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A History of Scotland

Scotland is a beautiful country, situated in the north of the United Kingdom. Today it is a contemporary region with

modern, bustling cities. However, present-day Scotland exists in a very ancient area, with a history that encompasses

numerous civilizations over thousands of years. It is no exaggeration to say that Scotland has seen a world of change

in its lifetime.

Ancient Times

As far back as the Stone Age, various tribes and clans lived in the area that is now known as Scotland. These

Neolithic people were advanced enough that they built whole villages and stone dwellings. By the Iron Age,crannogs,

or fortified dwellings had cropped up. These places were most likely were early farmers grew crops and raised

livestock. In some areas, they also built large hillforts. These were communities built on a hill and surrounded by a

solid wall, to help protect the inhabitants against enemies.

Scotland in the Dark Ages

For several centuries, a group called the Celts lived in Scotland and other surrounding areas. By around 80 AD, theinvading Romans started wars to drive them out and take over the land. Other groups of people who also inhabited

the area at the time included the Picts, Saxons (of Germanic descent), and Scots. These groups banded together to

fight the Romans in 368 AD. In 503 AD, the Scots moved to Argyll, on Scotlands west coast to start their new

kingdom, Dl Riata.

Influence of the Church

A Gaelic monk named Columba Cille moved from Ireland to Dl Riata to convert the people to Christianity. His

influence led to the rise of many churches and monasteries in the area. A few centuries later, in 843 AD, the Scots

united with the Picts to form a larger nation. For several years, there was much turmoil among the rulers, and several

times existing kings were killed and replaced. During this time, the Church gained more and more political power too.

Scotlands Independence Wars

Until the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Scotland still remained an entirely separate nation, despite the fact that it

was geographically attached to England. In the late 1200s when the Scottish king died in an accident, the English

took advantage of this event to gain control over the Scots. This led to a series of wars known as the Wars of

Independence that only ended by 1357. However, Scotland triumphed and retained their independence.

The Renaissance and Reformation

The 1500s brought over Renaissance ideals from England and other parts of Europe to Scotland. During this time,

Scotland saw great changes at Court as well as in their churches and among the people. The Stewarts who were in

power at the time fostered a strong national pride among Scots. There was much trouble between England and

Scotland regarding religion in this period. Martin Luthers Protestant movement markedly separated its followers from

Catholics. While Protestant England once again tried to take over Catholic Scotland, it was France (who were also

Catholic) who helped Scotland to resist England.

Scotland Unites with England

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In 1603, James VI, the King of Scotland, also became the King of England as well as Ireland. Despite this, the

country found it difficult to adjust to these changes. This was followed by further wars and revolutions.

The Industrial Revolution in Scotland

By the mid to late 1700s, Scotland found itself swept up in a changing world. The Industrial Revolution vastly

changed the way people worked and produced goods. Scotland quickly became more efficient and productive,

increasing their industries significantly. Practicality was not the only area that saw change. The Scottish

Enlightenment dawned with thinkers, philosophers and teachers developing new theories and challenging older

beliefs in religion and science.

The Victorian Era

The Victorian period in the 1800s was an exciting time for Scotland. Railroads were built, making other parts of the

country as well as neighboring areas much closer than before. Industry and commerce developed in ways that did not

even exist before. More importantly modernized cities grew at alarming rates, to the point where authorities were

even concerned about overcrowding.

Scotland in Modern Times

During the 20thcentury, both of the World Wars had a massive impact on Scotland. They brought an economic crisis,

political turmoil, and a decline in industry. Once again, the people became more and more active in fighting for their

rights and beliefs. As in other parts of the world, women especially benefited, after working hard to secure improved

rights for themselves in terms of work, home life, voting and other social norms.