Act of Union (1707): Difference between revisions
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Act of Parliament joining the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain. | |||
In 1601, [[James I]], already King of Scotland (as James VI), succeeded to the English throne. He, like his successors up to 1707, was King of England ''and'' King of Scotland: they held the two crowns in personal union, but there was no political union between the two countries. England and Scotland had separate governments, and there were two parliaments, legal systems, education systems, etc. as well. | |||
As a result of the [[Act of Settlement]], the Act of Union was installed on 1 May 1707 in order to prevent a separation of the two countries (and an attack by the [[Jacobitism|Jacobites]]). According to the Act of Settlement the House of Hanover should succeed Queen [[Anne I]]. The Hanoverians could claim the English throne, but not automatically the Scottish one. In other words: there was a danger that the English and Scottish monarchs would once again be two different persons. Therefore, England and Scotland were united under the Act of Union and formed the United Kingdom. | |||
http://www.parliament.uk/actofunion/01_background.html | == Sources == | ||
* http://www.royal.gov.uk/HistoryoftheMonarchy/Scottish%20Monarchs(400ad-1603)/TheStewarts/Anne.aspx | |||
* http://www.parliament.uk/actofunion/01_background.html | |||
Revision as of 21:21, 11 November 2010
Act of Parliament joining the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain.
In 1601, James I, already King of Scotland (as James VI), succeeded to the English throne. He, like his successors up to 1707, was King of England and King of Scotland: they held the two crowns in personal union, but there was no political union between the two countries. England and Scotland had separate governments, and there were two parliaments, legal systems, education systems, etc. as well.
As a result of the Act of Settlement, the Act of Union was installed on 1 May 1707 in order to prevent a separation of the two countries (and an attack by the Jacobites). According to the Act of Settlement the House of Hanover should succeed Queen Anne I. The Hanoverians could claim the English throne, but not automatically the Scottish one. In other words: there was a danger that the English and Scottish monarchs would once again be two different persons. Therefore, England and Scotland were united under the Act of Union and formed the United Kingdom.