Scotland

:For other uses, see Scotland (disambiguation). See also British Isles (terminology).

History

See also the main article: History of Scotland.

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Historically, from roughly the end of the 14th century, Scotland began to show a split into two cultural areas - the mainly Scots, or English, speaking Lowlands, and the mainly Gaelic-speaking Highlands. This caused divisions in the country where the Lowlands remained, historically, more influenced by mainstream European culture with strong trading links across the North Sea with the growth of the east coast burghs: the Lowlands also lay more open to attack by invading armies from the south and absorbed English influence through their proximity to and their trading relations with their southern neighbours. Gaelic persisted in remote parts of the southwest, which had formed part of the rival kingdom of Galloway during the early medieval period up until the 13th century, notably in Kirkcudbrightshire and Carrick probably up until the late 1700s. Further north, it should be noted that the cultural boundary between the Highlands and the Lowlands was far from static.

Related Topics:
14th century - Scots - Lowlands - Gaelic - Highlands - North Sea - Galloway - 13th century - Kirkcudbrightshire - Carrick

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The clan system of the Highlands formed one of its more distinctive features. Notable clans include Clan Campbell, Clan MacGregor, Clan Hay, Clan MacDonald, Clan MacKenzie, Clan Mackay, Clan MacLeod, Clan Robertson, Clan Grant, Clan Fraser and others.

Related Topics:
Clan - Clan Campbell - Clan MacGregor - Clan Hay - Clan MacDonald - Clan MacKenzie - Clan Mackay - Clan MacLeod - Clan Robertson - Clan Grant

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Historically the Lowlands adopted a variant of the feudal system after the Norman Conquest of England, with families of Norman ancestry providing most of the monarchs after approximately 1100. These families included the Stewart or Stuart, Bruce, Douglas, Porteous, and Murray or Moray families.

Related Topics:
Feudal - Norman Conquest - 1100 - Stewart - Stuart - Bruce - Douglas - Porteous - Murray - Moray

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During the Wars of Scottish Independence (approximately 1290 - 1363) the Scottish people rose up against English interference and invasion. Firstly, under the leadership of Sir William Wallace and Andrew de Moray in support of John Balliol, and later, under that of Robert the Bruce. Bruce won a decisive victory over the English at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

Related Topics:
Wars of Scottish Independence - Leadership - William Wallace - Andrew de Moray - John Balliol - Robert the Bruce - Battle of Bannockburn - 1314

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In 1603, the Scottish King James VI inherited the throne of England, and became James I of England. James moved to London and only returned to Scotland once. Although he subsequently styled himself as the King of Great Britain, this was a personal union: the two nations shared a head of state but for most of the period up until 1707 remained separate kingdoms with the exception of a brief period when Oliver Cromwell overthrew the monarchy and Scotland was under English military occupation.

Related Topics:
1603 - James VI - England - London - Personal union - Head of state - 1707 - Oliver Cromwell

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In 1707, the Scottish and English Parliaments enacted the Acts of Union, which merged the Kingdom of Scotland with the Kingdom of England, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain. The Union dissolved both the English and the Scottish Parliaments, and transferred all their powers to a new Parliament sitting in London which then became the Parliament of the United Kingdom. However, most of Scotland's institutions remained separate, notably the country's legal system and its established church; these distinctions remain to the present day. At the time of its enactment, the Union was deeply unpopular with many in Scotland, as it had been negotiated from a position of economic weakness after the failure of the Darién scheme, with trade between England and Scotland suffering from English tariffs. Many Scottish Lords who voted for the Union were rewarded with land and money from the English Parliament.

Related Topics:
1707 - Scottish - English - Acts of Union - Kingdom of England - Kingdom of Great Britain - London - Parliament of the United Kingdom - Darién scheme

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In 1801, Scotland became part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, when the Kingdom of Great Britain merged with the Kingdom of Ireland. Since 1927, Scotland has been one of the four constituent nations (along with England, Northern Ireland and Wales) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Related Topics:
1801 - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland - Kingdom of Ireland - 1927 - Constituent nations - England - Northern Ireland - Wales - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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In 1997 the people of Scotland voted to create a new devolved Scottish Parliament, subsequently established by the UK government under the Scotland Act 1998.

Related Topics:
1997 - Devolved - Scottish Parliament - UK government - Scotland Act 1998

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