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History of Scotland
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The Kingdom of Scotland lies in the northwest of Europe and is one of the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom. Till May 1, 1707 the country of Scotland had maintained its independent existence when in accordance to an act a political union with the kingdom of England took place. Thus Scotland lost its sovereignty as an independent nation and has no individual membership of United Nations or the European Union. The history of Scotland dates back to 9500 years when groups of settlers began to build their permanent houses on the Scottish soil. But the first villages of Scotland dates back to 6000 years. The Neolithic structures built of local stone can be found in the Northern Isles and Western Isles.
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The history of Scotland can be traced back to the coming of Romans when they occupied the present England and Wales. The country assumed its present form by the end of 13th-century. However the process of cultural and economic change started taking place in the 12th-century that brought with it legally defined towns called burghs. With the death of Alexander III in 1286 the country became prone to intervention by the King of England. The Scottish people resented against the puppet king who was accorded the throne of Scotland by the king of England. Thus started the Scottish Wars of Independence which signified a new era in the history of Scotland. The end of the war signified an independent existence for Scotland in the year 1357. However the end of Middle Ages presented a different picture as the country showed signs of breakage along cultural lines into the Scots-speaking Lowlands and the Gaelic-speaking Highlands.
The history of Scotland entered a new phase in the16th-century as the country underwent a protestant reformation. The country was swept by the teachings of Martin Luther and john Calvin. The reformation of the Scottish Church saw the beginning of a Civil War in 1559-60. With the disposition of Queen Mary in 1567 James VI occupied the throne till 1603. But with the death of Queen Elizabeth I the crown of England was transferred to James. The later then took the title James I of England and James VI of Scotland thereby unifying the two countries of England and Scotland.
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