) brought one into the family.”
Mr. Webb spends an entire chapter on Andrew Jackson, military man and President, as not only an example of the Scots-Irish culture but as a person who influenced the more populist movements in America. Mr. Webb quotes historian Walter Russell Mead: “(the Jacksonians believe) that the government should do everything in its power to promote the well-being – political, moral, economic – of the folk community.”
This summary only scratches the surface of the rich and complex history of this hardy people, and certainly helps explain Mr. Webb’s pride in his family history of military service and political service, as well as some of his more controversial outlooks as a contemporary Presidential candidate. I greatly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it heartily, no matter your ethnic background or political leanings.
Mr. Webb’s thesis is that is that many U.S. citizens are descendants of the Scots-Irish, which originated in Scotland, marked by intense tribal loyalty and a willingness to fight against big government of any sort. So to quote Mr. Webb: “(The) journey (of the Scots-Irish)…has been not simply one of hardship or disappointment, but of frequent and bitter conflict. These conflicts, from which they have never in two thousand years of history retreated, have followed a historically consistent cycle of, among other things, a values-based combativeness, an insistent egalitarianism, and a refusal to be dominated from above, no matter the cost.”
The history of these people dates back to the times when the Celtic tribes resisted the power of the Roman Empire, and eventually centered in Scotland. The prominence and importance of William Wallace (“Braveheart”) and Robert the Bruce in the development of the Scottish people is certainly given credit. The joining of four intense and bellicose independent tribal peoples to fight the English seems a daunting task, but it was accomplished. Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai’s attempts to bring the country’s fourteen tribal groups together certainly seems apropos in this context.
Many of the Scottish people immigrated to Ulster, in Northern Ireland, where they differentiated themselves from both the “potato Irish” Catholics and the English Protestants, becoming fundamentalist Calvinists, and fighting against religious persecution and England’s futile and violent attempts to bring this group into the fold. Those who left Ireland for America ended up not going to the large commerce centers but instead sought out the primitive and dangerous frontier of the remote Appalachians. Many of them made their way to the American South, also challenging both the Government and the frontier. Daniel Boone, among others, is set up as an example of such a person of Scotch-Irish lineage.
Again due to their willingness to fight for individuality, Mr. Webb indicates that up to 40% of the American militia during the Revolutionary War was made up of Sots-Irish. Many were also soldiers for the South during the Civil War. And, considering the recent conflict over the symbolism of the Confederate flag, Mr. Webb’s contention that what is now pejoratively termed “Redneck” is a continuation of the anti-government, tribal mentality that made the Scots-Irish survive. To quote Mr. Webb: “Blamed for slavery although only a minute percentage actually owned slaves, they suffered for generations after the Civil War due to the twin calamities of Reconstruction and an ever-increasing seclusion of the Appalachian and Allegheny Mountains.”
But it didn’t stop there: Many Scots-Irish have been members of the Military through every armed conflict the U.S. has had. And for their motivation, well, Mr. Webb describes it as related to “Celtic ties of kinship:” “From the earliest known history of the Celts, military service was viewed not simply as an obligation but as a high honor. Fighting for – and alongside – the tribal leader (or, later, the Great Captain, or as now, one’s branch of service) brought one into the family.”
Mr. Webb spends an entire chapter on Andrew Jackson, military man and President, as not only an example of the Scots-Irish culture but as a person who influenced the more populist movements in America. Mr. Webb quotes historian Walter Russell Mead: “(the Jacksonians believe) that the government should do everything in its power to promote the well-being – political, moral, economic – of the folk community.”
This summary only scratches the surface of the rich and complex history of this hardy people, and certainly helps explain Mr. Webb’s pride in his family history of military service and political service, as well as some of his more controversial outlooks as a contemporary Presidential candidate. I greatly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it heartily, no matter your ethnic background or political leanings.
March 5, 2008
This book confirmed my suspicions that I have more in common with those from the hills of North Carolina and Kentucky than I do with flat-landers and city dwellers from my own state of Pennsylvania. As far as how you grow-up, live and think, being an Appalachian matters a lot more than which state you call home. I saw a lot of myself and even more of my family in Webb's descriptions of the stubborn, anti-authoritarian, self-reliant, blunt, clannish Scots-Irish who settled those mountains and largely defined the culture. And as the title suggests, every generation of males in my family as far back as i can trace has done military service in a handful of wars. I'm thankful I'll be breaking that tradition and I think they might be too.
Read
September 8, 2009Webb has certainly done his research but it's hard to get past his lack of objectivity and exaggerated pride. And, while I accept that values are passed from generation to generation, are certain traits really "in your blood???" Anyway, if the Scots-Irish ever decide to do T-Shirts (i.e "Kiss Me, I'm Irish or Polish or Whatever"), I think they should read, "Kiss My Arse, I'm Scots-Irish."
September 19, 2014
I do a bit of genealogy. I was in the midst of researching my wife's Rodgers line, a Scots-Irish Presbyterian family (of which there are a few on my side too). But I did not really know the story of this group of people. So when I saw this at a book sale I picked it up. Figured a book by an ex-senator would be just OK; was I wrong-what a great writer and historian. I could not put this down.
Mr. Webb does a great job of not only capturing the history of a people, but tying them into the dynamic of the US and how critical they were to making what America is today.
Many of us today would call their descendants rednecks (as they were called 200 years ago). Mr. Webb pops the stereotypes of what that means; thank goodness they were there as they largely fought all our wars for us. He also pops the revisionist view of southern Scots-Irish hill people as racist just because they fought like banshees in the Civil War. Since Hadrian and his wall, they fought anyone and everyone that dared to infringe on their freedom and rights. They did this while having a Celtic clan view that welcomed anyone into the group that proved their merit in a fight, regardless of bloodline. We need these people, and I hope just a bit of their independence and spirit is in me.
Mr. Webb does a great job of not only capturing the history of a people, but tying them into the dynamic of the US and how critical they were to making what America is today.
Many of us today would call their descendants rednecks (as they were called 200 years ago). Mr. Webb pops the stereotypes of what that means; thank goodness they were there as they largely fought all our wars for us. He also pops the revisionist view of southern Scots-Irish hill people as racist just because they fought like banshees in the Civil War. Since Hadrian and his wall, they fought anyone and everyone that dared to infringe on their freedom and rights. They did this while having a Celtic clan view that welcomed anyone into the group that proved their merit in a fight, regardless of bloodline. We need these people, and I hope just a bit of their independence and spirit is in me.
October 23, 2009
I would actually give this 2.5 stars.
It's more a primary text than an actual history. He gives a broad overview of the general stories and stereotypes, and so his text is valuable as that. But his survey of religion, I can at least say, is downright sloppy. Just as one example, he says that the Great Awakening was mostly a Baptist phenomenon. I have no clue where he gets that. Forget Edwards since he's up North so out of Webb's purview. But Whitefield??? HELLO??
There are other sloppy things. Most obnoxious is his continued insistence that current fundamentalism is a largely Calvinistic (and thus Scots-Irish at its root) phenomenon. Where? Where is he getting this? It's so NOT.
Usually this type of sloppy (hi)story-telling is a simple lack of rigor borne out of ignorance.
So take it as a primary text. Not any sort of academic effort.
It's more a primary text than an actual history. He gives a broad overview of the general stories and stereotypes, and so his text is valuable as that. But his survey of religion, I can at least say, is downright sloppy. Just as one example, he says that the Great Awakening was mostly a Baptist phenomenon. I have no clue where he gets that. Forget Edwards since he's up North so out of Webb's purview. But Whitefield??? HELLO??
There are other sloppy things. Most obnoxious is his continued insistence that current fundamentalism is a largely Calvinistic (and thus Scots-Irish at its root) phenomenon. Where? Where is he getting this? It's so NOT.
Usually this type of sloppy (hi)story-telling is a simple lack of rigor borne out of ignorance.
So take it as a primary text. Not any sort of academic effort.
August 13, 2008
Anyone with Scots-Irish heritage or who knows anyone of such heritage should read this book. It is a fascinating chronicle of an often-marginalized group of rugged individualists, their movements and contributions throughout history, and how they played a key role in the shaping of the United States. It gave me a new appreciation for my heritage, a deeper understanding of my most deeply ingrained values, and my place in the world. It is inspiring, and I recommend it to anyone with an appreciation for history. His study on the deeper underlying causes of the Civil War in particular were very intriguing.
March 19, 2018
Wow, where do I even begin with this book? I was really excited to read this book, a supposed history of the Scots-Irish people and how they shaped American history. Instead, I ventured into a book that is mostly ignorant conservative propaganda and a misplaced heralding of Southern American culture.
The story starts out with the steeped history of Scots, which Webb seems to build to detailed accounting of -- but no, hope you didn't want that, cause you're getting 2000 years in 20 pages instead, from pre-Roman migration to the British Isles from continental Europe, all the way to the mid-1600s. Next we learn, fairly quickly, that England and the English are evil, WASPs are evil, and the only place for the idiotic and mindlessly violent Scots-Irish to go to avoid any societal responsibility is the backwoods of the New World.
We then get essentially a montage of war, hillbilliness, and more war; we learn along the way, however, that, apparently, literally EVERY facet of America was inspired by or because of these backwoods hillbillies that no one liked. First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution? Solely because of the Scots-Irish. 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution? Reason we won the Revolutionary War? Louisiana Purchase? Solely because of the Scots-Irish, and so on and so forth.
Oh, and then it gets good -- the Civil War, or, according to this book 'just a reason for the mindlessly violent and idiotic Scots-Irish to fight their social and educational betters'. Apparently, the Civil War was all the Northerners fault and we will gloss over 4 years of traitorous Southern aggression in 24 pages to instead talk about how most of the South didn't own slaves but liked to fight against their governments. Also, insert how amazing a general Nathan Bedford Forrest was, and talk briefly about his Scots-Irish heritage, but fail to mention the fact that he killed his slaves after the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted or how he was a KKK Grand Wizard. In fact, how about we just not talk about the KKK at all, which, in reality is the South's most enduring export, and full of Scots-Irish heritage.
I feel like James Webb should rerelease an update to this book now, where he can jam it full of phrases such as "snowflake", "fake news", and "libtard"; half of this book as it is is putting down "liberals", "Hollywood elites", mass media, and (I assume) all those "fancy learnin' peoples with their big words and 'edumacashuns'". I really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the American South is the literal laughing stock of the country, and it's people, all those inbred, ignorant, sister-fucking hillbillies, are not something someone should be touting as the "strongest culture" in this country.
As someone who is of both Scottish and Irish blood, this book makes me proud NOT be of Scots-Irish stock. Save your time reading this travesy, and watch Ken Burns' Civil War documentary instead.
The story starts out with the steeped history of Scots, which Webb seems to build to detailed accounting of -- but no, hope you didn't want that, cause you're getting 2000 years in 20 pages instead, from pre-Roman migration to the British Isles from continental Europe, all the way to the mid-1600s. Next we learn, fairly quickly, that England and the English are evil, WASPs are evil, and the only place for the idiotic and mindlessly violent Scots-Irish to go to avoid any societal responsibility is the backwoods of the New World.
We then get essentially a montage of war, hillbilliness, and more war; we learn along the way, however, that, apparently, literally EVERY facet of America was inspired by or because of these backwoods hillbillies that no one liked. First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution? Solely because of the Scots-Irish. 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution? Reason we won the Revolutionary War? Louisiana Purchase? Solely because of the Scots-Irish, and so on and so forth.
Oh, and then it gets good -- the Civil War, or, according to this book 'just a reason for the mindlessly violent and idiotic Scots-Irish to fight their social and educational betters'. Apparently, the Civil War was all the Northerners fault and we will gloss over 4 years of traitorous Southern aggression in 24 pages to instead talk about how most of the South didn't own slaves but liked to fight against their governments. Also, insert how amazing a general Nathan Bedford Forrest was, and talk briefly about his Scots-Irish heritage, but fail to mention the fact that he killed his slaves after the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted or how he was a KKK Grand Wizard. In fact, how about we just not talk about the KKK at all, which, in reality is the South's most enduring export, and full of Scots-Irish heritage.
I feel like James Webb should rerelease an update to this book now, where he can jam it full of phrases such as "snowflake", "fake news", and "libtard"; half of this book as it is is putting down "liberals", "Hollywood elites", mass media, and (I assume) all those "fancy learnin' peoples with their big words and 'edumacashuns'". I really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the American South is the literal laughing stock of the country, and it's people, all those inbred, ignorant, sister-fucking hillbillies, are not something someone should be touting as the "strongest culture" in this country.
As someone who is of both Scottish and Irish blood, this book makes me proud NOT be of Scots-Irish stock. Save your time reading this travesy, and watch Ken Burns' Civil War documentary instead.
January 29, 2011
I read this book because half of my family comes from Scots-Irish (found out that "Scotch-Irish" is a derogatory term!) stock, and I wanted to understand the history of these people. In terms of history, there were some great details that were provided, but nothing I could not have gotten on Wikipedia. The point of view of the author (Jim Webb) is that of someone who comes from this lineage and is trying to make a political point today of why certain groups of people think the way they do. From that perspective, it achieved it's goal, but also had political overtones that I could have done without. In all from a history and political perspective, it was informative and a good read. However, the one real knock against this book is that it's written as though it's a late high school/early college essay, which is hard to consume for long periods of time. Mr. Webb consistently references to primary sources (a good thing!), but does it in a way that I used to write when I was 18/19. It seems that he has some points he wants to make and found the sources that support it, and focuses on those several key historians that share the same view. This is different than how a true historical book (which, to his credit, Mr. Webb says is NOT his point) would be written, where the sources inform a hypothesis, not the other way around.
In all, I'm glad I read the book, but wouldn't pick it up again to re-read. If you're looking for pure historical understanding (which was my purpose), I suggest reading Albion's Seed: Four British Pathways to America.
In all, I'm glad I read the book, but wouldn't pick it up again to re-read. If you're looking for pure historical understanding (which was my purpose), I suggest reading Albion's Seed: Four British Pathways to America.
November 17, 2012
one of the few books that try and explain the history of the ulster scots to lay people who find it hard to understand the illogical stubborn stance of this group. loyalty, bravery and most importantly, independence of thought are hallmarks of these people and i am pleased how webb showed how much they contributed to the U.S.A.. a very entertaining read that made me proud of my ancestry. ( though i have no time for racism or religious discrimination )
April 13, 2016
Loved everything about this book!
Webb's thoroughly researched book explained so much about my extended family's values, traits and characteristics - along with my own.
Things I had never thought about like their political leanings and their view of government and their clannishness i.e. fierce loyalty to family and often aloofness to strangers!
If you are of Scots-Irish descent or have an interest in US history, this is a must read!
Webb's thoroughly researched book explained so much about my extended family's values, traits and characteristics - along with my own.
Things I had never thought about like their political leanings and their view of government and their clannishness i.e. fierce loyalty to family and often aloofness to strangers!
If you are of Scots-Irish descent or have an interest in US history, this is a must read!
August 5, 2012
There's no denying the fighting spirit of the Scots-Irish, particularly as James Webb describes the defence of the frontier in the Appalachian Mountains. However, Webb goes too far in defining this attribute as somehow ethnically unique.
Webb also overplays the Scots-Irish role in the American War of Independence. One throwaway passage is, "Although the trained minds of New England's Puritan culture and Virginia's Cavalier aristocracy had shaped the finer intellectual points of the argument for political disuinion, the true passion for individual rights emanated from the radical individualism of the Presbyterian and, increasingly, Baptist pulpits. This concept ... dovetailed neatly with the aristocratic forces of revolution in the East."
One can appreciate Webb's desire to emphasise the passion of the Scots-Irish, but his arguments could have been stronger by demonstrating a more fulsome knowledge of the "finer intellectual points". For example, it was no mean feat to convince some of the reluctant colonial governors to side with the cause of independence. Furthermore, these "trained minds" included many of America's Founding Fathers, whose wisdom established the political philosophy by which the US government still lives by.
So, while Born Fighting is a decent read about a proud Scots-Irish American's perspective on his communal ancestors' contributions to American culture and society, this not the more serious investigation as it at times pretends to be.
Webb also overplays the Scots-Irish role in the American War of Independence. One throwaway passage is, "Although the trained minds of New England's Puritan culture and Virginia's Cavalier aristocracy had shaped the finer intellectual points of the argument for political disuinion, the true passion for individual rights emanated from the radical individualism of the Presbyterian and, increasingly, Baptist pulpits. This concept ... dovetailed neatly with the aristocratic forces of revolution in the East."
One can appreciate Webb's desire to emphasise the passion of the Scots-Irish, but his arguments could have been stronger by demonstrating a more fulsome knowledge of the "finer intellectual points". For example, it was no mean feat to convince some of the reluctant colonial governors to side with the cause of independence. Furthermore, these "trained minds" included many of America's Founding Fathers, whose wisdom established the political philosophy by which the US government still lives by.
So, while Born Fighting is a decent read about a proud Scots-Irish American's perspective on his communal ancestors' contributions to American culture and society, this not the more serious investigation as it at times pretends to be.
May 7, 2020
I read this based on a podcast. Some of the first part about how the Scots got independence and the beginning of the Ulster plantation were interesting. I didn't have a lot of love for the descriptions of the author walking around thinking. When I got to the chapters defending Andrew Jackson and claiming that the Civil War wasn't really all about slavery, he lost me completely. I am Scots-Irish and had hoped that this would be more of a linear history. Instead, it was full of a lot of the stuff I try to avoid. Oh well.
October 16, 2009
It's a very good book when Webb isn't boasting about his and his family's military exploits.
May 12, 2025
In Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America, Jim Webb—former U.S. Senator, Navy Cross recipient, and acclaimed author—delivers a fervent tribute to a cultural group he considers the backbone of American identity. Part memoir, part historical analysis, Webb traces the journey of the Scots-Irish from the borderlands of Scotland and Northern Ireland to the American frontier, arguing that their fierce independence, martial tradition, and populist ethos have profoundly influenced the nation’s character. 
Webb’s narrative is both sweeping and personal. He chronicles the Scots-Irish’s role in pivotal moments of American history, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War and beyond, highlighting figures like Andrew Jackson amongst others. Interwoven are stories of his own ancestors, grounding the historical account in lived experience. This approach lends the book a passionate tone, as Webb seeks to redeem the Scots-Irish from stereotypes and acknowledge their contributions to American society.
Born Fighting offers a compelling perspective on a group often overlooked in mainstream histories. Webb’s blend of personal reflection and historical narrative provides readers with an engaging exploration of the Scots-Irish legacy in America. For those interested in the cultural forces that have shaped the United States, this book presents a passionate and thought-provoking account.
Webb’s narrative is both sweeping and personal. He chronicles the Scots-Irish’s role in pivotal moments of American history, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War and beyond, highlighting figures like Andrew Jackson amongst others. Interwoven are stories of his own ancestors, grounding the historical account in lived experience. This approach lends the book a passionate tone, as Webb seeks to redeem the Scots-Irish from stereotypes and acknowledge their contributions to American society.
Born Fighting offers a compelling perspective on a group often overlooked in mainstream histories. Webb’s blend of personal reflection and historical narrative provides readers with an engaging exploration of the Scots-Irish legacy in America. For those interested in the cultural forces that have shaped the United States, this book presents a passionate and thought-provoking account.
Want to read
July 30, 2022I have a Scotch-Irish last name but not a drop of their blood in my veins. (Don’t ask, because I don’t know how that happened.) However, I am very interested in their history!
September 24, 2009
Much more interesting than I thought it would be. But it is a very romantic notion of Scots-Irish people. This guy used to work for Reagan (who has some S-I in him) and was a lifetime armed forces person so it would make sense he views S-I people with romanticism and pride. But if you live in areas with heavy S-I influence or are of S-I decent (as many Americans are) this book will likely make you understand more about the character of many people who share this decent.
I disagreed with some of his conclusions...like the Scots people living in thatched houses made for an easily transient life which led to their propensity for mobile homes and manufactured housing today. Say what?
He also talks about the Confederate flag and its use among the S-I today. We totally disagree on this issue as he holds a romantic notion of the symbolism of the flag in today's society. But I think the point is he tends to lump the S-I into the "white trash" bin instead of looking at the S-I as a whole and the fact that not all of us live in mobile homes with Confederate flags flying from the window. Nevertheless its a somewhat informative book - just wade through the romantic lyrics that make up most of the last part of the book. I think I'll read Albion's Seed next since its more of a reputable history book on the same topic.
I disagreed with some of his conclusions...like the Scots people living in thatched houses made for an easily transient life which led to their propensity for mobile homes and manufactured housing today. Say what?
He also talks about the Confederate flag and its use among the S-I today. We totally disagree on this issue as he holds a romantic notion of the symbolism of the flag in today's society. But I think the point is he tends to lump the S-I into the "white trash" bin instead of looking at the S-I as a whole and the fact that not all of us live in mobile homes with Confederate flags flying from the window. Nevertheless its a somewhat informative book - just wade through the romantic lyrics that make up most of the last part of the book. I think I'll read Albion's Seed next since its more of a reputable history book on the same topic.
Read
August 6, 2013'Webb, a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran, a former assistant secretary of defense and secretary of the Navy, and more recently a novelist, tries to correct this “gaping vacuum” in our understanding of American origins. On the way, he strives to restore to the 27 million Americans who can claim descent from the Scots-Irish a sense of pride in who they are and from whence they came. His social history is partly a tribute to a “forgotten people,” a family memoir, and a political polemic. He traces the Scots-Irish back to their origins as ancient Celtic warriors and hails “his people” (and, I might add, mine too) for having instilled in their young such noble virtues as courage, honor, patriotism, and loyalty to friends and family. He chronicles his family’s struggles, particularly that of his late father, to make something of themselves. Finally, he vents his anger toward those who slurred and ridiculed him and his ancestors.'
Read the full review, "Never Surrender," on our website:
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Read the full review, "Never Surrender," on our website:
http://www.theamericanconservative.co...
February 11, 2009
As a memoir, this book is interesting and enjoyable. However, it does not appear intended to be a memoir, but rather a historical analysis of the Scots-Irish people and their role in shaping America. Webb does a great job of exploring this but unfortunately he's unable to step back and do so in any sort of unbiased, critical fashion. The result is a historical overview that also glorifies an entire people, even in moments when that glorifying is questionable. For instance, I appreciate Webb's efforts at putting the contemporary American response to the Vietnam War in perspective, but I wish he'd explored the link between broad support and lack of education. So often this books hints at actual analysis, but repeatedly falls short of taking that step. I can understand Webb's reluctance, since often taking that step would result in losing the respectful, near-reverent tone his book generates.
December 3, 2014
Here is a writer who boldly and unapologetically wears his racist and conservative hypocrisy on his sleeve. I have a hard time with a point of view that so clearly ignores or negates the roles ALL OTHER races play in American society, as well as the sheer pain and destruction this group caused in American history (see, Andrew Jackson and the Trail of Tears; Appalachian illiteracy and the effect on American politics; Southern KKK and Jim Crow laws). Webb willfully ignores the negative, emphasizing this group's aggressiveness and lawlessness as a cultural trademark (as opposed to a by-product of sustained poverty and poor educational standards). Skip this book if you want a well-rounded insight on the Scots-Irish impact on America or, if you're looking for a right-wing scribe who champions war, illiteracy and racism, this may be for you!
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