Why do so many people,Americans in particular,have difficulty in distinguishing

Question:

Why do so many people,Americans in particular,have difficulty in distinguishing the Scots from the Irish?

I keep coming across instances where Americans in particular seem to have real difficulty in telling the difference between Scottish ancestry and culture and Irish ancestry and culture.If they did their research properly it wouldn't be a problem.

Additional Details

2 weeks ago
I think you're missing the point.I meant in the sense of Scots surnames and Irish surnames.A lot of people seem to assume that if your name begins with Mc you're Irish,and Mac,Scots.When,in fact,that's largely down to sloppy census taking in the 19th century.Mc has no meaning in Gaelic,all of the names will have originally been Mac.

2 weeks ago
brittanyA,if you don't want to research it,why bother to answer?I suspect I know a lot more about America,than you know about Scotland!

2 weeks ago
I should've known it would annoy a lot of you Americans,since most of you know next to nothing about your own indigenous population!Sorry,am I using some words you don't understand?

2 weeks ago
A lot of you don't seem to know much about your own history either,since,if you did,you'd realise how much influence we Scots had on shaping the United States!

1 week ago
Since most of you seem to have got a wee bit excited about this question,I feel I should point outthat you obviousy have never made any real effort to read the question,and additions,properly.Is it maybe just a White American thing?I don't have a particular problem with America or Americans,it's just the way that White Americans seem to have a way of looking upon the rest of the World,and a lot of their own people,as,in some way,inferior,without really understanding where their own ancestors actually came from.Maybe it's just the way America projects itself in the rest of the World.If you REALLY want to understand your roots,surely it's important to understand something of the history and culture that your ancestors came from!Whilst the Scots and Irish do indeed share a lot of these things,it is important to both of these proud peoples to be recognised as independent entities.Incidentally,Scotch is a drink,not a nationality!!!!

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: 2 weeks ago
I think you're missing the point.I meant in the sense of Scots surnames and Irish surnames.A lot of people seem to assume that if your name begins with Mc you're Irish,and Mac,Scots.When,in fact,that's largely down to sloppy census taking in the 19th century.Mc has no meaning in Gaelic,all of the names will have originally been Mac.