5 Aug 1704

The Act of Security, which allowed The Three Estates to choose another successor to Queen Anne than the choice by the English parliament if Scottish conditions were not met, was approved by the Scottish parliament. The English responded with the Alien Act (1705) which demanded an Act of Union.

1 May 1707

The Act of Union between Scotland and England came into force. The Union was brought about in spite of the opposition by the majority of Scots. Although claimed to have been a peaceful and desired Union, it was met with riots in Edinburgh, and the Highlanders never wanted Union with England. It was, in effect, "steamrollered" onto the Scots by Queen Anne, and Scotland's larger neighbour to the south. Scottish Kirk Bells played the tune "Why Am I So Sad On My Wedding Day?"

3 Oct 1712

Warrant issued for the arrest of Rob Roy MacGregor, Highland Freebooter, by the Lord Advocate at the instigation of the Duke of Montrose.

1715

First Jacobite "Rising" (Mar's Rebellion). The Jacobites fighting for James Stuart (James VIII), "The Old pretender" as he was known by his detractors, were defeated at the Battle of Sheriffmuir.

10 Jun 1719

Battle of Glenshiel which saw the end of a minor Jacobite rising. Only 1000 men joined the Jacobite side under the 10th Earl Marischal. faced by a Hanovarian army under General Wightman, after some hours of engagement, the Jacobite forces disbanded.

31 Dec 1720

Birth of Charles Edward Louis Casimir Silvester Maria Stewart, The Young pretender, in the palazzo Muti, Rome. Known as Bonnie prince Charlie he led the 1745 Jacobite Rising.

1725

General Wade appointed Commander-in-Chief on the Highlands of Scotland. Major road construction begins in the Highlands to make them more accessible to British armies.

8 Nov 1736

The first regular public theatre in Scotland was opened in Carruber's Close, Edinburgh by the poet, editor and playwrite Allan Ramsay.

1739

Black Watch raised. The regiment was formed as much (if not completely), to keep an "eye" on the Scottish Highlands, not to help the Highlanders.

1743

The potato introduced into the Scottish Highlands

1744

The world's first Golf Club (the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers) was founded.

23 Jul 1745

prince Charles Edward Stuart, 'The Young pretender', landed in Eriskay with only seven men. The last Jacobite Rising was to follow.

19 Aug 1745

prince Charles Edward Stuart's standard unfurled at Glenfinnan to start the most famous Jacobite Rising.

3 Sep 1745

James Francis Stewart proclaimed as King James VIII of Scotland by his son, prince Charles Edward at perth.

16 Sep 1745

The 'Canter of Coltbrig', where Jacobite forces routed Hanoverian dragoons on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

21 Sep 1745

Hanoverian army under the command of John Cope surprised and overwhelmingly defeated, in ten minutes, by the Jacobite forces of prince Charles Edward Stewart in the Battle of prestonpans. The victory left most of Scotland open to the Jacobites

17 Nov 1745

prince Charles Edward Stewart, accompanied by pipers, enters Carlisle following the surrender of the city to the Jacobite Army.

6 Dec 1745

Charles Edward Stewart and the Jacobite Army retreat from Derby, England.

18 Dec 1745

Skirmish at Clifton where retreating Jacobite forces under Lord George Murray, defeated General Bland's Hanoverian troops. The last battle to be fought on English soil.

8 Jan 1746

The Burgh of Stirling surrendered to the Jacobite Army but the Castle remained in Hanoverian hands.

17 Jan1746

The Jacobite Army, led by Lord George Murray, defeated Government forces under General Hawley. The last Jacobite victory.

16 Apr 1746

Jacobite army routed by Hanoverian Government forces in the Battle of Culloden. The defeat marked the end of the last Stewart attempt to regain, by force, the throne forfeited by James VII. . The Scots were not in a good postion from the start of the battle, and instead of withdrawing as he was advised by Lord Murray, Charles listened to his Irish supporters who convinced him to fight a "final" battle here at Culloden Moor. The Scots were cut down before most of them crossed the moor, those that did were exhausted and using swords against English firearms and bayonets.
The injured Scots on the battlefield were ordered to be butchered by British
commander, the Duke of Cumberland (Butcher Cumberland) where they lay
and were unceremoniouslly dumped into mass graves, some still alive, and
buried. This final and decisive battle effectively ended all Jacobite resistance
and the Highlands were reduced to ashes by the Government forces on a
savage killing spree. The Highland Clan system never recovered its past glory, and the Clearances were about to put and end to 2000 or more years of Clan and family systems. The Highlanders suffered much more than their Lowland counterparts, many of whom had fought on the government side, as indeed did some Highlanders. The Highlander was reviled by the Lowlander, and thought a savage by the unsympathetic English. It was the end of the Highland way of life forever.

1746

The wearing of the kilt is prohibited from August 1^st and punishable by death. So, too, was the use of Tartan, and gathering of any clans - all Highland culture was effectively wiped out of existence

18 Jul 1747

Birth of John paul Jones, (Kirkcudbrightshire), the future 'Founder of the American Navy'. Admiral Jones died in paris in 1792. There is a national monument to Jones in Washington DC and in Kirkbean Church there is a memorial font donated by the US Navy in 1945.

10 Dec 1747

Death of Duncan Forbes of Culloden, Lord president of the Court of Session, who was largely responsible for the failure of the Jacobite Rising 1745-6 and tried to mitigate the subsequent repressive measures.

5 Sep 1750

Birth of Robert Fergusson, poet, in the Canongate, Edinburgh. His poetry in Scots was to inspire Robert Burns who wrote in praise of Fergusson - "my elder brother in misfortune, by far my elder brother in the muse".

25 Jan 1759

Birth of Robert Burns, Scotland's National Bard, in a clay bigan at Alloway.

1767

The first New Testament was printed in Gaelic.

1768

The first edition of the "Encylopaedia Britannica" was published in Edinburgh by William Smellie.

1771

James Hogg, poet, born in Edinburgh (1771-1832).

15 Aug 1771

The Lay of the Last Ministrel (1805)

16 Oct 1774

- Burns' inscription for Fergusson's headstone.

1775

Glenturret Distillery, Crieff, the oldest in Scotland, established.

1776

Adam Smith publishes The Wealth Of Nations. James Watt builds his steam engine with separate condenser.

1777

Highland Light Infantry raised.

1782

Act proscribing Highland dress repealed.

1783

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce founded - the first in Britain.

1780

1780-1854 Official 'beginning' of the Highland Clearances, which lasted until 1854 and beyond. This was the initial wave.

1 Dec 1787

The first lighthouse, built at Kinnaird Head, Fraserburgh, by Thomas Smith and Robert Stevenson, lit.

31 Jan 1788

prince Charles Edward Stewart, "The Young pretender", died in Rome.

28 Jun 1790

Forth and Clyde Canal opened. The 35 mile course from Bowling to Grangemouth was the longest of the Lowland canals. It was formally abandoned in 1962.

2 Jan 1793

Thomas Muir of Huntershill, Glasgow-born Advocate, arrested for sedition. He was released after a few days and went to France, on his return to Scotland, he was tried and sentenced to 14 years transportation.

1794

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders raised. Gordon Highlanders also raised.

21 Jul 1796

Death in Dumfries of Robert Burns, Scotland's National Bard. Composer of some 400 songs including the Scottish National Anthem 'Scots Wha Hae'.

1807

Tenants removed to make way for sheep-farming in the Sutherland Clearances. By this government policy, what little remained of Highlanders and Highland lifestyle was "cleared" out of 90% of the Highlands. The people were crammed onto ramshackle hellships with no hope, education or money, and sent to America, Australia New Zealand and Canada. There, many Scots who only spoke Gaelic, had to rebuild their entire lives separated by the Atlantic ocean from their wives, children and family.

4 Feb 1818

Sir Walter Scott supervised the rediscovery of the Honours of Scotland - the Scottish Crown Jewels - in Edinburgh Castle.

2 Apr 1820

The 1820 Rising proclamation distributed in the west of Scotland. The Radical Rising resulted in the execution of John Baird, Andrew Hardie and James Wilson.

8 Apr 1820

Radical prisoners from paisley were taken under escort to jail in Greenock. The citizens of Greenock fought their escort, the port Glasgow Militia, until they reached the jail. Still coming under attack the Militia opened fire on the stone throwing crowd killing eight and wounding ten before retreating from Greenock. In the evening the angry Greenockians stormed the jail and freed the prisoners.

13 Jul 1820

Commencement of the trial in Stirling for High treason of the Radicals captured at the Battle of Bonnymuir. Two of the accused, John Baird and Andrew Hardie, were subsequently executed on 8 September 1820.

30 Aug 1820

James Wilson, Strathaven Radical, hung and beheaded at Glasgow Green for his part in the 1820 Rising. A crowd of 20,000 sympathetic to Wilson, witnessed the event.

8 Sep 1820

John Baird and Andrew Hardie were hung and beheaded for treason in Stirling. They led the Radicals at the Battle of Bonnymuir in April 1820. Nineteen others were transported to New South Wales.

22 Dec 1820

The 1820 Radicals, sentenced to transportation to Australia, set sail on the convict ship Speke. Only one, Andrew White, returned when pardoned to Scotland.

29 Mar 1822

Death of Ewan MacLachlan, Gaelic poet born in Lochaber in 1775, librarian at King's College, Aberdeen, translator of Homer into Gaelic.

23 Oct 1822

Opening of the Caledonian Canal, Scotland's longest canal connecting Corpach (near Fort William) with Clachnaharry (near Inverness), about two-thirds of its 60 mile length comprises existing lochs - Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness.

1835

Continuous electric light invented by James Bowman Lindsay.

1845

pneumatic tyre invented by Robert Thomson.

1846

Anaesthesia developed by James Young Simpson.

17 Oct 1850

James Young obtains a patent for the extraction of paraffin from shale, the beginning of the paraffin industry in West Lothian. The successful business earned the Glasgow-born Chemist the nickname 'paraffin Young'.

13 Nov 1850

Birth of Robert Louis Stevenson, author and poet, in Edinburgh, the only son of lighthouse engineer Thomas Stevenson. Famous for books such as "Kidnapped" and "treasure Island", ill-health forced him to leave Scotland and he died at Vailima, Samoa on 3 December 1894.

1859

The National Gallery of Scotland opens.

1861

First colour photograph taken under the supervision of James Clerk Maxwell.

1864

Neil Munro, author and poet, born (1864-1930).

1 Feb 1865

The Highland Railway formed by the amalgamation of the Inverness and perth Junction and the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railways.

9 Jul 1867

Queens park Football Club, the first senior club in Scotland, was formed.

6 Jul 1870

Institute of Bankers in Scotland formed, the first such body in the world.

16 Jan 1874

Birth of Robert Service, poet, in preston, his Scottish father was from Kilwinning. Raised in Ayrshire he emigrated to Canada and through his poetry became known as the 'Bard of the Yukon'.

26 Aug 1875

Birth of John Buchan, author of successful adventure novels and of historical works, including 'Montrose'. He was Mp for Scottish Universities 1927-35, Lord High Commissioner to General Assembly 1933-4 and Governor General of Canada 1935-40.

9 Mar 1876

Scots-born Alexander Graham Bell patented the first telephone literally hours before a similar patent was lodged by American Elisha Gray.

5 Nov 1879

Death of James Clark Maxwell, one of the greatest mathematicians and physicists of the 19th century, born in Edinburgh 1831, professor at Aberdeen and London, he formulated the electro-magnetic theory of light and kinetic theory of gases, the basis of x-rays and thermodynamics.

1886

Crofter's Act passed.

4 Mar 1890

The Forth Railway Bridge, designed by Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker, opened for traffic. Total length : 1 mile 1005 yards. Main spans : 1710 feet long, the track 156 feet above high water, the cantilever towers 361 feet high.

1892

Thermos flask invented by Sir James Dewar.

11 Aug 1892

Birth of Christopher Murray Grieve in Langholm. As the poet Hugh MacDiarmid, he set in motion the Twentieth Century Scottish Literary Renaissance.

13 Feb 1901

Birth of James Leslie Mitchell in the Croft of Hillhead of Segget, Auchterless. As the writer Lewis Grassic Gibbon he is best known for his trilogy "A Scots Quair".

24 Oct 1911

Birth of Sorley MacLean, poet and teacher, Oagaig, Raasay - the greatest Gaelic poet of the Twentieth Century.

9 Dec 1913

Birth of Robert D. McIntyre, elected as first-ever Scottish National party Mp in the Motherwell and Wishaw by-election 1 April 1945. Recognised as the "Father of the modern SNp", he was party Chairman 1948-56 and provost of Stirling 1967-75.

1914 - 1918

The First World War: Despite having less than 11% of the population, Scotland supplies 27% of the casualties during this period of mass slaughter. Entire towns lose high percentages of their men, as they are used as cannon fodder by the English generals.

9 May 1918

John MacLean, Glasgow schoolmaster, labour leader and first Soviet Consul in Britain, tried in the High Court in Edinburgh for sedition.

22 Nov 1920

publication of "A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle" by Hugh MacDiarmid, Scotland's Greatest 20th Century poet and a founder member of the National party of Scotland in 1928.

1921

Scottish Railways absorbed into L.N.E.R. and L.M.S. lines.

1926

John Logie Baird transmits his first crude television picture from one room to another.

1928

Sir Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin.
Grampian Hydro-Electric power Scheme initiated.

23 Jun 1928

Inaugural Bannockburn Day demonstration by the National party of Scotland in Stirling. A large crowd were addressed by Christopher Murray Grieve (Hugh MacDiarmid), and pledged support for the new political party and its aim of achieving Independent National Status for Scotland.

29 Aug 1930

Evacuation of the population of St Kilda on economic grounds. The fall of the population from 73 in 1920 to 37 in 1928 led to the authorities deciding life is intolerable on the island.

28 Nov 1930

W Oliver Brown, candidate for the fledgling National party of Scotland, polled 4,818 votes in the Renfrew East By-Election and became the first NpS candidate to save election deposit. The National party of Scotland amalgamated with the Scottish party in April 1934 to form the modern Scottish National party.

20 Apr 1934

The first public meeting of the Scottish National party was held in the Central Hall, Tollcross, Edinburgh.

1935

Radar invented by Sir Robert Watson-Watt.

1939 - 1945

The Second World War. Again, Scotland loses a disproportionate amount of its young men in comparison with the rest of Britain.

12 Apr 1945

First Westminster paliamentary victory for the Scottish National party in the Motherwell and Wishaw by-election. Dr Robert D McIntyre won the election in a straight fight with Labour by a majority of 617 votes.

17 Aug 1947

Opening of the Edinburgh International Festival, the first major post-war Festival of Music and the Arts in Europe.

1950

The Scottish Covenant obtained over two million signatures in favour of Home Rule but like the 19th century Chartist petition it was ignored by the British government

25 Dec 1950

Four young Scots, led by Ian Hamilton, retrieve the Stone of Destiny from Westminster Abbey, London, England. It was later recovered from Arbroath Abbey, although some claim this was a copy, and the original remains in Scotland. All Scots know that this 'trophy' of Edward Longshanks is, in fact, the cess pit lid from Scone Abbey. The real stone remains hidden until Independence.

1962

Scotland wins its first Oscar for a Clydeside shipbuilding documentary, "Seawards the Great Ships".

14 Jun 1962

West Lothian By-Election in which SNp candidate William C Wolfe gained 9,750 votes and second place. The result confirmed the Nationalist revival set in motion with the Glasgow Bridgeton By-Election in November 1961. The SNp went on to contest 15 seats in the 1964 General Election as against only 5 in 1959.

1964

Forth Road Bridge opened. At 1006m it is the longest suspension bridge in Scotland and eighth longest in the world.

1966

Formation of a new Ultra Nationalist organisation. - the 1320 Club. The Club operated within and outwith the SNp and its members believed that forward planning and armed action might be required to defend an elected Scottish government against repression from England. During the late 1960’s and 1970’s it seemed very possible that Scotland would shortly become an independent Nation.

1966

Tay Road Bridge opened. At the time it was the longest river crossing of any road bridge in Britain.

1967

Winnie Ewing won the Hamilton by-election.

18 Jun 1970

First General Election success for the Scottish National party with Donald Stewart winning the Western Isles constituency from Labour. He held the seat until his retiral in 1987.

30 Jul 1971

The beginning of the work-in at John Brown's Clydebank Shipbuilding Yard, organised by Jimmy Reid, which led to the formation of Govan Shipbuilders.

10 Oct 1974

The Scottish National party polled 839,628 votes (30.44%) and won 11 seats in Westminster General Election. In addition the party gained 42 second places and saved every deposit.

1975

The first oil is piped ashore from the North Sea.

9 Sep 1978

Christopher Murray Grieve died in Edinburgh but his literary output as Hugh MacDiarmid lives on. Scotland's foremost poet of the 20th Century, he was the lynch-pin of the Scottish Literary Revival and a founder member of the National party of Scotland in 1928.

1978

The first manifestation of Siol nan Gaidheal is formed. The founder, Tom Moore, wanted an organisation whose aim was to inspire nationalism without inhibition or restraint. Scots should be conscious, proud and unashamed of their own identity

1982

At the 1982 Ayr Conference, the Scottish National party split and threw out both the 79 Group and Siol nan Gaidheal. S.N.G. became a proscribed organisation to the SNp, a status which has remained in force to the present day. prominent radical nationalists including the future SNp leader Alex Salmond were expelled from the party.

1988

The piper Alpha oil production platform in the North Sea explodes, killing 187 men.

1988

Anticipating the upsurge of Scottish Nationalism which led to Jim Sillar’s victory for the Scottish National party in Glasgow’s Govan, Jackie Stokes founds a completely new Nationalist organisation, and takes the name Siol nan Gaidheal.

1992

British Steel closes the Ravenscraig steelworks.
The US Navy leaves the Holy Loch submarine base.
Demise of Siol nan Gaidheal Mark 2.

1997

Third manifestation of Siol nan Gaidheal.

11 Sep 1997

Scots voted overwhelmingly for a Scottish parliament with tax-varying powers. The first Scottish parliament since 1707 was reconvened in 1999.

30 Mar 1999

Alex Salmond's speech on Kosovo provokes a storm in British politics. "Our servicemen deserve support, but the politicians who sent them there are not above criticism or responsibility."

6 May 1999

First Scottish parliament elected since 1707. State of the parties: Labour 56; Scottish National party 35; Conservatives 18; Liberal democrats 16; Greens 1; Scottish Socialist party 1; Independent 1.

6 May 1999

Tommy Sheridan becomes the Scottish Socialist party's first MSp, standing for an Independent Socialist Scotland as part of a worldwide fight-back against global capitalism.

12 May 1999

Scottish parliament reconvened with Dr Winifred M Ewing MSp as acting presiding Officer. Her first words to the parliament were - "The Scottish parliament which adjourned on the 25th of March in the year 1707 is hereby reconvened."

1 Jul 1999

Official opening of the reconvened Scottish 'Vichy' parliament in the Church of Scotland Assembly Hall, Edinburgh.

23 Sep 1999

SNp candidate Annabelle Ewing forced Labour to a recount in a Westminster by-election for Hamilton South, a traditional Labour stronghold. The Labour majority fell from 15,878 to 556.

11 Oct 2000

Donald Dewar, First Minister of Scotland, dies.

27 Oct 2000

Henry McLeish becomes First Minister.

17 Jul 2000

Leader of the SNp Alex Salmond, 45, unexpectedly announces his resignation at the party's annual conference in September after 10 years as national convener.

Aug 2000

SQA examination results fiasco.

23 Sep 2000

SNp Conference in Inverness. John Swinney's address to Conference on election as party Leader. Roseanna Cunningham becomes Deputy Leader.

Mar 2001

Continuing refusal of the Fisheries Minister, Rhona Brankin, to abide by the will of parliament and implement a compensated tie-up scheme for the fishing industry.

24 Jul 2001

Death of Jackie Stokes.