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The
Act of Union 1707
Uniting the kingdoms of Scotland and England had been proposed for a
hundred years before it actually happened in 1707.
Suspicion and mistrust between the two countries had prevented the
union throughout the 17th century. The Scots feared that they
would simply become another region of England, being swallowed up as
had happened to Wales some four hundred years earlier. For
England the fear that the Scots may take sides with France and
rekindle the 'Auld Alliance' was decisive. England relied
heavily on Scottish soldiers and to have them turn and join ranks
with the French would have been disastrous.A
few financial incentives appear to have convinced some dithering
Scottish MPs of the many potential benefits of a union with
England. In the words of Robert Burns, they (the Scottish MPs) were
"bought and sold for English gold". 
The
'Old' Union Flag
In
a poorly attended Scottish Parliament the MPs voted to agree the
Union and on 16th January 1707 the Act of Union was signed. The Act
came into effect on May 1st 1707; the
Scottish parliament was dissolved and England and Scotland became
one country.
Scotland
kept its independence with respect to its legal and religious
systems, but coinage, taxation, sovereignty, trade , parliament and
flag became one. The red cross of St. George combined with the
blue cross of St. Andrew resulting in the 'old' union flag.
This is popularly called the Union Jack, although strictly speaking,
this only applies when it is flown on the jackstaff of a warship.
 The
Union flag that we recognise today did not appear until 1801, after
another Act of Union, when the 'old' flag combined with the red
cross of St. Patrick of Ireland. 2007 marks
the 300th anniversary of the Act of Union between England
and Scotland. A commemorative two-pound coin will be issued
to mark the anniversary, which occurs 2 days before the
Scottish Parliament general election on 3 May 2007
©
HUK.
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