Tartan Day was conceived by the U.S.Senate in 1998 in recognition of the valuable contribution made by the Scots to the foundation, character and prosperity of America. The date was selected to commemorate 6th. April 1320 when the Declaration of Arbroath initiating an independent Scotland was signed and presented to the pope, a document later to be the inspiration behind the American Declaration of Independence. Senate Resolution 155 adopted April 6th as National Tartan Day in perpetuity.
Today there are said to be at least 13 million Americans claiming Scots ancestry according to the latest census figures, although further research increases this figure to nearer 35 million or even more (8% of the total population). Statistics aside, the importance is the undeniable fact that many entrepreneurs, industrialists, inventors and politicians over the past hundreds of years who achieved remarkable success across America came originally from Scotland; Andrew Carnegie, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson, Neil Armstrong and John Muir are just a few of the many famous Scots who made America great.
Over the years Tartan Day in the USA has grown in cultural and political significance with events now taking place in nearly every State of the Union and in countries throughout the world; Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, France, New Zealand and of course Scotland. The largest event takes place in the City of New York where the addition of the 10,000 pipers parading up New York's 6th. Avenue has become an extraordinary feature of the celebration.
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