Today is Britain's 300th birthday. Wales and England were unified as one country in around 1543. In 1707, England/Wales then united with Scotland to form Great Britain. A new flag had to be created - it combined England's flag with Scotland's to form the Union Jack. In 1801, Great Britain then united with the island of Ireland as one country (so a red diagonal cross was added to the Union Flag) until 1922, when most of the island broke away from the Union leaving what is now Northern Ireland. So today, the UK consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Despite being the most successful union of two former enemies in the history of the world, many Scots and English - the English especially - want the Union to break up, so today's 300th birthday celebrations are low key.
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Union in poor state on 300th anniversary
By Laura Clout and agencies
16/01/2007
Today is the 300th anniversary of the Act of Union between England and Scotland which saw the two countries merge to form Great Britain.
A letter written by King James I of England (James VI of Scotland), who first united the two crowns. James was king of Scotland for 30 years before he became king of England and Wales (in effect, England/Wales got Scotland's monarchy). Although the Crowns of England and Scotland were united in 1603, giving us the same monarchy whereas previously we had different ones, it was until 1707 that the two nations were united politically.
Celebrations will be low key south of the Border, featuring the creation of a commemorative £2 coin and an exhibition in the House of Lords.
The Scottish Parliament is organising a series of events involving schools, museums and galleries to mark the anniversary, including an exhibition at its Holyrood building called Making the Act of Union 1707.
During renewed debate on whether the union should continue, polls have revealed just over half of Scots and the same number of the English, support independence for Scotland.
Results also suggested there is support on both sides of the Border for an English Parliament. Earlier this month Gordon Brown issued a stark warning that the Union is under threat. Writing in The Daily Telegraph he staked his claim to be the champion of Unionism against what he called a “dangerous drift” of separatism.
The Chancellor’s comments came in the face of resurgent support for the Scottish National Party and calls for English laws to be decided by English MPs alone. England and Scotland have shared one monarch since 1603 but it was Queen Anne who recommended the union of the two kingdoms, influenced by a 10-month stay in Scotland in 1681.
The Scottish Parliament passed an Act of Union on January 16, 1707 amid allegations of bribery and religious division.
The House of Commons followed on February 28 and Queen Anne gave the royal assent on March 6 to an Act which stated: “The Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN’’.
A new Union flag combined the Cross of St Andrew, featuring white diagonals on a blue ground, and the Cross of St George, featuring a red cross. The cross saltire of St Patrick was added in 1801 after the Act of Union with Ireland when that island became a part of Britain.
The new 2007 £2 coin. This one celebrates Britain's 300th birthday. Split into four jigsaw pieces, Scottish thistle in the top left, English rose in the bottom right, parliamentary gates in the top right and bottom left. Along its edge is the inscription "United in one kingdom".
telegraph.co.uk
Despite being the most successful union of two former enemies in the history of the world, many Scots and English - the English especially - want the Union to break up, so today's 300th birthday celebrations are low key.
--------------------------------------
Union in poor state on 300th anniversary
By Laura Clout and agencies
16/01/2007
Today is the 300th anniversary of the Act of Union between England and Scotland which saw the two countries merge to form Great Britain.
Celebrations will be low key south of the Border, featuring the creation of a commemorative £2 coin and an exhibition in the House of Lords.
The Scottish Parliament is organising a series of events involving schools, museums and galleries to mark the anniversary, including an exhibition at its Holyrood building called Making the Act of Union 1707.
During renewed debate on whether the union should continue, polls have revealed just over half of Scots and the same number of the English, support independence for Scotland.
Results also suggested there is support on both sides of the Border for an English Parliament. Earlier this month Gordon Brown issued a stark warning that the Union is under threat. Writing in The Daily Telegraph he staked his claim to be the champion of Unionism against what he called a “dangerous drift” of separatism.
The Chancellor’s comments came in the face of resurgent support for the Scottish National Party and calls for English laws to be decided by English MPs alone. England and Scotland have shared one monarch since 1603 but it was Queen Anne who recommended the union of the two kingdoms, influenced by a 10-month stay in Scotland in 1681.
The Scottish Parliament passed an Act of Union on January 16, 1707 amid allegations of bribery and religious division.
The House of Commons followed on February 28 and Queen Anne gave the royal assent on March 6 to an Act which stated: “The Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN’’.
A new Union flag combined the Cross of St Andrew, featuring white diagonals on a blue ground, and the Cross of St George, featuring a red cross. The cross saltire of St Patrick was added in 1801 after the Act of Union with Ireland when that island became a part of Britain.
The new 2007 £2 coin. This one celebrates Britain's 300th birthday. Split into four jigsaw pieces, Scottish thistle in the top left, English rose in the bottom right, parliamentary gates in the top right and bottom left. Along its edge is the inscription "United in one kingdom".
telegraph.co.uk
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