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Top 10 Facts about the Acts of Union 鈥� 1707

The Acts of Union are the two Acts of parliament which included the Union with Scotland Act of 1706 and the Union with England Act of 1707. The Union with Scotland Act of 1706 was the first Act that was passed by the Parliament of England. The Union with England Act 1707 being the second was passed by the Parliament of Scotland. The commissioners who represented the parliament in both countries agreed on the terms of the Treaty of Union on 22^nd July 1706.

The two Acts, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England led to two countries being united into one kingdom which was named, Great Britain. Although both countries united later they had both shared a monarch in 1603 since the Union of the Crowns. The English Parliament and the Scottish Parliament united under the act on 1^st May 1707 and the parliament was based in the Palace of Westminster in London. Since then the Acts have been referred to as the Union of the Parliaments.

Below are the top ten facts about the Acts of Union 鈥� 1707

1. Both Countries had Different Monarchs Before 1603

Both England and Scotland had different monarchs before 1603. This resulted from Elizabeth 1 who however did not get married and in 1567 her presumed heir became the Stuart king of Scotland, James VI. After the death of Elizabeth, James held the two crowns as James 1 of England and James VI of Scotland. He became responsible for uniting the two using the royal prerogative taking the title 鈥淜ing of Great Britain鈥�. He also went ahead and gave a British character to his person and court.

2. There were Prior Trials to Unite both Countries

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Although both countries came to unite later under the Acts of Union 鈥� 1707, there were other prior attempts of the same. There were about three prior attempts to unite the countries that took place in 1606, 1667, and 1689. The attempts were made through the Acts of Parliament for the countries. After several trials, both political establishments came to support the idea in the early 18^th century.

3. Military Occupation Diminished the Economic Benefits

The integration of the commonwealth led to the establishment of free trade between England and Scotland. The military occupation however diminished the economic benefits resulting from the free trade establishment. However, England and Scotland were majorly associated with the union that had heavy taxes and military rule. Since the commonwealth did not have a lot of support from both countries, it was dissolved after the restoration of Charles 11 in 1660.

4. English Navigation Acts Damaged the Scottish Economy

The English Navigation Acts of 1660 and 1663 had a very negative impact on Scotland as they massively damaged its economy. Other civil wars such as England’s wars and the Dutch Republic greatly affected Scotland since it was its major market. Although an Anglo-Scots Trade Commission was later established England was not willing to make concessions since the Scots had very little to offer.

5. Scotland Experienced the Seven Lean Years

The Seven Lean Years are considered the longest and most widespread time when famine was greatly experienced in Scotland in the 1690s. It was a very difficult time for the entire of Europe but specifically tough for Scotland. The seven years led to massive strained relations which were experienced between Scotland and England. However, the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies helped to raise capital that allowed the Scottish investors to build a colony to trade with East Asia.

6. Acts of Union was a means of Increasing State Centralization

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The Acts of Union in a much wider context, it was established as a means of increasing state centralization. This took place during the late 17^th and early 18^th centuries. As a means of increasing centralization, it included the monarchies of Sweden, Denmark, Spain, and France as well. There were also other exceptions which included the Republic of Venice and the Dutch Republic.

7. English Succession was Provided by the Acts of Settlement 1701

The English Succession which was provided by the Act of Settlement 1701 required that a monarch was supposed to be a protestant member of the house of Hanover. The Scottish throne would be inherited by another person after Queen Anne before the Union of Parliament. However, without consultations with Scotland, the English Parliament designated Sophia of Hanover as her successor if she died without a child.

8. Scottish Economy Faced Several Threats

The Scottish economy however faced several threats including the seven ill years, privateers, and the nine Year’s war. The Privateers which was a ship that engaged in maritime warfare under a commission of war greatly crippled the economy between 1688 and 1697. The war of the Spanish Succession in 1701 also contributed to the decline of the Scottish economy.

9. England and Scotland had Intense Negotiations at the Cockpit in London

Both Scotland and England experienced intense negotiations with their commissioners between 16^th April and 22 July in 1706. Each side however had its different concerns that were addressed by the 62 commissioners in the meeting. Scotland had the access to the colonial markets while England was guaranteed of Hanoverian dynasty to succeed Queen Anne to the Scottish crown.

10. Duke of Queensberry was Responsible for the Passage of the Union Act

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The Duke of Queensberry was considered majorly responsible for the success of the Union Act by the parliament of Scotland. He however received several criticisms while in Scotland from the local people while the people of England cheered him greatly. He also received half of the funding awarded by the Westminster Treasury for himself. Later on, he traveled to London in 1707 to celebrate at the royal court where he was greeted by groups of noblemen who lined the road.

Acts of Union was an act of parliament that led to the union between England and Scotland. This was a result of negotiations that occurred between the two countries which led to the formation of Great Britain. The negotiations were however successful due to the involvement of the Duke of Queensberry who received several criticisms in Scotland but was greatly appreciated in England.