Highland Clearances

The Highland Clearances were a series of evictions that took place in the Scottish Highlands from the late 18th to the mid-19th centuries. Landowners, seeking to maximize profits from sheep farming, forcibly removed small farmers and their families from their lands. This led to widespread suffering, as communities were uprooted and many were forced to emigrate, particularly to North America and Australia. The Clearances significantly altered the social landscape of the Highlands and are remembered as a dark chapter in Scottish history, reflecting the struggle between traditional livelihoods and economic changes.