Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History. I’m your host, Colin MacDonald, and today, we’re taking a journey back to one of the most pivotal moments in Scotland's past. On this day, October 3, 1706, the Scottish Parliament began its debate on the Treaty of Union between Scotland and England. This would ultimately lead to the creation of Great Britain as we know it today.

The Treaty of Union, sometimes referred to as the Articles of Union, was a highly controversial and heavily debated subject at the time. Scotland and England had been separate kingdoms for centuries, each with its own parliament, laws, and identity. Yet, on this day, the Scottish Parliament began discussions that would ultimately dissolve their sovereignty and combine their future with their southern neighbor.

To understand why the Scottish Parliament began debating the union, we must first consider the broader context. Since 1603, Scotland and England had been united under one monarch. When Queen Elizabeth I of England died without an heir, the Scottish King James VI became James I of England, beginning the Union of the Crowns. However, this personal union of the monarchs did not translate into political unity. The two nations continued to govern themselves independently, and many attempts at a deeper union failed throughout the 17th century.

By the end of the 1600s, however, a series of events made union seem more inevitable. Chief among them was the economic disaster of the Darien scheme. In 1698, Scotland launched an ill-fated attempt to establish a colony in Panama. The venture, known as the Darien expedition, was a financial catastrophe, wiping out a significant portion of Scotland’s wealth and leaving the country in a precarious economic state. England, at the same time, was a rising colonial power with global influence. The failure of Darien weakened Scottish resistance to a union with England, which many believed could provide economic stability.

Additionally, Queen Anne, who ascended to the throne in 1702, was a strong proponent of union. She saw it as a way to secure Protestant succession and prevent the return of the Catholic Stuart claimants. With both England and Scotland facing political and economic pressures, negotiations began in earnest in 1705, culminating in the signing of the Treaty of Union in July 1706.

On October 3, 1706, the Scottish Parliament opened its debates on the treaty. This moment marked the beginning of fierce discussions that would last for months. The treaty was composed of 25 articles, covering everything from trade to taxes, parliamentary representation, and the future of Scotland’s legal system.

Support for the union came from the governing Court Party, which argued that Scotland’s economic future would be secured through access to English markets and colonial trade. There were also fears that, without the union, Scotland might face even more severe terms from England, including military intervention. Indeed, English troops were stationed just south of the Scottish border as a not-so-subtle reminder of what might happen if the negotiations failed.

However, opposition to the union was widespread, both inside and outside the parliament. The opposition, led by figures like George Lockhart of Carnwath, argued that the treaty amounted to the destruction of Scotland as an independent nation. Many feared that the country would lose its identity, culture, and sovereignty. Popular resistance to the union was intense, with riots breaking out in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and other cities as ordinary Scots protested what they saw as a betrayal by their leaders.

The debate inside the Scottish Parliament was heated. On more than one occasion, the session had to be suspended due to the threat of violence from the notorious "Edinburgh Mob," who were angered by the prospect of union and sought to disrupt the proceedings. These were not just political disagreements—they were deeply emotional battles over the future of Scotland’s very existence as a separate kingdom.

Despite the opposition, the Treaty of Union was eventually passed by the Scottish Parliament in January 1707, and the political union between Scotland and England came into effect on May 1 of that year. The parliaments of the two kingdoms were dissolved and replaced by a new Parliament of Great Britain, with 45 Scottish MPs joining the House of Commons and 16 Scottish peers entering the House of Lords.

Financial compensation played a significant role in persuading Scottish parliamentarians to support the union. The so-called "Equivalent," a sum of money granted to Scotland to offset its assumed share of England's national debt, helped win over key supporters. However, many Scots viewed this financial arrangement as a bribe. The poet Robert Burns famously expressed this sentiment in his poem Such a Parcel of Rogues in a Nation, condemning those who had “sold” Scotland for English gold.

The Treaty of Union remains a deeply significant and controversial event in Scottish history. For some, it marked the beginning of a new, prosperous chapter for Scotland as part of a global empire. For others, it represented the loss of Scotland’s independence and a dark betrayal of its national identity. Even today, debates over Scotland’s place in the United Kingdom echo the arguments heard in Parliament back in 1706.

As we reflect on this historic moment, it’s clear that the debates that began on October 3, 1706, continue to shape the politics of Scotland and the UK today. Thank you for joining me on This Day in Scottish History. I’m Colin MacDonald, and until next time, haste ye back!

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