Acts o Union 1707

The Acts o Union wis a pair o Parliamentary Acts passed in 1706 an 1707 by the Parliament o Ingland an the Parliament o Scotland, tae pit intae effect the terms o the Treaty o Union that hud been negotiated between the twa kingdoms. The Acts jynt the Kinrick o Ingland an the Kinrick o Scotland (that wis aforhaun twa sindry states, wi sindry legislaturs but wi the same monarch) intae the Kinrick o Great Breetain.

The twa countries hud shared a monarch fur aboot 100 year (since the Union o the Crouns in 1603, whan King James VI o Scotland's cuisin's (Queen Elizabeth I) throne becam his handsel-throne. Awtho described as a Union o Crowns, til 1707 there wur in fact twa sindry crowns restin on the same heid. There hud been three votes in 1606, 1667, an 1689 tae unite the twa countries by Acts o Pairlament, but it wisnae til the early 18th century that the idea hud the will o baith political establishments, awbeit fur raither different reasons.

Scotland wis pushed taewards the union by the Darien chest, a tradin chest set up tae store money an documents associated wi the Company o Scotland. Howe'er, its wis a failure, costin Scotland a quarter o its liquid capital and pushin it closer tae a union wi England.

It is therefore cited as wan o the key reasons behind the Acts o Union. Scotland realised that if it wanted tae be a major tradin po'er, it needed access tae England's colonies and the benefits baith countries would gain fae free trade.

The Acts teuk effect oan the 1st o May 1707. Oan this date, the Scots Parliament an the English Parliament gathered taegether tae form the Parliament o Great Britain, situated in the palace o Westminster in London - the hame o the English Parliament (the parliaments o England an Scotland wis demitit). Ere, the Act is referred tae as the Union o the Parliaments.

There wis a vote tae rename Scotland an England as North an South Britain. This wis generally short-lived, particularly in "South Britain" - awtho the name "North Britain" wis used fur a while by some institutions. This practise is noo ne'er seen aften, if e'er at aw.