Important dates and events in Scottish history.* In the year 843 the various different groups of people including the Picts & the Scots came under control of one King (Kenneth MacAlpin). The country became known as the "Community of the Realm of Scotland".
* Over the years there was sporadic outbreaks of conflict with neighbouring England. Eventually in 1291, King Edward 1st of England began to take control of Scotland with his powerful armies. The English took valuable Scottish artefacts including the Scottish crown, national records and the Stone of Destiny (symbolic stone that Scottish Kings were crowned upon).
* Scottish warriors and clansmen resisted the attempts by the English army to take over Scotland (this period was portrayed in the Oscar-winning film Braveheart). On the 11th of September 1297 William Wallace helped maintain Scotland's nation status when a vastly superior English army was defeated in Stirling, Scotland.
* The English King did not give up. Once he had William Wallace captured in 1305 (and executed), Edward sent armies up to take control of Scotland. (Edward's dislike of Scots soon earned him the nickname "Hammer of the Scots") The English King appointed his supporters to important positions in Scotland and they ruled over our affairs. English dominance had to end (to quote W.Wallace: "Scotland shall yet be free!").
* Robert the Bruce emerged as the natural leader as Scotland fought to get Independence from England again. In June 1314 Bruce led Scotland to victory in another battle against the English. Some people regard this victory at the Battle of Bannockburn as a Battle of Independence. Scots themselves considered this to be independence achieved. Successive English Kings denied that Scotland was independent. There was no Official recognition of Scotland being independent at this time by England or from the Pope who was very influential in such affairs.
* After years of "unofficial independence", the Declaration of Arbroath was written on April the 6th 1320. It was written in Latin and is the earliest known declaration of independence. The document was signed by 39 Scottish Earls, designates and Barons. It was sent to the Pope to clarify Scotland's right to be a nation in its own right. A Quote from the Declaration: "...For it is not glory, neither is it honour, but it is liberty alone that we fight and contend for, which no honest man will lose but with his life".
* The document itself emphasised Scotland's need to be free from English interference. However, it actually took until May 1328 for the English Parliament to acknowledge Scotland as being a separate country from England. Then later that year, the Pope also recognised that Scotland was an independent nation with its own King (Robert the Bruce).
Conclusion - Part 1
Scottish history is very sketchy as few records
survived from that period in history. However, the
Process of Scottish independence gave the people of Scotland
heroes like Bruce and Wallace. They are still celebrated to
this day. Without such people it is quite possible that
Scotland and Scottish culture would have been wiped out.
Wallace was popular because of his brave warfare that inspired
his fellow countrymen even when the odds were stacked against them.
* In 1924 Eric Liddle won the 400m race and a gold medal in Paris at the Olympic Games.
* Over 100 sightings of the Loch Ness Monster in 1932.
* The National Party of Scotland and the Scottish Party merged and in 1934 Scottish National Party was founded.
* Dr Robert McIntyre in 1945 wins the SNP's first ever seat.
* On Christmas Eve 1950 SNP students liberated the stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey in London. A stone was returned to Arbroath Abbey a year later. (Was it the real one ?)
* The world's first fast-breeder nuclear reactor opened in Dounraey (the north of Scotland) in 1954.
* 1962 saw the last tram car run in the City of Glasgow.
* First serious drilling for oil begins in the North sea and Scotland's football team records a famous 3-2 win over England at Wembley Stadium (1967).
* In the October 1974 election the SNP won 11 seats - its record number so far.
* Attempt for devolution falls at referendum in 1979. 51.6% voted for devolution but the plans were abandoned because teh majority was not big enough to satisfy the government of the support for the plan.
* 1988 was the year of the Lockerbie air disaster and the Piper Alpha oil rig disaster.
* The General Election win in 1992 enabled Conservatives hang on to power. In Scotland the demand for constitutional change was growing.
* Labour won the 1997 General Election. The Conservatives were wiped out in Scotland and in Wales. A devolution referendum was held a large majority voted yes to the creation of a devolved parliament with limited tax varying powers on the 11th of September.
* May the 6th 1999 sees the first elections to devolved Scottish Parliament. The Parliament is to be opened by the Queen on July 1st. Scotland's National Stadium re-opens after re-construction.
* In 2000/01 the Scottish Parliament moves to new Parliament building at Holyrood, Edinburgh
