Originally posted by only1genevieve:
I would do a story about a Scottish girl, that takes place during the Highland Clearances. This started about the late 1700s. The lords of Scotland (both British and Scottish) chased the farmers off of their land in order to raise sheep for wool. The Scots then fled/were shipped to Australia and America. This would make an interesting story.

A good, quick summary:

http://www.yvwiiusdinvnohii.net/articles/cries.htm

A more elaborate website with research:

http://www.theclearances.org/clearances/main.php

Ironically, the Scots in Australia then started raising sheep, undercutting the British in the wool market making the so called "improvements" worthless. So, economically, they had the last laugh, I would say.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Know what's funny about that? The way the Brits still have a bit of a grudge about the whole wool thing! Being married to a Brit, I get PLENTY of opportunity for teasing him historically.

MAN, can those folks hold a seemingly timeless little grudge! LOL!