Previous to 1689, the only consistent uniting force between England and Scotland had been the monarchy, but the 'Glorious Revolution' saw the Scottish and the English governments working together. This was the first step towards wider ranging agreement: a number of attempts at Union occurred after the Glorious Revolution, but it was the constitutional and economic factors of the early 1700’s brought the issue to the fore.

The Royal Succession

The constitutional issues centred around the subject of succession. Although Scotland and England were united by one monarch in 1603, Scotland attempted a different route after the execution of Charles I, and separate monarchies would remain a possibility as long as two parliaments existed to legislate on matters of succession. William and Mary and then Queen Anne (1702-14) had no children. This made many people feel that a coherent line of succession needed to be established before a crisis actually happened. William had developed a working relationship with Scotland, but Anne had few links with the country, and there was no guarantee that an independent Scotland would follow her plans to pass the crown on to the House of Hanover.

The Economic Factor

Poor harvests in the 1690's weakened Scotland's internal economic situation. Externally, there was an economic conflict between England and Scotland, from which Scotland did not benefit. The Darien scheme, to set up a Scottish trading colony in the New World, brought Scotland into competition with the East India Company, supported by the English government. The East India Company refused to sell supplies to the second Darien expedition in 1700, helping towards its failure and the subsequent loss of up to one quarter of Scotland's liquid assets. Scotland was already reliant on an economic relationship with England: half of Scotland's exports in 1700 went to England, but this figure began to decline in the early years of the eighteenth century. Union with England would create the largest free trade area in 18th century Europe. This economic impact was given great attention in the Treaty of Union. Fifteen of the twenty-five articles dealt with economic matters, while many constitutional issues were simply not addressed.

The Treaty

Union could only happen if a treaty could be agreed by both the English and Scottish governments. Each government sent commissioners who worked in separate groups, communicating by writing only. When the Treaty was drawn up, it began its progress first through the Scottish Parliament, beginning October 1706, ratified January 1707 and then through the English Parliament (ratified March 1707).

Left above: This facsimile of the Exemplification of the Treaty of Union, 1707, can be seen in the Visitor Centre. It was reproduced for the exhibition from the original held in the National Archives of Scotland

The Treaty of Union declares that England and Scotland shall become one kingdom, with the same monarchy and succession, and equal trade and economic rights. Some clauses permit the continuation of Scottish institutions (such as the burgh and legal systems). Other institutions, such as the Great Seal (used to signify state approval) were remade in a new ‘British’ version. However, most clauses stated that Union was to be obtained by Scotland adopting the existing English form: customs and excise duties, weights and measures and coinage. The English representation in the House of Commons and the House of Lords remained unchanged; Scotland was permitted to send sixteen peers to the Lords and forty-five MPs (burgh and shire commissioners) to the Commons.