Scottish History after the Union Quiz

Answer: 1707

King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England in 1603 and often styled himself King of Great Britain (on coins for example), but the title had no legal status until the Union of the Parliaments in 1707 during the reign of James's great-granddaughter, Queen Anne.

In 1801 the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was created by uniting the Parliaments of Great Britain and Ireland.

Answer: James Francis Stuart

James Francis Stuart, the Catholic half-brother of Queen Anne, was the son of James VII (of Scotland) and II (of England). Anne had died in 1714 and the British Parliament had given the throne to a distant relation, Georg, Elector of Hanover. Georg took the throne as George I, ensuring the Protestant succession, as required by the (English) Act of Settlement of 1701.

The Jacobites wanted the throne to go to James who styled himself James VIII and III. The rebellion petered out after the Battle of Sheriffmuir.

Answer: Bonnie Prince Charlie

Charles Edward Stuart was the elder son of James Francis Stuart, the Old Pretender. Raised in France and Italy, Charles came to Scotland in 1745 to lead a new Jacobite Rebellion in favour of his father, but this rebellion was put down. In later years he styled himself Charles III but died dissolute in Rome in 1788.

Answer: Culloden

Bonnie Prince Charlie landed on Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides in 1745, he raised his standard at Glenfinnan and proclaimed his father king. The rebellion divided Scotland but the Jacobites made quick gains, defeating the Hanoverian army at Prestonpans and winning control of Edinburgh. During the march into England, however, the Jacobite leaders quarrelled and, having got as far south as Derby, the army retreated northwards.

They were pursued by the Duke of Cumberland, a younger son of King George II. Battle was joined at Culloden and was a disastrous defeat for the Jacobites. Charles fled Scotland and never returned.

The Jacobite cause was never seriously resurrected.

Answer: The Clearances

The Clearances are considered one of the great social disasters of Scottish history. In many ways the Highlands have never recovered and to this day the Scottish population remains disproportionately concentrated in the Central Lowlands.

Answer: the electric light bulb

The electric light bulb is generally credited to Thomas Edison, an American inventor. The process of tarmacing roads is attributed to Scots engineer, John MacAdam. While there have been disputes over who actually invented the first telephone and the first television, the two are generally credited to Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 and John Logie Baird in 1926 respectively.

Answer: Stone of Destiny

This was the ancient stone on which Kings of Scots until John Balliol were crowned and before them the Kings of Dalriada. Many legends surround its origins, including the story that it was the pillow used by Jacob in the Bible when he saw the vision of the angels ascending to and descending from Heaven. It was taken to England by Edward I when he deposed John Balliol in 1296 and thereafter was used in the coronation of English monarchs, being built into the coronation throne in Westminster Abbey. In 1950 four Scottish Nationalists took the Stone from the Abbey and brought it back to Scotland. The Stone was returned to the authorities early the following year having been left draped in a Scottish flag in the ruins of Arbroath Abbey. In 1996 the Stone was returned by the Government to Scotland and placed in Edinburgh Castle on a semi-permanent basis, to be returned to Westminster Abbey for future coronations.

One other legend is that the original Stone was hidden from Edward in 1296 and that it was a cistern lid that was taken to Westminster.

The other names are entirely made up.

Answer: William Ewart Gladstone

Gladstone was English and was PM four times (1868-74; 1880-85; 1886; 1892-94). Douglas-Home was the last person to be PM who was a member of the House of Lords at the times of his appointment, but renounced his peerage in order to stand for election of the House of Commons. He was PM for less than a year (1963-64). Henry Campbell-Bannerman led the Liberals to a landslide victory in 1906 and was PM until his death in 1908. The Earl of Rosebery, who was PM 1894-95, is credited with coining the expression "The British Commonwealth of Nations".

Other Scots who have been British Prime Ministers include Arthur Balfour, Andrew Bonar Law (born in Canada) and Tony Blair.

Answer: 1999

The election was held on the 6th of May 1999 and resulted in a Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition. The second elections were held on the 1st of May 2003 and resulted in an Executive of the same make-up although with a reduced majority.

Answer: Donald Dewar

Donald Dewar had been Secretary of State for Scotland in the UK Government since 1997 but resigned the post in oder to take up the position of First Minister in 1999. He died of a brain haemmorhege following a fall after only a year in office. He was succeeded by Henry McLeish who resigned following an expenses scandal and was succeeded by Jack McConnell was was still First Minister as of 2005. Sir David Steel was the first Presiding Officer (Speaker) of the Parliament, serving until the 2003 election, he was replaced by George Reid.