The bulk of the population in 1775 in America was east of the Alleghenies. However, in 1775 several pioneers had begun to clear land in what would become Tennessee and Kentucky. The Colonies with the largest population were Virginia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Maryland in that order.

East Tennessee, at this time was being settled by predominantly Scotch-Irish. Most were not Irish at all but Scots Lowlanders who over a period of several decades had been transplanted into Northern Ireland. They found persecution from the Irish Catholics in Ireland and made their way to the new world. Originally, they began to settle in Pennsylvania, but found that the best farmlands were already taken by German descent.

The Scots Irish then traveled south, looking for suitable land. Finding the hills and valleys of the Southern Appalachians, much like their homeland, they settled here.

These people were mainly thought to be lawless and individualistic. Possibly, they would have been shunned if it had not been for one fact. They brought with them the Scotch tradition of whiskey making. This helped cement their place somewhat in society. They became great frontiersman and Indian fighters. However, they may have been at the forefront of the hatred Colonials had of the British. This was based greatly on the treatment they felt they had received in the past, from England.

Estimated Population 1790 America