Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Talk:Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars

2011-12-01T00:30:45Z

HollyS: /* Sunday Sport */ Don't question the ways of the Lord

Mr Schlafly: this is such a great insight. I'm really impressed by some of the powerful conservative thinking on CP. Do you think most sports players are conservative because being successful at sport means being competitive? i.e trying to do your best instead of being a liberal wuss and complaining about other people doing well. Is it OK to add conservatives in UK sports like rugby, cricket and football? [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 17:26, 26 November 2011 (EST)

:Competitive sports is a [[meritocracy]], which is a [[conservative]] value. Liberals prefer to "spread the wealth," which in sports would mean leveling the wins and losses.

:Please do add legitimate examples from around the world.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 17:29, 26 November 2011 (EST)

::I agree this is a fascinating page; enough so that I joined to help edit! Many athletes praise God in postgame interviews, etc., across all sports. I wonder if there's a way to work that into this page? [[User:LeRoyB|LeRoyB]] 17:18, 28 November 2011 (EST)

== Football ==

Hi Andy, For Gavin Peacock, you changed "football" to "soccer" but you've left the sport beside some other people's names (Tim Tebow and Kurt Warner - sorry, I've never heard of them) as plain "football". Does that mean American football? (like rugby league with padding). Shouldn't we change "football" for those guys to "American football" so as not to confuse people outside the USA? Otherwise, this is a great page - and I don't see any nit-picky socialists whining about any of their guys being top sports(wo)men! [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 18:07, 28 November 2011 (EST)
: I disagree. It is pretty obvious that football is American football. What the Europeans call football is really called "Association football" or "soccer" for short. [[User:JamieM|JamieM]] 20:36, 28 November 2011 (EST)
:: It's not obvious to people outside the USA. And I think you'll find that football was invented in England. (Except I expect archaeologists will find it came from France, like cricket...)[[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 16:36, 29 November 2011 (EST)

:::I am for getting rid of the non-American stars. At a minimum, a separate section. Plus, we do need to some conservative women on this page. Who follows women's sports in the Olympics, WNBA, NCAA Basketball, Fast Pitch Softball?--[[User:Jpatt|Jpatt]] 23:25, 29 November 2011 (EST)

== Track and Field ==

Would Al Oerter qualify? He was the greatest discus thrower ever, one of only two athletes to win their event at four conservative Olympics. He was critical of the "drug culture" that had overtaken sports when he finally retired (at an age much older than when most athletes retire). He criticized steroid use.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 00:21, 30 November 2011 (EST)

== Sunday Sport ==

Can anyone clarify the actual significance of playing sport on a Sunday? Many people are included here for refusing to play on Sunday, and yet Lewis Hamilton is listed, when his sport take place exclusively on Sundays. --[[User:QPR|QPR]] 08:26, 30 November 2011 (EST)
: Perhaps God has guided Ewen Murray to honour Him by observing the Sabbath, but Lewis Hamilton to glorify Him with outstanding achievements on the Sabbath. Questioning how the Lord has revealed himself to different people is awfully dangerous territory. Be humble enough to understand that He is working in different ways in different people with perfect wisdom. [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 19:30, 30 November 2011 (EST)

Talk:Essay: PZ Myers, is your wife an atheist?

2011-11-30T00:48:53Z

HollyS: /* Join the dots...? */ new section

{{delete}} Bad taste [[User:AugustO|AugustO]] 15:24, 28 November 2011 (EST)

== Really? ==

Is this what passes for intellectual discussion on this site? --[[User:Mentoc|Mentoc]] 17:27, 28 November 2011 (EST)
:It's an "Essay:". On any other site, it would pass for "Fun:" or "Parody:". [[User:JonG|~ ]][[User_talk:JonG|JonG]][[Special:Contributions/JonG| ~]] 19:56, 28 November 2011 (EST)
::No, Mentoc, but it is all "Conservative" has done for the year I have been here. It is not fun or parody. It is more of "Conservative's" hateful attacks on people he disagrees with who are more prominent than he will ever be. Best to just walk away like I did and only come back when you have an idea to add to the encyclopedia part of the website. There is no community that is fun or nice to be part of and "Conservative" will only attack you too. [[User:NKeaton|Nate]] 09:54, 29 November 2011 (EST)
::: That's the impression I get too. Conservative claims he makes these articles for the sake of humour, but it feels more like an excuse to make outlandish or abstract arguments against atheism, such as suggesting that their views make them bad at dancing, or that their weight issues demonstrate a lack of scientific knowledge. I find this article especially confusing. These prominent atheists having religious partners suggests that atheists and religious people can have friendly, loving and accommodating relationships with one another. But rather than dwell on that rather heart warming notion, he instead uses these relationships to suggest that atheists can't even convince their own wives to abandon religion. Apart from the obvious flaw in this argument (the wives haven't even been able to convince their own husbands either), this just seems like a sad, depressing way to regard relationships. Should Conservapedia really be providing these sorts of windows into the minds of its more essentric members? [[User:Maninahat|Maninahat]] 13:12. 29 November 2011 (EST)
:::::Maninahat, where have I ever said that weight issues demonstrate a lack of scientific knowledge or that atheism makes people to be bad dancers? Second, many atheists are constantly talking about how atheists are smarter, etc. The atheist [[David Silverman]] has a marketing degree and he is paid to market/sell atheism for the [[American Atheists]] organization. I just think it is humorous that he has been unable to close the sale in terms of his wife being atheist. :) Plus, Wired magazine did say that atheists tend to be quarrelsome, socially challenged males and I do find the issue of the etiology of atheism to be interesting as do others. :) Lastly, PZ Myers and other New Atheists are constantly talking about how religion infects people's minds and makes them stupid or act stupid as can be seen [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfXbnygJirc HERE]. I just think it would be funny if PZ Myers with his supposedly "healthy" and "unstupified" mind was unable to convince his wife that atheism was valid. By the way, has PZ Myers answered the other questions posed yet. :) I don't think so! [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 17:24, 29 November 2011 (EST)
:::::::Does PZ Myers care what or even know of the questions you posed? I don't think so! [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 17:28, 29 November 2011 (EST)
Mad Max, thank you for confirming that [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLkjbB99HTU&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL598E39244DF6542F Atheism is madness] :) [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 19:22, 29 November 2011 (EST)
:Back to accusing me of being an atheist again? Ho hum. [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 19:32, 29 November 2011 (EST)

== Join the dots...? ==

Conservative, much though I like the things you say (as in our previous Talk page discussions), I do sometimes find a bit hard to follow your logic sometimes. How do you get from atheism to not liking ponies? I don't quite follow all the connections. You gave me a great explanation last time I was puzzled by one of your articles so I'd really appreciate it if you could take the time to set out the steps in your argument here. Anyway, keep the good stuff coming! [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 19:48, 29 November 2011 (EST)

Talk:Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars

2011-11-29T21:36:13Z

HollyS: /* Football */

Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars

2011-11-28T23:12:36Z

HollyS:

Most sports stars are probably [[conservative]]. Here are some of the greatest:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Athlete
!Sport
![[Conservatism]]
|-
|[[Tim Tebow]]
|football<ref>The first college sophomore to win the [[Heisman Trophy]], and the only quarterback to lead his team to two [[BCS]] college championships.</ref>
|[[pro-life]], outspoken Christian
|-
|[[Ted Williams]]
|baseball (and fighter pilot)
|campaigned for Republicans, also criticized the media
|-
|Kurt Warner
|football
|pro-lifer who led two ''different'' underachieving teams to the [[Super Bowl]]
|-
|Zach Johnson
|golf
|won the [[Masters]] on [[Easter Sunday]] against the heavily favored Tiger Woods,<ref>http://www.fcagolf.org/masters-peace</ref> when he was at the peak of his career, and then gave credit to [[Jesus Christ]]
|-
|Trevor Bayne
|auto racing
|Gave credit to God for being the youngest Daytona 500 winner
|-
|Pete Sampras
|tennis<ref>Winner of 14 Grand Slam singles titles.</ref>
|
|-
|[[Jim Bunning]]
|baseball
|Republican Senator (KY)
|-
|[[Jon Runyan]]
|football
|Republican Congressman (NJ)
|-
|Steve Largent
|football
|
|-
|[[Jack Kemp]]
|football
|
|-
|Chris Dudley
|basketball
|Republican nominee for Oregon governor
|-
|Curt Schilling
|baseball
|
|-
|[[Jim Ryun]]
|track
|Republican Congressman (KS)
|-
|[[J.C. Watts]]
|college football
|Republican Congressman (OK)
|-
|[[John Elway]]
|football
|supporter of Republican candidates
|-
|Lynn Swann
|football
|Republican candidate for governor (PA)
|-
|Jeff Suppan
|baseball
|did a pro-life ad while winning the World Series in 2006
|-
|[[Sandy Koufax]]
|baseball
|Refused to pitch in a World Series game because it fell on Yom Kippur
|-
|Billy Sunday
|baseball
|Left professional baseball and became a famous evangelist
|-
|Dan Hampton
|football
|helped lead the Chicago Bears to their 1985 Super Bowl title, but declined an invitation to an Obama White House publicity stunt
|-
|Paul Azinger
|golf
|PGA champion who criticized Obama
|-
|Jack Lynch
|Gaelic football and hurling
|One of the greatest ever dual players. As Taoiseach, reduced taxes and thereby increased employment in Ireland.
|-
|Lewis Hamilton
|Formula 1
|outspoken Christian, describing his 2008 world championship win as "a blessing"
|-
|Michael Jones
|Rugby union
|His Christian beliefs caused him to abstain from playing or training on Sundays. Recently endorsed the conservative New Zealand National Party
|-
|Ewan Murray
|Rugby union
|Observes the Sabbath and does not play for his club (Newcastle) or country (Scotland) on Sundays.
|-
|Eric Liddell
|Athletics
|Honoured in both Scotland and China as one of their great-ever athletes, Liddell refused to run in the 1924 Olympic 100m on a Sunday. Instead, he competed in the 400m and though it was not his best event he won the gold medal. Returned to China as a missionary and was devoted to helping the sick and poor.
|-
|Gavin Peacock
|Soccer
|Attacking midfielder for Newcastle, Chelsea and QPR then a respected footballer commentator. From 2006, combined commentating with attending a seminary. Now training full-time for the ministry.
|-
|Diego Maradona
|Soccer
|Credited a critical goal in the 1986 World Cup to the "hand of God"
|-
|[[Gerald Ford]]
|College Football
|38th [[President of the United States]], Republican
|-
|Jason Robinson
|Rugby league & rugby union
|Becoming a born-again Christian enabled him to reform his messed-up personal life
|-
|David Sheppard
|Cricket
|First-class cricketer and twice captain of England. Evangelical Christian who became a bishop. The only ordained minister to have played a test match.
|-
|}

== References ==

<references/>

== See also ==

*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Songs]]
*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Movies]]
*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Television Shows]]
[[Category:Essays]]
[[Category:Sports]]

Talk:Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars

2011-11-28T23:07:24Z

HollyS: /* Football */ new section

Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars

2011-11-28T22:58:39Z

HollyS: Jason Robinson

Most sports stars are probably [[conservative]]. Here are some of the greatest:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Athlete
!Sport
![[Conservatism]]
|-
|[[Tim Tebow]]
|football<ref>The first college sophomore to win the [[Heisman Trophy]], and the only quarterback to lead his team to two [[BCS]] college championships.</ref>
|[[pro-life]], outspoken Christian
|-
|[[Ted Williams]]
|baseball (and fighter pilot)
|campaigned for Republicans, also criticized the media
|-
|Kurt Warner
|football
|pro-lifer who led two ''different'' underachieving teams to the [[Super Bowl]]
|-
|Zach Johnson
|golf
|won the [[Masters]] on [[Easter Sunday]] against the heavily favored Tiger Woods,<ref>http://www.fcagolf.org/masters-peace</ref> when he was at the peak of his career, and then gave credit to [[Jesus Christ]]
|-
|Trevor Bayne
|auto racing
|Gave credit to God for being the youngest Daytona 500 winner
|-
|Pete Sampras
|tennis<ref>Winner of 14 Grand Slam singles titles.</ref>
|
|-
|[[Jim Bunning]]
|baseball
|Republican Senator (KY)
|-
|[[Jon Runyan]]
|football
|Republican Congressman (NJ)
|-
|Steve Largent
|football
|
|-
|[[Jack Kemp]]
|football
|
|-
|Chris Dudley
|basketball
|Republican nominee for Oregon governor
|-
|Curt Schilling
|baseball
|
|-
|[[Jim Ryun]]
|track
|Republican Congressman (KS)
|-
|[[J.C. Watts]]
|college football
|Republican Congressman (OK)
|-
|[[John Elway]]
|football
|supporter of Republican candidates
|-
|Lynn Swann
|football
|Republican candidate for governor (PA)
|-
|Jeff Suppan
|baseball
|did a pro-life ad while winning the World Series in 2006
|-
|[[Sandy Koufax]]
|baseball
|Refused to pitch in a World Series game because it fell on Yom Kippur
|-
|Billy Sunday
|baseball
|Left professional baseball and became a famous evangelist
|-
|Dan Hampton
|football
|helped lead the Chicago Bears to their 1985 Super Bowl title, but declined an invitation to an Obama White House publicity stunt
|-
|Paul Azinger
|golf
|PGA champion who criticized Obama
|-
|Jack Lynch
|Gaelic football and hurling
|One of the greatest ever dual players. As Taoiseach, reduced taxes and thereby increased employment in Ireland.
|-
|Lewis Hamilton
|Formula 1
|outspoken Christian, describing his 2008 world championship win as "a blessing"
|-
|Michael Jones
|Rugby union
|His Christian beliefs caused him to abstain from playing or training on Sundays. Recently endorsed the conservative New Zealand National Party
|-
|Ewan Murray
|Rugby union
|Observes the Sabbath and does not play for his club (Newcastle) or country (Scotland) on Sundays.
|-
|Eric Liddell
|Athletics
|Honoured in both Scotland and China as one of their great-ever athletes, Liddell refused to run in the 1924 Olympic 100m on a Sunday. Instead, he competed in the 400m and though it was not his best event he won the gold medal. Returned to China as a missionary and was devoted to helping the sick and poor.
|-
|Gavin Peacock
|Soccer
|Attacking midfielder for Newcastle, Chelsea and QPR then a respected footballer commentator. From 2006, combined commentating with attending a seminary. Now training full-time for the ministry.
|-
|Diego Maradona
|Soccer
|Credited a critical goal in the 1986 World Cup to the "hand of God"
|-
|[[Gerald Ford]]
|College Football
|38th [[President of the United States]], Republican
|-
|[[Jason Robinson]]
|Rugby league & rugby union
|Becoming a born-again Christian enabled him to reform his messed-up personal life
|-
|}

== References ==

<references/>

== See also ==

*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Songs]]
*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Movies]]
*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Television Shows]]
[[Category:Essays]]
[[Category:Sports]]

Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars

2011-11-27T22:42:25Z

HollyS: Gavin Peacock

Most sports stars are probably [[conservative]]. Here are some of the greatest:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Athlete
!Sport
![[Conservatism]]
|-
|[[Tim Tebow]]
|football
|[[pro-life]], outspoken Christian
|-
|Trevor Bayne
|auto racing
|Gave credit to God for being the youngest Daytona 500 winner
|-
|Kurt Warner
|football
|pro-lifer who led two ''different'' underachieving teams to the [[Super Bowl]]
|-
|Pete Sampras
|tennis
|
|-
|[[Jim Bunning]]
|baseball
|Republican Senator (KY)
|-
|[[Jon Runyan]]
|football
|Republican Congressman (NJ)
|-
|Steve Largent
|football
|
|-
|[[Jack Kemp]]
|football
|
|-
|Chris Dudley
|basketball
|Republican nominee for Oregon governor
|-
|Curt Schilling
|baseball
|
|-
|[[Jim Ryun]]
|track
|Republican Congressman (KS)
|-
|[[J.C. Watts]]
|college football
|Republican Congressman (OK)
|-
|[[John Elway]]
|football
|supporter of Republican candidates
|-
|Lynn Swann
|football
|Republican candidate for governor (PA)
|-
|Jeff Suppan
|baseball
|did a pro-life ad while winning the World Series in 2006
|-
|Dan Hampton
|football
|helped lead the Chicago Bears to their 1985 Super Bowl title, but declined an invitation to an Obama White House publicity stunt
|-
|Paul Azinger
|golf
|PGA champion who criticized Obama
|-
|Jack Lynch
|Gaelic football and hurling (one of the greatest ever dual players)
|As Taoiseach, reduced taxes and thereby increased employment in Ireland
|-
|Lewis Hamilton
|Formula 1
|outspoken Christian, describing his 2008 world championship win as "a blessing"
|-
|Michael Jones
|Rugby union
|His Christian beliefs caused him to abstain from playing or training on Sundays. Recently endorsed the conservative New Zealand National Party
|-
|Ewan Murray
|Rugby union
|Observes the Sabbath and does not play for his club (Newcastle) or country (Scotland) on Sundays.
|-
|Eric Liddell
|Athletics
|Honoured in both Scotland and China as one of their great-ever athletes, Liddell refused to run in the 1924 Olympic 100m on a Sunday. Instead, he competed in the 400m and though it was not his best event he won the gold medal. Returned to China as a missionary and was devoted to helping the sick and poor.
|-
|Gavin Peacock
|Football
|Attacking midfielder for Newcastle, Chelsea and QPR then a respected footballer commentator. From 2006, combined commentating with attending a seminary. Now training full-time for the ministry.
|}

== See also ==

*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Songs]]
*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Movies]]
*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Television Shows]]
[[Category:Essays]]
[[Category:Sports]]

Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars

2011-11-27T22:34:54Z

HollyS: Ewan Murray + Eric Liddell

Most sports stars are probably [[conservative]]. Here are some of the greatest:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Athlete
!Sport
![[Conservatism]]
|-
|[[Tim Tebow]]
|football
|[[pro-life]], outspoken Christian
|-
|Trevor Bayne
|auto racing
|Gave credit to God for being the youngest Daytona 500 winner
|-
|Kurt Warner
|football
|pro-lifer who led two ''different'' underachieving teams to the [[Super Bowl]]
|-
|Pete Sampras
|tennis
|
|-
|[[Jim Bunning]]
|baseball
|Republican Senator (KY)
|-
|[[Jon Runyan]]
|football
|Republican Congressman (NJ)
|-
|Steve Largent
|football
|
|-
|[[Jack Kemp]]
|football
|
|-
|Chris Dudley
|basketball
|Republican nominee for Oregon governor
|-
|Curt Schilling
|baseball
|
|-
|[[Jim Ryun]]
|track
|Republican Congressman (KS)
|-
|[[J.C. Watts]]
|college football
|Republican Congressman (OK)
|-
|[[John Elway]]
|football
|supporter of Republican candidates
|-
|Lynn Swann
|football
|Republican candidate for governor (PA)
|-
|Jeff Suppan
|baseball
|did a pro-life ad while winning the World Series in 2006
|-
|Dan Hampton
|football
|helped lead the Chicago Bears to their 1985 Super Bowl title, but declined an invitation to an Obama White House publicity stunt
|-
|Paul Azinger
|golf
|PGA champion who criticized Obama
|-
|Jack Lynch
|Gaelic football and hurling (one of the greatest ever dual players)
|As Taoiseach, reduced taxes and thereby increased employment in Ireland
|-
|Lewis Hamilton
|Formula 1
|outspoken Christian, describing his 2008 world championship win as "a blessing"
|-
|Michael Jones
|Rugby union
|His Christian beliefs caused him to abstain from playing or training on Sundays. Recently endorsed the conservative New Zealand National Party
|-
|Ewan Murray
|Rugby union
|Observes the Sabbath and does not play for his club (Newcastle) or country (Scotland) on Sundays.
|-
|Eric Liddell
|Athletics
|Honoured in both Scotland and China as one of their great-ever athletes, Liddell refused to run in the 1924 Olympic 100m on a Sunday. Instead, he competed in the 400m and though it was not his best event he won the gold medal. Returned to China as a missionary and was devoted to helping the sick and poor.
|}

== See also ==

*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Songs]]
*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Movies]]
*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Television Shows]]
[[Category:Essays]]
[[Category:Sports]]

Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars

2011-11-26T23:26:22Z

HollyS: Jack Lynch TD

Most sports stars are probably [[conservative]]. Here are some of the greatest:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Athlete
!Sport
![[Conservatism]]
|-
|[[Tim Tebow]]
|football
|[[pro-life]], outspoken Christian
|-
|Kurt Warner
|football
|pro-lifer who led two ''different'' underachieving teams to the [[Super Bowl]]
|-
|Pete Sampras
|tennis
|
|-
|[[Jim Bunning]]
|baseball
|Republican Senator (KY)
|-
|[[Jon Runyan]]
|football
|Republican Congressman (NJ)
|-
|Steve Largent
|football
|
|-
|[[Jack Kemp]]
|football
|
|-
|Curt Shilling
|baseball
|
|-
|[[Jim Ryun]]
|track
|Republican Congressman (KS)
|-
|[[J.C. Watts]]
|college football
|Republican Congressman (OK)
|-
|[[John Elway]]
|football
|supporter of Republican candidates
|-
|Lynn Swann
|football
|Republican candidate for governor (PA)
|-
|Jeff Suppan
|baseball
|did a pro-life ad while winning the World Series in 2006
|-
|Dan Hampton
|football
|helped lead the Chicago Bears to their 1985 Super Bowl title, but declined an invitation to an Obama White House publicity stunt
|-
|Paul Azinger
|golf
|PGA champion who criticized Obama
|-
|Jack Lynch
|Gaelic football and hurling (one of the greatest ever dual players)
|As Taoiseach, reduced taxes and thereby increased employment in Ireland
|}

== See also ==

*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Songs]]
*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Movies]]
*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Television Shows]]
[[Category:Essays]]
[[Category:Sports]]

Talk:Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars

2011-11-26T22:26:30Z

HollyS: Created page with "Mr Schlafly: this is such a great insight. I'm really impressed by some of the powerful conservative thinking on CP. Do you think most sports players are conservative because bei..."

Talk:Brandon McInerney

2011-11-23T17:39:05Z

HollyS: Relying on a single source?

== Discussion is welcome here ==
Sexual harassment does not warrant murder. King was in the wrong to pursue students in such a manner, but let's not pretend McInerney is the victim here--[[User:CamilleT|CamilleT]] 21:34, 22 November 2011 (EST)

:McInerney was falsely accused of a hate crime, and it looks like his trial (which he won a hung jury at) did not even hear all the evidence in his favor. You're right that sexual harassment does not warrant murder, but no one claims it would.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:44, 22 November 2011 (EST)
::I think the jury was hung on the hate crime thing, not the actual crime. Regardless, I think that in the end justice has been served. McInerney is going to prison for murder.--[[User:CamilleT|CamilleT]] 21:47, 22 November 2011 (EST)

:::No, it not's true that the jury was hung on the false hate crime accusation. The jury was unanimous that this was not a hate crime.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:09, 22 November 2011 (EST)
::::The TV programme you cited says '''six''' jurors claimed that all 12 didn't believe it was a hate crime. All the other sources I've seen say that the jury was hung on this point. How do you know your citation is correct? Are you just citing the source that suits your argument? [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 12:39, 23 November 2011 (EST)

Brandon McInerney

2011-11-23T00:51:11Z

HollyS: (Reverting) Sexual harassment is unpleasant but you really, really, really can't pretend it's an excuse for cold-blooded murder.

'''Brandon McInerney''' was convicted of murder of a fellow pupil, Larry King, at a school in California. He shot King in the head twice from short range. It was widely assumed that this was a [[hate crime]] because King, who was bisexual, had been teasing McInerney with homosexual references the previous day <ref>http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/11/brandon-mcinerney-school-criticized-by-both-sides-in-gay-teen-slaying-case.html</ref> at a [[public school]] in [[California]]. However, McInerney has never spoken about his crime and is motivation is not known.

In McInerney's jury trial, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the charges, including murder, manslaughter, firearms offences and hate crime<ref>http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/execution-style-killing-classroom-14669728</ref>. He later pled guilty to second-degree murder and received a prison sentence of 21 years without remission.

== References ==

<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:McInerney, Brandon}}
[[Category:California]]

Brandon McInerney

2011-11-23T00:24:54Z

HollyS: More detail and accuracy

Brandon McInerney

2011-11-23T00:16:10Z

HollyS: Detail

'''Brandon McInerney''' was falsely accused of committing a [[hate crime]] in connection with his murder of an older [[gay]] student, after the older student "had been dressing in women's accessories and wearing makeup, and was flirting aggressively with male students on campus who did not want the attention"<ref>http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/11/brandon-mcinerney-school-criticized-by-both-sides-in-gay-teen-slaying-case.html</ref> at a [[public school]] in [[California]].

In McInerney's much-publicized jury trial, '''''all 12 jurors rejected the politically driven claim of prosecutors that he had committed a hate crime'''''.<ref>http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/execution-style-killing-classroom-14669728</ref> The jury refused to convict him, and he later pled guilty to second-degree murder and received a prison sentence of 21 years without remission. The [[lamestream media]], however, continued to falsely portray the murder as somehow having been a hate crime, failing to include the view of the jurors.

== References ==

<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:McInerney, Brandon}}
[[Category:California]]

British National Party

2011-11-22T00:57:32Z

HollyS: Increased accuracy and removal of weasel words

The '''British National Party (BNP)''' is a [[United Kingdom|British]] political party, which promotes racism and anti-semitism. The BNP's current leader is [[Nick Griffin]]. Though it is often described as being on the extreme right wing of politics, it espouses a number of fiscally left-wing policies. For example, although it is in favor of deporting non-white people from the UK, it also favours substantial government involvement in the [[economy]].

The BNP has ties to [[Neo-Nazi]] and [[Anti-Semitism|anti-semitic]] groups, and on one occasion Nick Griffin attended a meeting of white nationalists in Texas with former [[Ku Klux Klan]] leader David Duke<ref> BNP Nick Griffin + KKK terrorist [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04QolIvfQEw]</ref>.

It has no representatives in [[Parliament]].In May 2008 the first BNP member was be elected to the [[London Assembly]]. Opponents said a victory for the party meant "hatred, violence and stupidity". <ref>Brady, Brian [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/bnp-wins-first-seat-in-assembly-820867.html ''BNP wins first seat in assembly''] "The Independent On Sunday" 4 May 2008.</ref> Mayor-elect [[Boris Johnson]] and outgoing Mayor [[Ken Livingstone]] "walked off the stage when fifth-placed Richard Barnbrook made his speech following the announcement of the City Hall results."<ref>''BNP wins first seat in assembly'' op cit</ref>. In June 2009 two members of the BNP were elected to the European parliament.

==Membership leak==
In November 2008, the [http://wikileaks.org/leak/bnp-membership-list.txt entire membership list] of the BNP was posted on to the internet, detailing the names, addresses, occupations, email adresses, telephone numbers and ages of 12,801 members of the party. The list included serving [[police]] officers, [[lawyer|lawyers]], a [[Anglicanism|Church of England]] vicar, [[doctor|doctors]], [[teacher|teachers]] and members of the [[Armed Forces]], along with leading businessmen and civil servants <ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/nov/19/bnp-names-web-police-security ''Police officers among BNP members listed on web''] Ian Cobain and Esther Addley [[The Guardian]], 19 November 2008. Accessed 19 November 2008.</ref> One is the American chief executive of a City investment corporation, while another is a servant of the Queen, living at [[Buckingham Palace]]. The membership list was inadequately password protected and encrypted.

==Further reading==
*Barton, Dale. [http://www.stopthebnp.org.uk/index.php?location=election&link=Campaigning03.htm ''Will The BNP Go Away If Christians Just Ignore Them?'']. Originally published in [[Searchlight Magazine]] April 2004. Full version online at stopthebnp.org.uk

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:British Political Parties]]

British National Party

2011-11-22T00:54:09Z

HollyS: Removing pro-BNP editorial, standard BNP fake outrage and links to BNP website.

Talk:World History Midterm Exam

2011-10-31T23:25:24Z

HollyS: /* Post answers here for grading (enrolled students have already taken this exam) */

== Post answers here for grading (enrolled students have already taken this exam) ==
===My Answers===
#C
#B
#C
#D
#B
#B
#A
#D
#D
#C
#A
#D
#C
#A
#D
#B
#B
#C
#A
#A
#D
#C
#A
#B
#C
#A
#B
#D
#C
#C
#B
#C
#B
#C
#C
#A
E.C. 1 A

E.C. 2 D
--[[User:JamesWilson|James Wilson]] 23:15, 29 October 2011 (EDT)

===HollyS===
1c. 2b. 3c. 4d. 5b. 6c. 7a. 8d. 9d. 10b.

11a. 12d. 13c. 14a. 15d. 16b. 17b. 18c. 19a. 20a.

21d. 22c. 23a. 24b. 25c. 26a. 27b. 28d. 29b. 30c.

31b. 32b. 33a. 34a. 35c. 36d.

Seleucus: b. Chivalry: d.

[[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 19:25, 31 October 2011 (EDT)

== Top Scores ==

With 46 not yet graded, the top scores so far are:

*34

== Suggested improvements on exam ==

Dumfries and Galloway

2011-10-16T22:54:28Z

HollyS: Expanded

'''Dumfries and Galloway''' is a [[Scottish]] administrative area. It consists of the [[county]] of Dumfriesshire in the east and the historic region of Galloway in the west. In turn, Galloway included two counties, [[Wigtownshire]] and the [[Stewarty of Kirkcudbright]]. The administrative headquarters are at [[Dumfries]], the only large town in the area.

Outwith Dumfries, much of Dumfries and Galloway consists of farmland with small towns and villages, large areas of wild moorland and extensive forests. The combination of many historic towns, castles and abbeys, a long coastline with many sandy beaches, and miles of unspoilt scenery make Dumfries and Galloway a tourist paradise, especially Kirkcudbrightshire.

Famous residents include the poet Robert Burns and the physicist James Clerk Maxwell.

The small town of [[Lockerbie]] became internationally known as the place where Pam Am flight 103 was destroyed by a bomb planted by a terrorist organisation backed by Syria and Iran, shortly before Christmas 1988.

[[Category:Scottish Counties and Regions]]

Lockerbie

2011-10-16T22:41:48Z

HollyS: Added links + a couple of typos

Lockerbie is a small town in the [[Dumfries and Galloway]] region of southern [[Scotland]]. It is an important centre of dairy farming. with one of the largest creameries in Scotland, and has a locally important railway station on the [[Carlisle]]-to-[[Glasgow]] section of the West Coast mainline.

== Pan Am flight 103 ==

In 1988, [[Pan Am]] Flight 103 was brought down over Lockerbie, Scotland, by a bomb planted by terrorists. The flight was en route from [[London]] to [[New York]], and resulted in the deaths of 243 passengers, the majority of whom were American, 16 crew members, and 11 local residents.

An extraordinary sitting of the [[High Court of Justiciary]], consisting of three judges sitting without the usual jury of 15 persons registered as electors in Scotland, convicted a [[Libya]]n government intelligence officer, 'Abd-el-Baset 'Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi of the crime. The verdict was very widely criticised by relatives of the British victims, relatives of some American victims and observers, including the official legal observer of the United Nations, because the judges acknowledged in their summing up that there was reasonable doubt about al-Megrahi's involvement in all aspects of the crime. As in the USA, [[Scots Law]] requires that criminal convictions must be beyond reasonable doubt. Indeed, it later emerged that a Maltese shopkeeper who provided the only remaining credible evidence against al-Megrahi had been paid a fee of US$2 million to give evidence against al-Megrahi, a breach of Scots Law which forbids conditional payments to witnesses. In short, it is widely suspected that the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]] administration in the [[USA]] and the [[Tony Blair|Blair]] government in the [[UK]] suborned witnesses and fabricated evidence in order to ensure a conviction.

In 2009, the decision was made to release al-Megrahi on "compassionate" grounds. This was required by Scots Law because he is terminally ill with [[prostate cancer]], although he has survived much longer than expected, probably because of the high standard of medical care in Libya<ref>http://www.holyrood.com/index.php?option=com_holyrood&func=article&artid=2725&edition=217&brick=1</ref>. The investigation of the numerous irregularities in the evidence and the trial by the [[Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission]] was suspended as a result of al-Megrahi's release but will almost certainly be resumed if the new Libyan government returns him to custody in Scotland.

To summarise, while it remains possible that Libya was involved in the bombing, there is no evidence capable of convicting al-Megrahi of the crime beyond reasonable doubt - indeed, there is no actual evidence of his involvement at all.

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:Terrorism]]

Lockerbie

2011-10-16T16:56:35Z

HollyS: Minor clarification

Lockerbie is a small town in the Dumfries and Galloway region of southern Scotland. It is an important centre of dairy farming. with one of the largest creameries in Scotland, and has a locally important railway station on the Carlisle-to-Glasgow section of the West Coast mainline.

== Pan Am flight 103 ==

In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was brought down over Lockerbie, Scotland, by a bomb planted by terrorists. The flight was en route from London to New York, and resulted in the deaths of 243 passengers, the majority of whom were American, 16 crew members, and 11 local residents.

An extraordinary sitting of the High Court of Judiciary, consisting of three judges sitting without the usual jury of 15 persons registered as electors in Scotland, convicted a Libyan government intelligence officer, 'Abd-el-Baset 'Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi of the crime. The verdict was very widely criticised by relatives of the British victims, relatives of some American victims and observers, including the official legal observer of the United Nations, because the judges acknowledged in their summing up that there was reasonable doubt about al-Megrahi's involvement in all aspects of the crime. As in the USA, Scots Law requires that criminal convictions must be beyond reasonable doubt. Indeed, it later emerged that a Maltese shopkeeper who provided the only remaining credible evidence against al-Megrahi had been paid a fee of US$2 million to give evidence against al-Megrahi, a breach of Scots Law which forbids conditional payments to witnesses. In short, it is widely suspected that the Clinton administration in the US and the Blair government in the UK suborned witnesses and fabricated evidence in order to ensure a conviction.

In 2009, the decision was made to release Al Megrahi on "compassionate" grounds. This was required by Scots Law because he is terminally ill with prostate cancer, although he has survived much longer than expected, probably because of the high standard of medical care in Libya<ref>http://www.holyrood.com/index.php?option=com_holyrood&func=article&artid=2725&edition=217&brick=1</ref>. The investigation of the numerous irregularities in the evidence and the trial by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Board was suspended as a result of al-Megrahi's release but will be resumed if the new Libyan government returns him to custody in Scotland.

To summarise, while it remains possible that Libya was involved in the bombing, there is no evidence capable of convicting al-Megrahi of the crime beyond reasonable doubt - indeed, there is no actual evidence of his involvement at all.

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:Terrorism]]

Lockerbie

2011-10-16T16:55:43Z

HollyS: References

Lockerbie is a small town in the Dumfries and Galloway region of southern Scotland. It is an important centre of dairy farming. with one of the largest creameries in Scotland, and has a locally important railway station on the Carlisle-to-Glasgow section of the West Coast mainline.

== Pan Am flight 103 ==

In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was brought down over Lockerbie, Scotland, by a bomb planted by terrorists. The flight was en route from London to New York, and resulted in the deaths of 243 passengers, the majority of whom were American, 16 crew members, and 11 local residents.

An extraordinary sitting of the High Court of Judiciary, consisting of three judges sitting without the usual jury of 15 persons registered as electors in Scotland, convicted a Libyan government intelligence officer, 'Abd-el-Baset 'Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi of the crime. The verdict was very widely criticised by relatives of the British victims, relatives of some American victims and observers, including the official legal observer of the United Nations, because the judges acknowledged in their summing up that there was reasonable doubt about al-Megrahi's involvement in all aspects of the crime. As in the USA, convictions must be beyond reasonable doubt. Indeed, it later emerged that a Maltese shopkeeper who provided the only remaining credible evidence against al-Megrahi had been paid a fee of US$2 million to give evidence against al-Megrahi, a breach of Scots Law which forbids conditional payments to witnesses. In short, it is widely suspected that the Clinton administration in the US and the Blair government in the UK suborned witnesses and fabricated evidence in order to ensure a conviction.

In 2009, the decision was made to release Al Megrahi on "compassionate" grounds. This was required by Scots Law because he is terminally ill with prostate cancer, although he has survived much longer than expected, probably because of the high standard of medical care in Libya<ref>http://www.holyrood.com/index.php?option=com_holyrood&func=article&artid=2725&edition=217&brick=1</ref>. The investigation of the numerous irregularities in the evidence and the trial by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Board was suspended as a result of al-Megrahi's release but will be resumed if the new Libyan government returns him to custody in Scotland.

To summarise, while it remains possible that Libya was involved in the bombing, there is no evidence capable of convicting al-Megrahi of the crime beyond reasonable doubt - indeed, there is no actual evidence of his involvement at all.

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:Terrorism]]

Lockerbie

2011-10-16T16:54:31Z

HollyS: Description of Lockerbie itself plus numerous inaccuracies relating to Pan Am 103 corrected

Lockerbie is a small town in the Dumfries and Galloway region of southern Scotland. It is an important centre of dairy farming. with one of the largest creameries in Scotland, and has a locally important railway station on the Carlisle-to-Glasgow section of the West Coast mainline.

== Pan Am flight 103 ==

In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was brought down over Lockerbie, Scotland, by a bomb planted by terrorists. The flight was en route from London to New York, and resulted in the deaths of 243 passengers, the majority of whom were American, 16 crew members, and 11 local residents.

An extraordinary sitting of the High Court of Judiciary, consisting of three judges sitting without the usual jury of 15 persons registered as electors in Scotland, convicted a Libyan government intelligence officer, 'Abd-el-Baset 'Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi of the crime. The verdict was very widely criticised by relatives of the British victims, relatives of some American victims and observers, including the official legal observer of the United Nations, because the judges acknowledged in their summing up that there was reasonable doubt about al-Megrahi's involvement in all aspects of the crime. As in the USA, convictions must be beyond reasonable doubt. Indeed, it later emerged that a Maltese shopkeeper who provided the only remaining credible evidence against al-Megrahi had been paid a fee of US$2 million to give evidence against al-Megrahi, a breach of Scots Law which forbids conditional payments to witnesses. In short, it is widely suspected that the Clinton administration in the US and the Blair government in the UK suborned witnesses and fabricated evidence in order to ensure a conviction.

In 2009, the decision was made to release Al Megrahi on "compassionate" grounds. This was required by Scots Law because he is terminally ill with prostate cancer, although he has survived much longer than expected, probably because of the high standard of medical care in Libya<ref>http://www.holyrood.com/index.php?option=com_holyrood&func=article&artid=2725&edition=217&brick=1</ref>. The investigation of the numerous irregularities in the evidence and the trial by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Board was suspended as a result of al-Megrahi's release but will be resumed if the new Libyan government returns him to custody in Scotland.

To summarise, while it remains possible that Libya was involved in the bombing, there is no evidence capable of convicting al-Megrahi of the crime beyond reasonable doubt - indeed, there is no actual evidence of his involvement at all.

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:Terrorism]]

British National Party

2011-10-15T22:23:55Z

HollyS: Deleted "see also" link to UKIP: UKIP is nothing at all to do with the BNP

The '''British National Party (BNP)''' is a [[United Kingdom|British]] political party. The BNP's current leader is [[Nick Griffin]]. Though it is generally described as being on the right wing of politics, it espouses a number of fiscally left-wing policies. For example, although it is in favor of repatriating non-white people from the UK, it also favours substantial government involvement in the [[economy]].

The BNP has been accused by opponents of having ties to [[Neo-Nazi]] and [[Anti-Semitism|anti-semitic]] groups, and on one occasion Nick Griffin attended a meeting of white nationalists in Texas with former [[Ku Klux Klan]] leader David Duke, in which he talked about the party "selling it's ideas to the public" and eventually controlling the British Broadcasting Media to convince the British people that "every last [immigrant] must go"<ref> BNP Nick Griffin + KKK terrorist [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04QolIvfQEw]</ref>, however the party claims that it is simply a strongly patriotic and nationalistic party which seeks to stand up for the rights of white British people.

It has no representatives in [[Parliament]].In May 2008 Richard Barnbrook became the first BNP member to be elected to the [[London Assembly]]. Opponents said a victory for the party meant "hatred, violence and stupidity".<ref>Brady, Brian [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/bnp-wins-first-seat-in-assembly-820867.html ''BNP wins first seat in assembly''] "The Independent On Sunday" 4 May 2008.</ref> Mayor-elect [[Boris Johnson]] and outgoing Mayor [[Ken Livingstone]] "pointedly walked off the stage when fifth-placed Richard Barnbrook made his speech following the announcement of the City Hall results."<ref>''BNP wins first seat in assembly'' op cit</ref>
in June 2009 two members of the BNP were elected to European parliament, including Nick Griffin, who called it a "great victory... we go on from here." <ref>http://bnp.org.uk/</ref>

==Membership "leak"==
In November 2008, the [http://wikileaks.org/leak/bnp-membership-list.txt entire membership list] of the BNP was posted on to the internet, detailing the names, addresses, occupations, email adresses, telephone numbers and ages of 12,801 secret "card carrying" members of the organisation. The list included serving [[police]] officers, [[lawyer|lawyers]], a [[Anglicanism|Church of England]] vicar, [[doctor|doctors]], [[teacher|teachers]] and members of the [[Armed Forces]], along with leading businessmen and civil servants."The BNP list also included the names and ages of children who have become members of the party after a parent has taken out a family membership, and several people who have joined the party at the age of 16. Against the name of a woman said to be a serving police officer and living on the Wirral, Merseyside, for example, is the note: "Discretion required re employment concerns - police officer", along with the names and ages of a number of her children. Other notes against the names of individuals include: "Discretion requested (employment concerns), government employee, IT consultant" and "activist (discretion requested), teacher (secondary school)"<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/nov/19/bnp-names-web-police-security ''Police officers among BNP members listed on web''] Ian Cobain and Esther Addley [[The Guardian]], 19 November 2008. Accessed 19 November 2008.</ref> The membership list revealed that the BNP had some members in [[Australia]], one in [[Oman]] and 17 in the [[United States]]. One is the American chief executive of a City investment corporation, while another is a servant of the Queen, living at [[Buckingham Palace]]. Internet chat rooms frequented by BNP members were reported to be "buzzing with anger, indignation - and considerable alarm. One typical posting said: "The most shocking thing is some of the comments by the names! God help anyone who is in the army, the prison service, healthcare, a police officer or a teacher."<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1087101/BNP-fury-ENTIRE-membership-list-10-000-leaked-internet-party-threatens-legal-action.html ''BNP fury as ENTIRE membership list of 10,000 is leaked onto internet and party threatens legal action''] Michael Lea. [[The Daily Mail]] 19 November 2008. Accessed 19 November 2008.</ref>

The membership list, which was inadequately password protected and encrypted, had been stolen from the party, said Simon Darby, the BNP's spokesman. Mr Darby insisted: "This isn't a question of us mislaying the information, this is theft." The party blamed left-wing activists who have infiltrated the organization.

==Further reading==
*Barton, Dale. [http://www.stopthebnp.org.uk/index.php?location=election&link=Campaigning03.htm ''Will The BNP Go Away If Christians Just Ignore Them?'']. Originally published in [[Searchlight Magazine]] April 2004. Full version online at stopthebnp.org.uk

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:British Political Parties]]

Talk:Scotland

2011-07-23T23:49:56Z

HollyS: /* Monarch list */ Why does it start with Malcolm II?

in scottland, the kilt(that spelled right?) isnt that like your family's colors? --[[User:Will N.|Will N.]] 11:54, 1 May 2007 (EDT)

Yes Will N, the kilt is a tradtional dress still worn at weddings and social functions that is made in the clan (think family) tartan. Each tartan is comprised of colours specific to that family.

And Ed Poor, please can you stop removing the kilt picture. It is incredibly disrespectful to the Scots to remove not only a picture depicting their National dress but also their First Minister. The kilt has nothing to do with homosexuality, which frankly, is a topic that is discussed far too often on this site. [[User:Trashbat|Trashbat]] 12:16, 1 May 2007 (EDT)

== Kilts ==

Kilts are an item of dress, it is the tartan that has an association with families, or more accurately, Clan. In addition many public bodies have their own particular tartan. In the picture, Jack McConnell is seen wearing a pin-stripe kilt as part of an effort to promote Tartan Day.

Kilts are often made from Family/Clan Tartans, though not exclusively - there are many designs that have no particular family affiliation (such as Regimental designs) - Kilts are aso worn with somewhat plainer designs as well, and have even been made from leather..
I think the map is more appropriate than the pic of Jack McConnell - he is an elected representative, and does not necessarily epitomise Scottishness (indeed - pending the outcome of the general election on Thursday 03-May-2007, he may or may not continue as First Minister.) --[[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 17:45, 01 May 2007 (BST)

I've replaced the picture with one more <s>dull</s> appropriate.[[User:LordWhimsey|LordWhimsey]]
08:49, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

== homosexuality and the kilt - the link ==
[[Image:JackMcConnell.png|right|thumb|A scotsman wearing his skirt (known as a [[kilt]] in Scotland)([http://photos3.flickr.com/3348884_7b5cbe90be.jpg])]]'
em there is none - and I suggest any americans who visit scotland don't make suggest that linkage to members of, for example, her Maj's 51 (Scottish) Brigade. A frank and full exchange of viewpoints might then occur! --[[User:Cgday|Cgday]] 15:05, 1 May 2007 (EDT)

:This being Conservapedia, surely one would expect the description of Scotland by the leading [[conservative]] [[Christian]] [[Pat Robertson]], to be included in the article. He described Scotland as a "''dark country full of [[homosexual]]s''"<ref>http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9906/02/scotland.robertson/</ref>. [[User:Auld Nick|Auld Nick]] 05:57, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

::Not in the lead. And not [[out of context]]. Also, a photo of a man in a skirt rather than in a traditional plaid [[kilt]] makes more of a statement about [[homosexuality]], [[gender identity disorder]] or [[cross-dressing]] than it does about Scotland. Try to keep your mind on the purpose of this project. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 08:33, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

:::What? since when is a skirt and a kilt the same thing? Ed, you're way in the wrong on this one. [[User:Jrssr5|Jrssr5]] 08:42, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

:::Ed, you are wrong - check out this website to see how the kilt is evolving - traditional kilts are only part of it [http://www.21stcenturykilts.com/home.htm].

::::Wrong about what? Please restate the assertion you think I have made. (The fashion photo you showed me of contemporary young people doesn't tell me what you mean.) --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 08:58, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

::::: You asserted that "a photo of a man in a skirt rather than in a traditional plaid kilt makes more of a statement about homosexuality, gender identity disorder or cross-dressing than it does about Scotland." Whereas the link I provided shows that all kinds of non-traditional materials (denim, leather, camouflage patterns, tweed, pinstripe suit cloth, etc.) are being used to make kilts. The photo is of a man in a modern kilt. You assert that it is a skirt. Homosexuality and transvestisism are in no way associated with modern kilts. You assert that they are. To Scots, such words are particularly offensive.[[User:LordWhimsey|LordWhimsey]] 09:06, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

::[[User:Ed Poor|Ed]], even if the quote was [[out of context]] what is wrong with showing the conservative view of Scotland? Pro-Gaiety and homosexualism is rife in Scotland:
::*The repeal of laws banning the promotion of homosexuality in schools <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/800673.stm</ref>
::*The legalisation of so called gay marriage <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4494882.stm </ref>
::*Allowing homosexuals to adopt children <ref>http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1356432006 </ref>
::*Allowing homosexual teachers to teach homosexual sex to children <ref>http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=754672006</ref>
::*Open encouragement of homosexual soldiers and policemen <ref>http://www.gpascotland.com/050827.htm</ref>
::*The banning of pro-Christian opinions at sports events <ref>http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=387732007</ref>
::Those are just a few from the multitude of examples of how the [[homosexual agenda]] is permeating Scotland. Surely Scotland is a "''dark country full of [[homosexual]]s''" and this should be reflected here?
::[[User:Auld Nick|Auld Nick]] 09:07, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

Kilts are *not* skirts - the difference isn't subtle... it's interesting the connection some draw between 'cross-dressing' and kilt wearing; whenever I wear my kilt (especially in England and elsewhere) it usually attracts lots of attention from women...
'a dark country full of homosexuals' - I'm not even going to be drawn on that one, but featuring it prominently hardly does anything for the credibility of the article as a whole. --[[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 15:03, 02 May 2007 (BST)

:Spin, your statement that a [[kilt]] is not a skirt disagrees with the caption Nick put on the image to our upper right. The words ''Scotsman wearing his skirt (known as a [[kilt]] in Scotland)'' imply (1) that the man was wearing a skirt and (2) that a skirt is known as a kilt in Scotland.

:Would the two of you please sort this out. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 10:09, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

I see your point. The article that Jack McConnell is wearing is a kilt. Skirts are not known as kilts - the two words are not synonymous. Although kilts are mostly associated with male attire, this isn't universally true by any means. --[[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 15:21, 02 May 2007 (BST)

Might be worth clarifying the whole kilt issue, either by adding to this article (Traditional Attire section?) or by creating a separate linked page for the kilt. Perhaps one of our resident Scots would be able to? --[[User:Trashbat|Trashbat]] 13:06, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

I'd be happy that the image be replaced with a piper but I'm having difficulty finding a fair use one. Probably worth noting that most images of pipers will be in full ceremonial garb (kilt, sporran, etc). Perhaps someone will have more luck than I finding a suitable image. --[[User:Trashbat|Trashbat]] 13:24, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

At the risk of going round in circles, again the Pat Robertson comment - with respect, who is this guy? (I don't mean literally - I know who he is) There is no indication of how his opinion is relevant - whether or not you consider it to be true, it just sounds like abuse, which just undermines the credibility of (at least) the whole article. --[[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 11:04, 04 May 2007 (BST)

:Mr. Robertson's opinion is important as an example of Conservative thinking. Here at Conservapedia [[homosexuality]] is taken very seriously as can be seen at that article and others such as [[homosexual agenda]], [[gay rights]], [[homophobia]] and their accompanying talk pages. It is important that such matters are given a prominent position in Conservapedia, for example the [[Main Page]] news items such as [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Template:Tfa&oldid=139637 this], [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Template:Tfa&oldid=131062 this], [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Template:Tfa&oldid=130326 this] and [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Template:Tfa&oldid=85632 this]. Such conservative facts ([[Conservapedia:Differences with Wikipedia|Differences with Wikipedia No. 9]]) are always displayed prominently and not censored like at the [[Liberal bias|liberally biased]] [[Examples of Bias in Wikipedia|Wikipedia]]. In fact I think the information in question should appear right at the top of the article.
:[[User:Auld Nick|Auld Nick]] 15:12, 4 May 2007 (EDT)

::Ok. Pat Robertson's opinions are clearly in line with many(most? ..I don't know) conservative thinkers, at least in the US. ('Conservative' has a related but slightly different meaning in the UK)

::(from [[Racism]]) 'Racism is making broad generalizations about a group of people based on percieved notions' - articles in the press are designed to be provocative and inflammatory - that doesn't necessarily cast doubt on the truth of the information they refer to, but they are far from a foolproof source, not very indicative of the nature of a culture.
::I'm not accusing Pat Robertson of racism, but he's a bit close to the wire. (I suspect he would argue about 'perceived notions' - and whether he was making a 'broad generalisation')

::I'm not sure what you mean by 'Conservative Facts' - it's definitely a fact that Pat Robertson said that, but the truth of it is a different thing altogether..

::I understand that it is important that the guiding principles of Conservapedia are enforced, but the article seems to have more to say about the authors' abhorrence of homosexuality than it does about it's subject matter - irrespective of your views, that doesn't do any good at all. [[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 11:03, 07 May 2007 (BST)

:::[[Liberal]]ism seems to have won the day and the truth about the pernicious [[homosexual agenda]] has been ''hidden away'' in the article [[Church of Scotland]] where I assume the hope is that no one will find it.
:::People looking for information about Scotland are being denied some very important [[Conservapedia:Differences with Wikipedia|conservative facts]]. [[User:Auld Nick|Auld Nick]] 12:05, 12 May 2007 (EDT)

:::: "the truth about the pernicious [[homosexual agenda]]" Ah yes. That old chestnut. Far an taine ‘n abhainn, ‘s ann as mò a fuaim. --[[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 15:49, 14 May 2007 (BST)

:::Dèan magadh air na-h pàrras amadain an seo. [[User:Auld Nick|Auld Nick]] 10:58, 14 May 2007 (EDT)

:::: ok.. pretty sure that wasn't what I was doing. Anyway - this isn't especially productive. People reading the article will doubtless make up their own minds as to the credibility of the information therein, and the peculiar list of references. --[[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 18:03, 15 May 2007 (BST)

:: Ok, I AM Scottish, and a kilt is NOT A SKIRT! IT IS ALSO NOT WHAT A SKIRT IS CALLED IN SCOTLAND! WE CALL THEM SKIRTS! YES WE ACTUALLY DO SPEAK ENGLISH! SOME OF US ARE IN FACT QUITE LITERATE! I WOULD THANK YOU KINDLY TO TAKE THAT GARBAGE OFF OF THIS PAGE! --[[User:Daerean|Daerean]] 14:59, 23 May 2007 (EDT)

:::What is [http://scotweb-objects.com/images/items/thumbs/283x/Q90_sr_swhdr_girlskilt_w.jpg this] then? Looks like a skirt to me, even if it is caled a ''kilt.'' Most dictionaries would agree that a skirt is 
# The part of a garment, such as a dress or coat, that '''hangs freely from the waist down.'''
# A garment hanging from the waist and '''worn by women and girls.'''
# A part or attachment resembling the skirt of a garment, especially:
# One of the leather flaps hanging from the side of a saddle.
# The lower outer section of a rocket vehicle.
# A flexible strip hanging from the base of an air-cushion vehicle.
# A piece of fabric that extends over or beyond something to afford protection. 
The transvestite - or otherwise - habits of Scotsmen aside, a "kilt" is most definitely a "skirt" by definition. And finally, why do kilt wearers not simply wear the masculine version of the tartan garment, the "trews"? [[User:Fox|Fox]] 15:20, 23 May 2007 (EDT)

Trews are not a 'masculine version of the tartan garment'. I think the members of the Royal Regiment of Scotland who wear kilts and sporrans as part of their dress uniforms might take exception to the above.. indeed, Scottish troops wore kilts in combat as late as 1940. (not so much by the second world war, but compared to the uniforms worn by other British troops in (for example) the Napoleonic Wars, the kilt was a remarkably practical garment) See also [http://www.cabarfeidh.com/kilts_in_the_past.htm www.cabarfeidh.com/kilts_in_the_past.htm] [[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 15:38, 29 May 2007 (BST)

I think some of you need to get out more! See the world. Understand the world and accept the differences. Some of the closed-minded piffle that has been spouted above shows not only ignorance, but deliberate ignorance from minds too wrapped up in their own ideological and cultural prison to accept that all people are not American. A kilt is a kilt is a kilt. It has nothing at all to do with being gay. It is an item of traditional dress that is worn with pride - fierce pride - and sometimes nostalgia and with a sense of belonging. There is nothing equivocal about the kilt. Unlike the ubiquitous suit and tie, or jeans and teeshirt, it says something proud and definite. It says "I am a Scot!" And what is wrong with that? Yes. He may even be gay. But that's no more likely than if he was a from any other country in the world. Ask the Pope in his lovely white outfit if he is gay. Check out the Greek guard...they're really pretty. Say something to the cop in Samoa (thats Samoa - not American Samoa - where they still hold on to tradition and their family values)and their cops, both male and female, wear a nice blue lap lap, and carry a nice big stick! God made man in ''His'' image. Now it seems we have many Americans trying to make man into theirs!! Please show a bit of respect. If the rest of the world can accept a Scot in his kilt for what it is, why can't you? "Honi soit qui mal y pense"! [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 15:37, 29 May 2007 (EDT)

== Scotland and Cultural Controversies==

I'm sorry but I'm Scottish and I had to delete the entire section labled "Scotland and Cultural Controversies". I will not stand idly by and see my country being run down in print. Some of the points made were out and out lies. Protection for paedophiles? Utter nonsense. The "banning of pro-Christian sentiments at sports events"? Complete garbage. What was banned was the chanting of songs specifically aimed to incite murder against Catholics by certain Protestant supporters of a Glasgow soccer team (the song went "we're up to our knees in Fenian blood, surrender or you die!"). Further, repeating Pat Robertson's claims that Scotland is a "dark country full of homosexuals" is plain wrong and a touch hypocritical coming from an American. To the author of this piece - have you ever been to Scotland? Some facts first; political correctness is an American invention; gay liberation is an American invention; the sexual "revolution" was an American invention. People who live in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones. And I dont think that Robertson's views are widely held conservative opinions either, certainly not by Trent Lott, John Warner and Wayne Allard (all Republicans and proud of their Scottish heritage). And what is this obsession with homosexuality? Scotland has 2000 years of recorded history, was at the forefront of the industrial revolution, has given the world many writers, philosophers, soldiers, statesmen, explorers, scientists, engineers as well as the Presbyterian religon but Conservapedia devotes about 10% of its article on Scotland on supposed support for the "homosexual agenda". I can tell you from a position of authority (I do live here) that the inference is melodramatic and overstated. Scotland is UNDOUBTEDLY less homosexual than most of the U.S (eg N.Y, L.A, San Fran) . Oh, and a kilt is definetely not a skirt. Just ask some of the Scottish troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and see the response you get.--[[User:ScotsPatriot|ScotsPatriot]] 13:48, 26 September 2007 (EDT)

== Cities ==

Six? [[Inverness]] is very small for a city. Inhabitants of [[Perth]] (which is much larger) and elsewhere will be annoyed by not being mentioned.

You might usefully put a link somewhere here to [[:Category:Scottish Towns and Cities]]. --[[User:Jeremiah4-22|Jeremiah4-22]] 13:36, 11 May 2007 (EDT)

:That's partly why I added in the word "major" to the section. That way other cities wouldn't feel as slighted since it'd be near impossible to add every single one to the list. [[User:Jrssr5|Jrssr5]] 13:46, 11 May 2007 (EDT)

::I meant to say, ''You might usefully put a link somewhere here to'' <nowiki>[[Category:Scottish Towns and Cities]]</nowiki>. --[[User:Jeremiah4-22|Jeremiah4-22]] 14:55, 11 May 2007 (EDT)

:::Gotcha ... unfortunately you'll have to go to a sysop now as the article is re-locked. [[User:Jrssr5|Jrssr5]] 16:22, 11 May 2007 (EDT)

Blocking has the unfortunate consequence of perpetrating historical inaccuracy. Example: The Union of England Scotland and Ireland came about in 1801, not 1707. Can someone "break in" and change that please.[[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 20:12, 15 May 2007 (EDT)

== Union with England ==

The line "The current Chancellor of the Exchequer, and expected future prime minister Gordon Brown, is Scottish." is now factually incorrect, Gordon Brown is now the current prime minister of the United Kingdom.
:Protecting sysop informed :) [[Image:User Fox.png]] [[User:Fox|Fox]] ([[User talk:Fox|talk]]|[[Special:Contributions/Fox|contribs]]) 08:21, 2 July 2007 (EDT)

== Opening up sometime? ==

Any chance this article will become unlocked again? It has been close to two months and that's usually a pretty long time for vandals to be lurking around. Just a thought [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 17:08, 2 July 2007 (EDT)

==Homosexual agenda==

The section recently deleted should be preserved somewhere. If I don't get a good suggestion soon, I'll just put it back here. Should it go to [[Homosexual agenda]] or what? --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 14:00, 26 September 2007 (EDT)

Perhaps, but its not really my call. I couldn't help but look up the entries for America, Australia and England and theres nothing like that in those articles. I'm just wondering why Scotland has deserved such unfair treatment. Yes, obviously there are homosexuals in Scotland, like everywhere else, but the paragraph I deleted was grotesquely unjust and made Scotland seem like San Francisco gone mad (but with more rain). If the paragraph is to stay then similar entries for every nation in the western world detailing [[gay liberation]] should be submitted. Remember, Scotland is only following a lead that started in the United States.--[[User:ScotsPatriot|ScotsPatriot]] 15:36, 26 September 2007 (EDT)

== Societal Problems ==

I see there is a difference of opinion in what information is appropriate for the article, but there hasn't been a complaint in this section. Is the new information about Scotish migration trends from the 1800's to the 1890's wrong? If not, why is it inappropiate to mention? Thanks [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 19:40, 1 March 2008 (EST)

: Did ScotsPatriot take that out? He did delete several paragraphs. Maybe one of them could be properly deleted, but not the other.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 19:41, 1 March 2008 (EST)

::Yes, it was deleted. It appeared inappropriate to do so without explanation, so I was hoping a reason could be provided. [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 22:36, 1 March 2008 (EST)

::: I deleted it because as I've said before I will not see my country being unfairly run down in print. Lets look at the moral decline of the United States. The birthplace of political correctness, gay liberation, legalised abortion, crystal meth and crack cocaine, the home of the worlds largest sex industry, an unfettered organised crime "industry" etc, etc. And yet when you look up the entry on the United States you see none of this mentioned. I doubt any of the contributors to these scurrilous entries has even been to Scotland. Well I live here (so I should know) and the inferences drawn are melodramatic and unwarranted. There are 1800 Scottish soldiers fighting in Afghanistan right now, most of them fresh from Iraq. Is this an appropriate way to treat allies? Is this what you really think of us? Charming. Oh, the migration stuff I deleted was nonsense from start to finish. I studied Scottish history in university and Presbyterians fleeing Scotland (a wholly Presbyterian country at that time!) because of religous persecution is laughably wrong. And incidentaly, most of the great figures of the Scottish Enlightenment were resolutely Protestant and Presbyterian. Please read some half decent history books (big papery things popular before the internet) rather than reading something from the internet you half understand then propogating lies and distortions on this page. Scotland does have its problems but then so does the rest of the developed world. --[[User:ScotsPatriot|ScotsPatriot]] 15:30, 2 March 2008 (EST)

::::''Presbyterians fleeing Scotland (a wholly Presbyterian country at that time!) because of religous persecution is laughably wrong'' What about the persecution of the Covenanters under Charles II, ScotsPatriot? [[User:Koba|Koba]] 15:34, 2 March 2008 (EST)

::::: You're about 130 years out at least. At the time of the Clearances (late 18th and early 19th century) Scotland was a wholly Presbyterian country. Indeed even at the time of Charles II the majority of the country was Presbyterian (but not the King). The injustices of the persecution on the Covenanters is one of the reasons that Scotland became so fiercely Presbyterian for the next 200 years. Only with the influx of Irish Catholic immigrants in the mid 19th century did the demographics of Scotlands religous community change. --[[User:ScotsPatriot|ScotsPatriot]] 16:04, 2 March 2008 (EST)

:::::: I've had to remove the last three paragraphs of the Societal Problems section by JamesCarmody. This individual obviously has an axe to grind regarding Scotland and has no interest in providing informative, educational edits to this project. This site is an
educational tool not a website to propagate slander, lies and political bias (I believe your New York Times fulfils that purpose). I would bet my mortgage payments that this individual has never even been to Scotland preferring to get all of his information from the Internet. If he had visited Scotland and did some research he would have found that; "Secular Marriage" (sic) was introduced in the 1930s and is called a Registry Office marriage performed by a city or county official (you have them in the US), Same sex unions have been legal here for less time than most parts of the US (we're unfortunately following an American trend), Gay adoption (affects a few dozen adoptions annually but again another American trend), Teaching homosexuality in Schools is NOT allowed but books with a homosexual character are now not banned, Affirmative action is not allowed for anyone (Asians, Homosexuals, the Disabled, Afro-Caribbeans etc, etc) as it contravenes EU law, The state 'forces' religious schools (which are incidentally tax funded, public schools for Catholics only) to employ and promote not only Catholics but Protestants, Atheists, Hindus, 7th Day Adventists etc, their is no 'protection for paedophiles' (the link he uses is 4 years old and in fact states how early release for sex offenders was scrapped) and that the banning of 'anti gay chants at sports events' has indeed been banned along with incitement to murder, support for terrorism and a host of other unsavoury chants that have no place at a sports event. Finally, the paragraph about the Dunblane Massacre was utterly shameful. For the record it was the Scottish general public who advocated stricter gun control. Scottish people despise guns, have never had a gun culture, rarely see a gun (except when they go on vacation to other European countries or the US) and would be appalled at the thought of loosening gun control. The Police don't even have guns here. To claim that rapes 'skyrocketed' as a consequence of the post-Dunblane gun control is an OUT AND OUT LIE. The snide hypocrisy of this individual is breathtaking. JamesCarmody probably claims to be a Christian too. --[[User:ScotsPatriot|ScotsPatriot]] 16:26, 8 March 2008 (EST)
:JamesCarmody was just a troll with an axe to grind against Conservapedia; he got the boot as a result of his trolling. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 18:06, 9 March 2008 (EDT)

==Layout change==
The article itself is rather weak; information about Scotland itself is lacking. I'm going to do a pattern for the article based on the layouts for the many country articles we have; all that's needed is to fill in the blanks. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 19:00, 9 March 2008 (EDT)
:The pattern is made; all that is needed is detail. As to the "societal problems" section, this should be included only if it is confirmed that it is nation-wide. If such is restricted to conditions in certain cities or regions, then they should be removed from here and placed in the relevent articles. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 19:39, 9 March 2008 (EDT)
::Scotland does indeed have its problems regarding alcohol, sex and substance abuse but then so do many parts of the world. Scotland has given the world many writers, soldiers (including John Paul Jones incidentally), statesmen, explorers, inventors, scientists and engineers as well as the Presbyterian religion. A significant percentage of your own Founding Fathers had Scots or Ulster Scots ancestry. Scotland has sacrificed many of its own sons and daughters fighting fascism in the second world war and currently are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Scots also played a disproportionately large role in the British Imperial adventure that shaped the world to this day. Scotland ,as a subject for this project, could provide many fascinating articles and avenues of learning but the only essay about Scotland on Conservapedia devotes about 10% of its article on the dysfunctional behaviour of some of our youths. Its like having an article about the US and its rich history, culture and place in the world but setting aside a tenth of it to label its inhabitants drunks, drug addicts or worse. That would be grotesquely unfair as is the whole 'Societal Problems' section. --[[User:ScotsPatriot|ScotsPatriot]] 15:15, 10 March 2008 (EDT)
:::Look at it this way: if you find that you can use any of the "societal problems" section for this article, then go for it. Perhaps, say on the religion subtopic, there could be the line regarding the reduction of church attendance. But I have no problem with removing the "societal problems" section alltogether. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 22:28, 10 March 2008 (EDT)

Look, i lived in Scotland for a year back in '99 and you have to admit, Scotland does have a problem with: knife crime, vandalism of public (or federal) buildings, and graffiti, among other things.----[[User:PhilipV|PhilipV]][[User talk:PhilipV|'' I Support our Troops!'']] 11:46, 14 December 2008 (EST)

==Hunting the haggis==
A separate section on these and other symbols/cultural favourites sounds a good idea. [[User:Bugler|Bugler]] 18:25, 29 June 2008 (EDT)

==Monarch list==
AAAARRRGGH! Can everyone stay of Scotland for a minute or ten? I've been trying to fix the list of monarchs, kept running into edit conflicts and have now lost it and have to start again.[[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 15:55, 5 November 2008 (EST)

PhilipV, please slow down. The links should have gone around the monarch alone, not dates and all. Also Scotland and England were separate monarchies until 1707, so Anne was the last monarch of Scotland. Would you like to fill in the gap please? I have already done James VI (James I) Thank you. We all make mistakes - me more than most - but you're hurtling along leaving a string of things for others to fix. Cheers [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 16:13, 5 November 2008 (EST)

Bah, leave my edits alone, yonder foul fiend! (and what are these mistakes you speak of?, the link goes around the name, dates and all so that i dont have to repeat myself like a parrot when writing the page on the individual monarch (did that make sense?)... oh well, read your talkpage, i have put the matter bluntly there.--[[User:PhilipV|PhilipV]] 16:31, 5 November 2008 (EST)
: Why are you putting the dates in the titles of the individual monarchs? [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 20:47, 5 November 2008 (EST)
::: Let him go Philip. I am waiting to see what happens. He has a "plan". :) (See my talk page). [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 22:38, 5 November 2008 (EST)
:::: I'm just thinking of all the page moves/renamings that an administrator might have to do later on. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 01:03, 6 November 2008 (EST)

Part of my "plan" as Alan artfully put it is to avoid confusion. e.g. Alexander II was both a king of scotland in the middle ages, but also a tsar of russia, and a famous one too. i encountered these problems while researching about these monarchs.--[[User:PhilipV|PhilipV]] 16:02, 6 November 2008 (EST)
p.s. if you want to relocate the pages do as you wish, but remember some kings have the same name as other, more famous kings (there should be no confusion with the queens in this article group.)
::Philip. Click on [[Simon de Montfort]] which I wrote this morning. That's how it is done. Look at [[Europa]]. Ditto. By all means do the articles - in fact'''please''' do the articles - but do them under the monarchs' names alone, not names ''and'' dates. (Look at the Anglo-Saxon kings to see an example of something similar.) Someone senior is going to have to come along later and fix what you have done. I feel somewhat bad about this for not jumping up and down more forcefully yesterday, so I will do everything I "legally" can to take a load off their shoulders. Keep going but link their names only.[[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 16:36, 6 November 2008 (EST)

fine--[[User:PhilipV|PhilipV]] 17:34, 6 November 2008 (EST)
: Please provide a list somewhere of articles that you would like renamed (including their new name), and I'll transfer them. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 20:39, 6 November 2008 (EST)
::PJR: I am not sure whether you are addressing me or PV. If it is me, I can have a list dropped in here within minutes...It's the copy of the list I'd saved, that he had reverted. I am also willing to transfer all the dates to the articles themselves and edit them (his shift key is a bit feral for example). As far as multiple articles for one name....Alexanders, Jameses etc...have you any problem with doing it the way I did [[Simon de Montfort]]? I can't do anything now though. It's quarter to three and I have house and family commitments. (Just looked in while I was having a cuppa.)[[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 22:49, 6 November 2008 (EST)

::: I guess that I was addressing that to PhilipV, but I don't care who supplies a list. I was a bit rushed in posting that. Most of them I could figure for myself (simply drop the years part), but if there's going to be confusion and the name itself is not sufficient, I would want to know how it should be named. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 21:29, 9 November 2008 (EST)
::::Afternoon,Philip....I am about to drop the list I wrote before PV changed it back to his version onto my talk page for you to look at. A couple of the article were already written (Maid of Norway and Robert the Bruce) and they are under their popularly known names. Some will double up (or more0 with other kings, but I will get around that the same way I did [[Simon de Montfort]]. If I have time before the door slams in my face this afternoon I will do a dry run on say, [[Edgar]], who was also an Anglo-Saxon king. If I can copy and paste his articles onto the new headings - making them the same style as the British monarchs (with their birth and death dates as well as their reigns etc)once everything is finished someone can come along and delete the name (dates)]] headings. (If you know what I mean)[[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 23:27, 9 November 2008 (EST)
::::: I'm not sure that I follow everything there. Unless there is already an article for 'xxx', then there's no need to delete 'xxx (dates)'; that's where the renaming comes in. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 00:33, 10 November 2008 (EST)

Hi again --[[User:PhilipV|PhilipV]] 07:54, 1 December 2008 (EST)

Scottish king lists traditionally go back to Kenneth Mac Alpin (844, I think), who unified the Scottish and Pictish kingdoms. Constantine II (first half of 10th century) is the first well-attested king, or at least the first one historically significant outside Scotland. At any rate, I don't understand why the list begins with Malcolm II, who was quite obscure. [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 19:49, 23 July 2011 (EDT)

== Locked? ==

Could I request that this page be unlocked? There are some details that need updating. [[User:Brit1909|Brit1909]] 21:06, 19 March 2011 (EDT)

== Lockerbie ==

I've created a separate sub-section for Lockerbie. I've tried to put some balance into the article, i.e. mentioning the flimsiness, verging on complete non-existence, of the case against al-Meghrahi. It's widely felt in Scotland and in the UK in general, including many of the relatives of British victims of the Lockerbie bombing, that a jury of 15 people gifted with ordinary levels of commonsense - the "best of the public", if you like - would not have regarded the case against him as proven beyond reasonable doubt. There is also a widespread suspicion that Clinton, Blair or both, arranged for the bribery of people who could be presented to the court as witnesses. [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 17:01, 23 July 2011 (EDT)

Scotland

2011-07-23T22:43:39Z

HollyS: /* Government */ typo

{{Country
|name =''Scotland''
|map =Scotland-map.jpg
|flag =Flag of Scotland.png
|arms =Lion rampant.png
|capital =Edinburgh
|capital-raw =
|government =Devolved parliamentary democracy
|government-raw =
|language =[[English]], [[Gaelic]]
|king =
|queen =Elizabeth II
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =Alex Salmond (''First Minister'')
|area =
|pop =
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =
|currency =
|idd =
|tld =
}}
'''Scotland''' is the second-largest and northern-most of the four countries in the [[United Kingdom]].
It is about three-eighths the size of its southern neighbour England, but is much less populous; most of the population lives in the ''central belt'', a band across central Scotland between the capital [[Edinburgh]] and the largest city, [[Glasgow]]. Other major cities are [[Aberdeen]] and [[Dundee]].

Scottish nationalists in recent years have sought greater regional autonomy, and have been granted control over some issues, including justice and education.

==Symbol==
The symbol of Scotland is the [[thistle]]. The Scottish flag is the Cross of St. Andrew, a white diagonal cross on a dark blue background. The design originated in the 9th century.
Scotland's motto is ''Nemo Me Impune Lacessit'' ("No one provokes me with impunity")<ref>http://www.scotland-guide.co.uk/ALL_AREAS_IN_SCOTLAND/Glasgow/Areas/Centre/Mercat_Cross.htm </ref>

==Geography==
Scotland is split into three distinct geographical regions; the mountainous Highlands to the north, the rolling countryside of the Central Lowlands (where the major urban centres are located) and the hilly Southern Uplands that lie next to the English border. Scotland also includes the island groups of [[Orkney]], [[Shetland]], the [[Inner Hebrides|Inner]] and [[Outer Hebrides]], the islands of the [[Firth of Clyde]] including [[Arran]], [[Bute]], [[Cumbrae]] & [[Wee Cumbrae]], as well as the outlying [[St. Kilda]] archipelago, [[Rockall]] and various other smaller islands.

[[Ben Nevis]], the highest mountain in the [[United Kingdom]], is in the Scottish [[Highlands of Scotland|Highlands]], as are most of the nation's highest mountains. Those with heights above 3000 feet are eponymously named [[Munro| Munros]] after Sir Hector Munro, the first person to compile a list of such mountains.<ref> for a complete list of Munros see http://www.sol.co.uk/d/dickwall/munroes.htm</ref>

Scotland has some 2,300 miles of coastline, including numerous estuaries called ''firths'' and sea lochs. Major rivers include the Spey, Tweed, Clyde, and Forth with the Tay being Scotland's longest river. Lakes, called ''lochs'' in the region, are abundant, with the name applied both to freshwater lakes and to sea inlets; Lochs Lomond, Morar, and Ness are the largest in the British Isles and well-known for their picturesque beauty, with Loch Ness having additional fame as the home of a legendary monster.

==People==

====Religion====
* see [[Church of Scotland]]

Scotland is historically Christian; the national church is the [[Church of Scotland]].

Scotland was a Catholic nation until the time of the [[Reformation]], when [[John Knox]] (1510-1572), George Wishart(1513-46) and other scholars returned from their travels in Germany excited by the works of [[John Calvin]] and to a lesser extent [[Martin Luther]].

Many of the lords became Protestant and in 1560, the Scottish Parliament formally rejected Papal jurisdiction. The Protestants ousted the Catholic queen, Mary Stuart ('Mary, Queen of Scots') and replaced her with her son, [[James VI]] (later to become [[James I]] of England).

Scotland became overwhelmingly Protestant with Catholicism surviving only in the remote and sparsely populated Highlands. About a third of the Presbyterians split off in the "Disruption of 1843" to form the Free Church of Scotland. After various other splits most of the Free Church reunited with the Church of Scotland in 1929. The Church of Scotland had about 960,000 adult members in 1980 but only 600,000 in 2006.

From the mid 19th century until the inter war period, there were large scale immigrations of Irish Catholics to Scotland's industrial urban centers and this changed the religious demography. Today there are a similar number of communicants of both the Roman Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland although both religions have suffered considerable declines in church going attendances. The Anglican (Episcopalian) Church is predominant in the north-east. Recent immigration has produced significant populations of Muslims, Hindus, Jews and Sikhs in Scotland's major cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee).

====Culture and sports====

Scotland has given the English speaking world many of the language's finest writers, poets and philosophers. Among these are Adam Smith, David Hume, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, Frances Hutcheson, James Hogg, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.M Barrie and Hugh MacDiarmid. The Scottish intellectual and cultural tradition can be traced back to the Scottish Enlightenment, a remarkable period in the 18th century characterized by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. Indeed it was Voltaire who said "we look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilization." Scotland is also famous for its disproportionate amount of inventors and scientists such as Alexander Graham Bell (telephone), Lord Kelvin (the Kelvin si unit of temperature), James Watt (condensed steam power), John Napier (logarithms and the decimal point), Joseph Lister (pioneer of antiseptics), Alexander Fleming (penicillin) James Clark Maxwell (electro-magnetism), Robert Watson Watt (radar) and John Logie Baird (television). It is home to ancient world class universities including the three Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews and being one of the first industrialized and urbanized nations in the world.

Above all else the national preoccupation is [[football (soccer)]]. Other popular pastimes include [[rugby]], [[lawn bowls]], [[motorsports]], [[horseracing]], [[shinty]] (similar to hockey), [[curling]], sports of the [[Highland Games]] - such as tossing the [[caber]]- and, of course, [[golf]]. Scotland is the home of golf. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at [[St Andrews]] is the governing body of world golf.

Other things associated with the country are [[kilt]]s ([[tartan]] skirt-like garments worn traditionally worn by Scotsmen), and the haunting music of the [[bagpipes]]. Scottish soldiers wore the kilt in battle up to the First World War and the pipes have signalled attacks by Scottish armies from mediaeval times. Famously, Brigadier Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, led a commando attack on [[Pegasus Bridge]] during the [[D-Day]] invasion of France accompanied by his piper Bill Millin, an event commemorated in the film ''[[The Longest Day]]''. Famous Scottish products include [[haggis]] and Scotch [[whisky]].

==Government==
Scotland has its own [[Scottish Parliament|Parliament]] comprising 129 members (MSPs) as well as sending 59 Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent its interests in the [[United Kingdom]] parliament which sits in [[London]]. Scottish MPs have historically been recognized for their political skills and appointed to the Cabinet in larger numbers than is proportionate; former Prime Ministers [[Gordon Brown]] and [[Tony Blair]] were born in Scotland.

The '''Scottish Government''' is the government in Scotland for devolved matters. Responsibility for all devolved matters was passed to the Scottish Executive from the
'''Scottish Office''' and other UK Government departments in 1999. The members of the Scottish Government are chosen from the party or parties holding most seats in the Parliament. The Scottish Government is led by the First Minister, who forms a ministerial team of Cabinet Secretaries. In the election on May 5 2011, the [[Scottish National Party]] won a majority, a remarkable achievement given that the Scottish electoral system is intended to produce coalition governments.

===Principal Government Officials===

The Government of Scotland has a number of departments within the cabinet, headed up by a cabinet secretary, as follows:

First Minister - Alex Salmond 
Deputy First Minister and Health Secretary - Nicola Sturgeon 
Finance Secretary - John Swinney 
Education Secretary - Mike Russell 
Justice Secretary - Kenny MacAskill 
Environment Secretary - Richard Lochhead

These secretaries are aided in their work by ministers, working within the cabinet departments, and each having their own specific area of devolved responsibility.

<ref>http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/Scottish-Cabinet</ref>

===Relations with England===
Relationships between Scottish and English MPs before [[devolution]] were sometimes tense because of what the former [[Conservative|Conservative Party]] MP, by then an [[Ulster Unionist]], [[Enoch Powell]] dubbed ''The West Lothian question''. The name arose in 1977 after [[Tam Dalyell]], Labour MP for West Lothian in Scotland, asked during a debate in the [[Houses of Parliament]] over Scottish and Welsh [[devolution]]:

<blockquote>''For how long will English constituencies and English Honourable members tolerate... at least 119 Honorable Members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland exercising an important, and probably often decisive, effect on British politics while they themselves have no say in the same matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?''</blockquote>

He pointed out that he as MP for West Lothian could vote on matters affecting English constituencies but not his own constituency.

===Lockerbie bombing===

The Government of Scotland has recently come under global scrutiny for its decision, led by Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill, to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahl, the only man convicted of the terrorist attack leading to the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over [[Lockerbie]], Scotland in 1988. He had served only 8 years of his term when he was released on grounds of compassion because he had terminal cancer, as required by Scots Law. A majority of the victims were American, and this decision received strong criticism from many Americans as well as the FBI Director Robert Mueller.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/22/fbi-director-slams-scotland-lockerbie-bomber-release/</ref>. The original conviction of al-Magrahi was controversial, however, both within Scotland and in the UK in general because the evidence leading to his conviction was extremely flimsy and it has been alleged that the key witness had been paid for giving his evidence by the [[Clinton]] administration or [[Blair]] government<ref>http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=in_the_back&article=122</ref>.

Libyan ruler Qaddafi profusely thanked British officials, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, for helping secure the release of the terrorist back to Libya. British Prime Minister Brown replied with a confusing set of denials, a disapproval of the hero's welcome that the terrorist received upon return to Libya, and a partial release of voluminous communications leading up to the release.<ref>http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14376240</ref>

==Economy==
Scotland's position at the forefront of the industrial revolution in the 19th century bequeathed a legacy of heavy engineering and manufacturing that lasted well into the 20th century. However with de-industrialisation from the 1970s onwards and latterly the relocation of manufacturing jobs to countries with lower labour costs (eg. Eastern Europe) the Scottish economy is now heavily dependant on tourism, the oil industry, agriculture, the service industry and public sector jobs.

==History==
* see [[History of Scotland]]

Scotland has been inhabited since the first [[Mesolithic]] hunter-gatherers are thought to have migrated to Scotland.<ref>At least 8500 years before recorded history dealt with Britain, according to the uniformitarian timescale. [http://www.scotlandhistory.net/ Scotland History], Wormland, Jenny. Scotland: a History. 2005, Oxford: Oxford University Press. p.1</ref>
These inhabitants showed advanced knowledge of astronomy, creating several [[Stonehenge]]-like monuments.

At the time of the [[Roman]]s the tribes in what became Scotland were similar to those further south, and can be considered to be [[Celtic]] peoples. Those from the North-East were called ‘Picti’ (Picts) by Roman writers, which could mean ‘painted people' and refer to tattoos. The Romans never subdued these northern tribes, and after a brief period when the Antonine Wall between the Firths of Forth and Clyde was the Roman Empire’s northern frontier, they drew back and had [[Hadrian’s Wall]] as the frontier. They did try to influence the tribes between the two Walls, and when kingdoms like Strathclyde emerged in the early [[Dark Ages]], their rulers often bore Roman names or titles, the dynasties having been founded by Roman officials. The Scots themselves began arriving as settlers in the West of Scotland at this time (AD 400-500). They were from a part of the north of [[Ireland]] and spoke Old Irish, which changed to become Scottish [[Gaelic]], and eventually replaced Pictish. They sometimes warred with the Picts and [[Briton]]s and sometimes allied with them, but a unified kingdom under the Scottish king Kenneth Mac Alpin was established in AD 843, called ‘Alba’ (still the [[Gaelic]] name for Scotland). This kingdom took over Strathclyde in the early 11th century to form the basis of Mediaeval Scotland. [[Normans]] and their descendants such as Robert the Bruce ('de Brus' was a Norman surname) became important nobles in Scotland.

Scotland had the earliest system of general public education in the world in modern times, dating from 1496. Education was further promoted by the Church of Scotland following the Protestant Reformation in 1560, because it was believed important that each person could read the Bible for him or herself in English.

====Union with England====
After the death of Queen [[Elizabeth I]] of England in 1603, James VI of Scotland ascended to the Throne of England, becoming [[James I]] of England. He was the first monarch to call himself King of Great Britain. This is referred to as the Union of the Crowns. James was also at this time King of [[Ireland]].

The Parliaments of Scotland and [[England]] were not united until 1707 and it is this date that is recognized as the formation of [[Great Britain]]. This is referred to as the Union of the Parliaments. (The [[United Kingdom]] was to come into being with the addition of [[Ireland]] in 1801.) The formation of the Irish Free State in 1922 resulted in the current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

====Monarchs of Scotland====
Before the Union of the Scottish and English crowns in 1603
(the years in brackets are the years during which the monarch ruled)
*[[Malcolm II (1005-1034)]]
*[[Duncan I (1034-1040)]]
*[[Macbeth (1040-1057)]]
*[[Malcolm III (1057-1093)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1094)]]
*[[Duncan II (1094)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1097)]]
*[[Edgar (1097-1107)]]
*[[Alexander I (1107-1124)]]
*[[David I (1124-1153)]]
*[[Malcolm IV (1153-1195)]]
*[[William (The Lion) (1165-1214)]]
*[[Alexander II (1214-1249)]]
*[[Alexander III (1249-1286)]]
*[[Margaret of Norway (1286-1290)]]
*[[John Balliol (1292-1296)]]
*[[Robert I (1306-1329)]]
*[[David II|David II (1329-1371)]]
'''House Of Stuart'''
*[[Robert II|Robert II (1371-1390)]]
*[[Robert III (1390-1406)]]
*[[James I (1406-1437)]]
*[[James II (1437-1460)]]
*[[James III (1460-1488)]]
*[[James IV (1488-1513)]]
*[[James V (1513-1542)]]
*[[Mary Queen of Scots]] (1542-1567)
*[[James VI (1567-1625)]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.n-cyclopedia.com/scottish-history/index.htm A Brief History of Scotland]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Scottish Culture]]

Scotland

2011-07-23T21:09:52Z

HollyS: /* History */ Education: clarification

{{Country
|name =''Scotland''
|map =Scotland-map.jpg
|flag =Flag of Scotland.png
|arms =Lion rampant.png
|capital =Edinburgh
|capital-raw =
|government =Devolved parliamentary democracy
|government-raw =
|language =[[English]], [[Gaelic]]
|king =
|queen =Elizabeth II
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =Alex Salmond (''First Minister'')
|area =
|pop =
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =
|currency =
|idd =
|tld =
}}
'''Scotland''' is the second-largest and northern-most of the four countries in the [[United Kingdom]].
It is about three-eighths the size of its southern neighbour England, but is much less populous; most of the population lives in the ''central belt'', a band across central Scotland between the capital [[Edinburgh]] and the largest city, [[Glasgow]]. Other major cities are [[Aberdeen]] and [[Dundee]].

Scottish nationalists in recent years have sought greater regional autonomy, and have been granted control over some issues, including justice and education.

==Symbol==
The symbol of Scotland is the [[thistle]]. The Scottish flag is the Cross of St. Andrew, a white diagonal cross on a dark blue background. The design originated in the 9th century.
Scotland's motto is ''Nemo Me Impune Lacessit'' ("No one provokes me with impunity")<ref>http://www.scotland-guide.co.uk/ALL_AREAS_IN_SCOTLAND/Glasgow/Areas/Centre/Mercat_Cross.htm </ref>

==Geography==
Scotland is split into three distinct geographical regions; the mountainous Highlands to the north, the rolling countryside of the Central Lowlands (where the major urban centres are located) and the hilly Southern Uplands that lie next to the English border. Scotland also includes the island groups of [[Orkney]], [[Shetland]], the [[Inner Hebrides|Inner]] and [[Outer Hebrides]], the islands of the [[Firth of Clyde]] including [[Arran]], [[Bute]], [[Cumbrae]] & [[Wee Cumbrae]], as well as the outlying [[St. Kilda]] archipelago, [[Rockall]] and various other smaller islands.

[[Ben Nevis]], the highest mountain in the [[United Kingdom]], is in the Scottish [[Highlands of Scotland|Highlands]], as are most of the nation's highest mountains. Those with heights above 3000 feet are eponymously named [[Munro| Munros]] after Sir Hector Munro, the first person to compile a list of such mountains.<ref> for a complete list of Munros see http://www.sol.co.uk/d/dickwall/munroes.htm</ref>

Scotland has some 2,300 miles of coastline, including numerous estuaries called ''firths'' and sea lochs. Major rivers include the Spey, Tweed, Clyde, and Forth with the Tay being Scotland's longest river. Lakes, called ''lochs'' in the region, are abundant, with the name applied both to freshwater lakes and to sea inlets; Lochs Lomond, Morar, and Ness are the largest in the British Isles and well-known for their picturesque beauty, with Loch Ness having additional fame as the home of a legendary monster.

==People==

====Religion====
* see [[Church of Scotland]]

Scotland is historically Christian; the national church is the [[Church of Scotland]].

Scotland was a Catholic nation until the time of the [[Reformation]], when [[John Knox]] (1510-1572), George Wishart(1513-46) and other scholars returned from their travels in Germany excited by the works of [[John Calvin]] and to a lesser extent [[Martin Luther]].

Many of the lords became Protestant and in 1560, the Scottish Parliament formally rejected Papal jurisdiction. The Protestants ousted the Catholic queen, Mary Stuart ('Mary, Queen of Scots') and replaced her with her son, [[James VI]] (later to become [[James I]] of England).

Scotland became overwhelmingly Protestant with Catholicism surviving only in the remote and sparsely populated Highlands. About a third of the Presbyterians split off in the "Disruption of 1843" to form the Free Church of Scotland. After various other splits most of the Free Church reunited with the Church of Scotland in 1929. The Church of Scotland had about 960,000 adult members in 1980 but only 600,000 in 2006.

From the mid 19th century until the inter war period, there were large scale immigrations of Irish Catholics to Scotland's industrial urban centers and this changed the religious demography. Today there are a similar number of communicants of both the Roman Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland although both religions have suffered considerable declines in church going attendances. The Anglican (Episcopalian) Church is predominant in the north-east. Recent immigration has produced significant populations of Muslims, Hindus, Jews and Sikhs in Scotland's major cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee).

====Culture and sports====

Scotland has given the English speaking world many of the language's finest writers, poets and philosophers. Among these are Adam Smith, David Hume, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, Frances Hutcheson, James Hogg, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.M Barrie and Hugh MacDiarmid. The Scottish intellectual and cultural tradition can be traced back to the Scottish Enlightenment, a remarkable period in the 18th century characterized by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. Indeed it was Voltaire who said "we look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilization." Scotland is also famous for its disproportionate amount of inventors and scientists such as Alexander Graham Bell (telephone), Lord Kelvin (the Kelvin si unit of temperature), James Watt (condensed steam power), John Napier (logarithms and the decimal point), Joseph Lister (pioneer of antiseptics), Alexander Fleming (penicillin) James Clark Maxwell (electro-magnetism), Robert Watson Watt (radar) and John Logie Baird (television). It is home to ancient world class universities including the three Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews and being one of the first industrialized and urbanized nations in the world.

Above all else the national preoccupation is [[football (soccer)]]. Other popular pastimes include [[rugby]], [[lawn bowls]], [[motorsports]], [[horseracing]], [[shinty]] (similar to hockey), [[curling]], sports of the [[Highland Games]] - such as tossing the [[caber]]- and, of course, [[golf]]. Scotland is the home of golf. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at [[St Andrews]] is the governing body of world golf.

Other things associated with the country are [[kilt]]s ([[tartan]] skirt-like garments worn traditionally worn by Scotsmen), and the haunting music of the [[bagpipes]]. Scottish soldiers wore the kilt in battle up to the First World War and the pipes have signalled attacks by Scottish armies from mediaeval times. Famously, Brigadier Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, led a commando attack on [[Pegasus Bridge]] during the [[D-Day]] invasion of France accompanied by his piper Bill Millin, an event commemorated in the film ''[[The Longest Day]]''. Famous Scottish products include [[haggis]] and Scotch [[whisky]].

==Government==
Scotland has its own [[Scottish Parliament|Parliament]] comprising 129 members (MSPs) as well as sending 59 Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent its interests in the [[United Kingdom]] parliament which sits in [[London]]. Scottish MPs have historically been recognized for their political skills and appointed to the Cabinet in larger numbers than is proportionate; former Prime Ministers [[Gordon Brown]] and [[Tony Blair]] were born in Scotland.

The '''Scottish Government''' is the government in Scotland for devolved matters. Responsibility for all devolved matters was passed to the Scottish Executive from the
'''Scottish Office''' and other UK Government departments in 1999. The members of the Scottish Government are chosen from the party or parties holding most seats in the Parliament. The Scottish Government is led by the First Minister, who forms a ministerial team of Cabinet Secretaries. In the election on May 5 2011, the [[Scottish National Party]] won a majority, a remarkable achievement give that the Scottish electoral system is intended to produce coalition governments.

===Principal Government Officials===

The Government of Scotland has a number of departments within the cabinet, headed up by a cabinet secretary, as follows:

First Minister - Alex Salmond 
Deputy First Minister and Health Secretary - Nicola Sturgeon 
Finance Secretary - John Swinney 
Education Secretary - Mike Russell 
Justice Secretary - Kenny MacAskill 
Environment Secretary - Richard Lochhead

These secretaries are aided in their work by ministers, working within the cabinet departments, and each having their own specific area of devolved responsibility.

<ref>http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/Scottish-Cabinet</ref>

===Relations with England===
Relationships between Scottish and English MPs before [[devolution]] were sometimes tense because of what the former [[Conservative|Conservative Party]] MP, by then an [[Ulster Unionist]], [[Enoch Powell]] dubbed ''The West Lothian question''. The name arose in 1977 after [[Tam Dalyell]], Labour MP for West Lothian in Scotland, asked during a debate in the [[Houses of Parliament]] over Scottish and Welsh [[devolution]]:

<blockquote>''For how long will English constituencies and English Honourable members tolerate... at least 119 Honorable Members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland exercising an important, and probably often decisive, effect on British politics while they themselves have no say in the same matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?''</blockquote>

He pointed out that he as MP for West Lothian could vote on matters affecting English constituencies but not his own constituency.

===Lockerbie bombing===

The Government of Scotland has recently come under global scrutiny for its decision, led by Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill, to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahl, the only man convicted of the terrorist attack leading to the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over [[Lockerbie]], Scotland in 1988. He had served only 8 years of his term when he was released on grounds of compassion because he had terminal cancer, as required by Scots Law. A majority of the victims were American, and this decision received strong criticism from many Americans as well as the FBI Director Robert Mueller.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/22/fbi-director-slams-scotland-lockerbie-bomber-release/</ref>. The original conviction of al-Magrahi was controversial, however, both within Scotland and in the UK in general because the evidence leading to his conviction was extremely flimsy and it has been alleged that the key witness had been paid for giving his evidence by the [[Clinton]] administration or [[Blair]] government<ref>http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=in_the_back&article=122</ref>.

Libyan ruler Qaddafi profusely thanked British officials, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, for helping secure the release of the terrorist back to Libya. British Prime Minister Brown replied with a confusing set of denials, a disapproval of the hero's welcome that the terrorist received upon return to Libya, and a partial release of voluminous communications leading up to the release.<ref>http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14376240</ref>

==Economy==
Scotland's position at the forefront of the industrial revolution in the 19th century bequeathed a legacy of heavy engineering and manufacturing that lasted well into the 20th century. However with de-industrialisation from the 1970s onwards and latterly the relocation of manufacturing jobs to countries with lower labour costs (eg. Eastern Europe) the Scottish economy is now heavily dependant on tourism, the oil industry, agriculture, the service industry and public sector jobs.

==History==
* see [[History of Scotland]]

Scotland has been inhabited since the first [[Mesolithic]] hunter-gatherers are thought to have migrated to Scotland.<ref>At least 8500 years before recorded history dealt with Britain, according to the uniformitarian timescale. [http://www.scotlandhistory.net/ Scotland History], Wormland, Jenny. Scotland: a History. 2005, Oxford: Oxford University Press. p.1</ref>
These inhabitants showed advanced knowledge of astronomy, creating several [[Stonehenge]]-like monuments.

At the time of the [[Roman]]s the tribes in what became Scotland were similar to those further south, and can be considered to be [[Celtic]] peoples. Those from the North-East were called ‘Picti’ (Picts) by Roman writers, which could mean ‘painted people' and refer to tattoos. The Romans never subdued these northern tribes, and after a brief period when the Antonine Wall between the Firths of Forth and Clyde was the Roman Empire’s northern frontier, they drew back and had [[Hadrian’s Wall]] as the frontier. They did try to influence the tribes between the two Walls, and when kingdoms like Strathclyde emerged in the early [[Dark Ages]], their rulers often bore Roman names or titles, the dynasties having been founded by Roman officials. The Scots themselves began arriving as settlers in the West of Scotland at this time (AD 400-500). They were from a part of the north of [[Ireland]] and spoke Old Irish, which changed to become Scottish [[Gaelic]], and eventually replaced Pictish. They sometimes warred with the Picts and [[Briton]]s and sometimes allied with them, but a unified kingdom under the Scottish king Kenneth Mac Alpin was established in AD 843, called ‘Alba’ (still the [[Gaelic]] name for Scotland). This kingdom took over Strathclyde in the early 11th century to form the basis of Mediaeval Scotland. [[Normans]] and their descendants such as Robert the Bruce ('de Brus' was a Norman surname) became important nobles in Scotland.

Scotland had the earliest system of general public education in the world in modern times, dating from 1496. Education was further promoted by the Church of Scotland following the Protestant Reformation in 1560, because it was believed important that each person could read the Bible for him or herself in English.

====Union with England====
After the death of Queen [[Elizabeth I]] of England in 1603, James VI of Scotland ascended to the Throne of England, becoming [[James I]] of England. He was the first monarch to call himself King of Great Britain. This is referred to as the Union of the Crowns. James was also at this time King of [[Ireland]].

The Parliaments of Scotland and [[England]] were not united until 1707 and it is this date that is recognized as the formation of [[Great Britain]]. This is referred to as the Union of the Parliaments. (The [[United Kingdom]] was to come into being with the addition of [[Ireland]] in 1801.) The formation of the Irish Free State in 1922 resulted in the current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

====Monarchs of Scotland====
Before the Union of the Scottish and English crowns in 1603
(the years in brackets are the years during which the monarch ruled)
*[[Malcolm II (1005-1034)]]
*[[Duncan I (1034-1040)]]
*[[Macbeth (1040-1057)]]
*[[Malcolm III (1057-1093)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1094)]]
*[[Duncan II (1094)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1097)]]
*[[Edgar (1097-1107)]]
*[[Alexander I (1107-1124)]]
*[[David I (1124-1153)]]
*[[Malcolm IV (1153-1195)]]
*[[William (The Lion) (1165-1214)]]
*[[Alexander II (1214-1249)]]
*[[Alexander III (1249-1286)]]
*[[Margaret of Norway (1286-1290)]]
*[[John Balliol (1292-1296)]]
*[[Robert I (1306-1329)]]
*[[David II|David II (1329-1371)]]
'''House Of Stuart'''
*[[Robert II|Robert II (1371-1390)]]
*[[Robert III (1390-1406)]]
*[[James I (1406-1437)]]
*[[James II (1437-1460)]]
*[[James III (1460-1488)]]
*[[James IV (1488-1513)]]
*[[James V (1513-1542)]]
*[[Mary Queen of Scots]] (1542-1567)
*[[James VI (1567-1625)]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.n-cyclopedia.com/scottish-history/index.htm A Brief History of Scotland]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Scottish Culture]]

Scotland

2011-07-23T21:09:08Z

HollyS: /* History */ Education

{{Country
|name =''Scotland''
|map =Scotland-map.jpg
|flag =Flag of Scotland.png
|arms =Lion rampant.png
|capital =Edinburgh
|capital-raw =
|government =Devolved parliamentary democracy
|government-raw =
|language =[[English]], [[Gaelic]]
|king =
|queen =Elizabeth II
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =Alex Salmond (''First Minister'')
|area =
|pop =
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =
|currency =
|idd =
|tld =
}}
'''Scotland''' is the second-largest and northern-most of the four countries in the [[United Kingdom]].
It is about three-eighths the size of its southern neighbour England, but is much less populous; most of the population lives in the ''central belt'', a band across central Scotland between the capital [[Edinburgh]] and the largest city, [[Glasgow]]. Other major cities are [[Aberdeen]] and [[Dundee]].

Scottish nationalists in recent years have sought greater regional autonomy, and have been granted control over some issues, including justice and education.

==Symbol==
The symbol of Scotland is the [[thistle]]. The Scottish flag is the Cross of St. Andrew, a white diagonal cross on a dark blue background. The design originated in the 9th century.
Scotland's motto is ''Nemo Me Impune Lacessit'' ("No one provokes me with impunity")<ref>http://www.scotland-guide.co.uk/ALL_AREAS_IN_SCOTLAND/Glasgow/Areas/Centre/Mercat_Cross.htm </ref>

==Geography==
Scotland is split into three distinct geographical regions; the mountainous Highlands to the north, the rolling countryside of the Central Lowlands (where the major urban centres are located) and the hilly Southern Uplands that lie next to the English border. Scotland also includes the island groups of [[Orkney]], [[Shetland]], the [[Inner Hebrides|Inner]] and [[Outer Hebrides]], the islands of the [[Firth of Clyde]] including [[Arran]], [[Bute]], [[Cumbrae]] & [[Wee Cumbrae]], as well as the outlying [[St. Kilda]] archipelago, [[Rockall]] and various other smaller islands.

[[Ben Nevis]], the highest mountain in the [[United Kingdom]], is in the Scottish [[Highlands of Scotland|Highlands]], as are most of the nation's highest mountains. Those with heights above 3000 feet are eponymously named [[Munro| Munros]] after Sir Hector Munro, the first person to compile a list of such mountains.<ref> for a complete list of Munros see http://www.sol.co.uk/d/dickwall/munroes.htm</ref>

Scotland has some 2,300 miles of coastline, including numerous estuaries called ''firths'' and sea lochs. Major rivers include the Spey, Tweed, Clyde, and Forth with the Tay being Scotland's longest river. Lakes, called ''lochs'' in the region, are abundant, with the name applied both to freshwater lakes and to sea inlets; Lochs Lomond, Morar, and Ness are the largest in the British Isles and well-known for their picturesque beauty, with Loch Ness having additional fame as the home of a legendary monster.

==People==

====Religion====
* see [[Church of Scotland]]

Scotland is historically Christian; the national church is the [[Church of Scotland]].

Scotland was a Catholic nation until the time of the [[Reformation]], when [[John Knox]] (1510-1572), George Wishart(1513-46) and other scholars returned from their travels in Germany excited by the works of [[John Calvin]] and to a lesser extent [[Martin Luther]].

Many of the lords became Protestant and in 1560, the Scottish Parliament formally rejected Papal jurisdiction. The Protestants ousted the Catholic queen, Mary Stuart ('Mary, Queen of Scots') and replaced her with her son, [[James VI]] (later to become [[James I]] of England).

Scotland became overwhelmingly Protestant with Catholicism surviving only in the remote and sparsely populated Highlands. About a third of the Presbyterians split off in the "Disruption of 1843" to form the Free Church of Scotland. After various other splits most of the Free Church reunited with the Church of Scotland in 1929. The Church of Scotland had about 960,000 adult members in 1980 but only 600,000 in 2006.

From the mid 19th century until the inter war period, there were large scale immigrations of Irish Catholics to Scotland's industrial urban centers and this changed the religious demography. Today there are a similar number of communicants of both the Roman Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland although both religions have suffered considerable declines in church going attendances. The Anglican (Episcopalian) Church is predominant in the north-east. Recent immigration has produced significant populations of Muslims, Hindus, Jews and Sikhs in Scotland's major cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee).

====Culture and sports====

Scotland has given the English speaking world many of the language's finest writers, poets and philosophers. Among these are Adam Smith, David Hume, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, Frances Hutcheson, James Hogg, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.M Barrie and Hugh MacDiarmid. The Scottish intellectual and cultural tradition can be traced back to the Scottish Enlightenment, a remarkable period in the 18th century characterized by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. Indeed it was Voltaire who said "we look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilization." Scotland is also famous for its disproportionate amount of inventors and scientists such as Alexander Graham Bell (telephone), Lord Kelvin (the Kelvin si unit of temperature), James Watt (condensed steam power), John Napier (logarithms and the decimal point), Joseph Lister (pioneer of antiseptics), Alexander Fleming (penicillin) James Clark Maxwell (electro-magnetism), Robert Watson Watt (radar) and John Logie Baird (television). It is home to ancient world class universities including the three Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews and being one of the first industrialized and urbanized nations in the world.

Above all else the national preoccupation is [[football (soccer)]]. Other popular pastimes include [[rugby]], [[lawn bowls]], [[motorsports]], [[horseracing]], [[shinty]] (similar to hockey), [[curling]], sports of the [[Highland Games]] - such as tossing the [[caber]]- and, of course, [[golf]]. Scotland is the home of golf. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at [[St Andrews]] is the governing body of world golf.

Other things associated with the country are [[kilt]]s ([[tartan]] skirt-like garments worn traditionally worn by Scotsmen), and the haunting music of the [[bagpipes]]. Scottish soldiers wore the kilt in battle up to the First World War and the pipes have signalled attacks by Scottish armies from mediaeval times. Famously, Brigadier Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, led a commando attack on [[Pegasus Bridge]] during the [[D-Day]] invasion of France accompanied by his piper Bill Millin, an event commemorated in the film ''[[The Longest Day]]''. Famous Scottish products include [[haggis]] and Scotch [[whisky]].

==Government==
Scotland has its own [[Scottish Parliament|Parliament]] comprising 129 members (MSPs) as well as sending 59 Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent its interests in the [[United Kingdom]] parliament which sits in [[London]]. Scottish MPs have historically been recognized for their political skills and appointed to the Cabinet in larger numbers than is proportionate; former Prime Ministers [[Gordon Brown]] and [[Tony Blair]] were born in Scotland.

The '''Scottish Government''' is the government in Scotland for devolved matters. Responsibility for all devolved matters was passed to the Scottish Executive from the
'''Scottish Office''' and other UK Government departments in 1999. The members of the Scottish Government are chosen from the party or parties holding most seats in the Parliament. The Scottish Government is led by the First Minister, who forms a ministerial team of Cabinet Secretaries. In the election on May 5 2011, the [[Scottish National Party]] won a majority, a remarkable achievement give that the Scottish electoral system is intended to produce coalition governments.

===Principal Government Officials===

The Government of Scotland has a number of departments within the cabinet, headed up by a cabinet secretary, as follows:

First Minister - Alex Salmond 
Deputy First Minister and Health Secretary - Nicola Sturgeon 
Finance Secretary - John Swinney 
Education Secretary - Mike Russell 
Justice Secretary - Kenny MacAskill 
Environment Secretary - Richard Lochhead

These secretaries are aided in their work by ministers, working within the cabinet departments, and each having their own specific area of devolved responsibility.

<ref>http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/Scottish-Cabinet</ref>

===Relations with England===
Relationships between Scottish and English MPs before [[devolution]] were sometimes tense because of what the former [[Conservative|Conservative Party]] MP, by then an [[Ulster Unionist]], [[Enoch Powell]] dubbed ''The West Lothian question''. The name arose in 1977 after [[Tam Dalyell]], Labour MP for West Lothian in Scotland, asked during a debate in the [[Houses of Parliament]] over Scottish and Welsh [[devolution]]:

<blockquote>''For how long will English constituencies and English Honourable members tolerate... at least 119 Honorable Members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland exercising an important, and probably often decisive, effect on British politics while they themselves have no say in the same matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?''</blockquote>

He pointed out that he as MP for West Lothian could vote on matters affecting English constituencies but not his own constituency.

===Lockerbie bombing===

The Government of Scotland has recently come under global scrutiny for its decision, led by Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill, to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahl, the only man convicted of the terrorist attack leading to the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over [[Lockerbie]], Scotland in 1988. He had served only 8 years of his term when he was released on grounds of compassion because he had terminal cancer, as required by Scots Law. A majority of the victims were American, and this decision received strong criticism from many Americans as well as the FBI Director Robert Mueller.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/22/fbi-director-slams-scotland-lockerbie-bomber-release/</ref>. The original conviction of al-Magrahi was controversial, however, both within Scotland and in the UK in general because the evidence leading to his conviction was extremely flimsy and it has been alleged that the key witness had been paid for giving his evidence by the [[Clinton]] administration or [[Blair]] government<ref>http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=in_the_back&article=122</ref>.

Libyan ruler Qaddafi profusely thanked British officials, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, for helping secure the release of the terrorist back to Libya. British Prime Minister Brown replied with a confusing set of denials, a disapproval of the hero's welcome that the terrorist received upon return to Libya, and a partial release of voluminous communications leading up to the release.<ref>http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14376240</ref>

==Economy==
Scotland's position at the forefront of the industrial revolution in the 19th century bequeathed a legacy of heavy engineering and manufacturing that lasted well into the 20th century. However with de-industrialisation from the 1970s onwards and latterly the relocation of manufacturing jobs to countries with lower labour costs (eg. Eastern Europe) the Scottish economy is now heavily dependant on tourism, the oil industry, agriculture, the service industry and public sector jobs.

==History==
* see [[History of Scotland]]

Scotland has been inhabited since the first [[Mesolithic]] hunter-gatherers are thought to have migrated to Scotland.<ref>At least 8500 years before recorded history dealt with Britain, according to the uniformitarian timescale. [http://www.scotlandhistory.net/ Scotland History], Wormland, Jenny. Scotland: a History. 2005, Oxford: Oxford University Press. p.1</ref>
These inhabitants showed advanced knowledge of astronomy, creating several [[Stonehenge]]-like monuments.

At the time of the [[Roman]]s the tribes in what became Scotland were similar to those further south, and can be considered to be [[Celtic]] peoples. Those from the North-East were called ‘Picti’ (Picts) by Roman writers, which could mean ‘painted people' and refer to tattoos. The Romans never subdued these northern tribes, and after a brief period when the Antonine Wall between the Firths of Forth and Clyde was the Roman Empire’s northern frontier, they drew back and had [[Hadrian’s Wall]] as the frontier. They did try to influence the tribes between the two Walls, and when kingdoms like Strathclyde emerged in the early [[Dark Ages]], their rulers often bore Roman names or titles, the dynasties having been founded by Roman officials. The Scots themselves began arriving as settlers in the West of Scotland at this time (AD 400-500). They were from a part of the north of [[Ireland]] and spoke Old Irish, which changed to become Scottish [[Gaelic]], and eventually replaced Pictish. They sometimes warred with the Picts and [[Briton]]s and sometimes allied with them, but a unified kingdom under the Scottish king Kenneth Mac Alpin was established in AD 843, called ‘Alba’ (still the [[Gaelic]] name for Scotland). This kingdom took over Strathclyde in the early 11th century to form the basis of Mediaeval Scotland. [[Normans]] and their descendants such as Robert the Bruce ('de Brus' was a Norman surname) became important nobles in Scotland.

Scotland had the earliest system of general public education in modern times, dating from 1496. Education was further promoted by the Church of Scotland following the Protestant Reformation in 1560, because it was believed important that each person could read the Bible for him or herself in English.

====Union with England====
After the death of Queen [[Elizabeth I]] of England in 1603, James VI of Scotland ascended to the Throne of England, becoming [[James I]] of England. He was the first monarch to call himself King of Great Britain. This is referred to as the Union of the Crowns. James was also at this time King of [[Ireland]].

The Parliaments of Scotland and [[England]] were not united until 1707 and it is this date that is recognized as the formation of [[Great Britain]]. This is referred to as the Union of the Parliaments. (The [[United Kingdom]] was to come into being with the addition of [[Ireland]] in 1801.) The formation of the Irish Free State in 1922 resulted in the current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

====Monarchs of Scotland====
Before the Union of the Scottish and English crowns in 1603
(the years in brackets are the years during which the monarch ruled)
*[[Malcolm II (1005-1034)]]
*[[Duncan I (1034-1040)]]
*[[Macbeth (1040-1057)]]
*[[Malcolm III (1057-1093)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1094)]]
*[[Duncan II (1094)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1097)]]
*[[Edgar (1097-1107)]]
*[[Alexander I (1107-1124)]]
*[[David I (1124-1153)]]
*[[Malcolm IV (1153-1195)]]
*[[William (The Lion) (1165-1214)]]
*[[Alexander II (1214-1249)]]
*[[Alexander III (1249-1286)]]
*[[Margaret of Norway (1286-1290)]]
*[[John Baliol (1292-1296)]]
*[[Robert I (1306-1329)]]
*[[David II|David II (1329-1371)]]
'''House Of Stuart'''
*[[Robert II|Robert II (1371-1390)]]
*[[Robert III (1390-1406)]]
*[[James I (1406-1437)]]
*[[James II (1437-1460)]]
*[[James III (1460-1488)]]
*[[James IV (1488-1513)]]
*[[James V (1513-1542)]]
*[[Mary Queen of Scots]] (1542-1567)
*[[James VI (1567-1625)]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.n-cyclopedia.com/scottish-history/index.htm A Brief History of Scotland]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Scottish Culture]]

Scotland

2011-07-23T21:06:16Z

HollyS: /* Culture and sports */ Kilts and pipes

{{Country
|name =''Scotland''
|map =Scotland-map.jpg
|flag =Flag of Scotland.png
|arms =Lion rampant.png
|capital =Edinburgh
|capital-raw =
|government =Devolved parliamentary democracy
|government-raw =
|language =[[English]], [[Gaelic]]
|king =
|queen =Elizabeth II
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =Alex Salmond (''First Minister'')
|area =
|pop =
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =
|currency =
|idd =
|tld =
}}
'''Scotland''' is the second-largest and northern-most of the four countries in the [[United Kingdom]].
It is about three-eighths the size of its southern neighbour England, but is much less populous; most of the population lives in the ''central belt'', a band across central Scotland between the capital [[Edinburgh]] and the largest city, [[Glasgow]]. Other major cities are [[Aberdeen]] and [[Dundee]].

Scottish nationalists in recent years have sought greater regional autonomy, and have been granted control over some issues, including justice and education.

==Symbol==
The symbol of Scotland is the [[thistle]]. The Scottish flag is the Cross of St. Andrew, a white diagonal cross on a dark blue background. The design originated in the 9th century.
Scotland's motto is ''Nemo Me Impune Lacessit'' ("No one provokes me with impunity")<ref>http://www.scotland-guide.co.uk/ALL_AREAS_IN_SCOTLAND/Glasgow/Areas/Centre/Mercat_Cross.htm </ref>

==Geography==
Scotland is split into three distinct geographical regions; the mountainous Highlands to the north, the rolling countryside of the Central Lowlands (where the major urban centres are located) and the hilly Southern Uplands that lie next to the English border. Scotland also includes the island groups of [[Orkney]], [[Shetland]], the [[Inner Hebrides|Inner]] and [[Outer Hebrides]], the islands of the [[Firth of Clyde]] including [[Arran]], [[Bute]], [[Cumbrae]] & [[Wee Cumbrae]], as well as the outlying [[St. Kilda]] archipelago, [[Rockall]] and various other smaller islands.

[[Ben Nevis]], the highest mountain in the [[United Kingdom]], is in the Scottish [[Highlands of Scotland|Highlands]], as are most of the nation's highest mountains. Those with heights above 3000 feet are eponymously named [[Munro| Munros]] after Sir Hector Munro, the first person to compile a list of such mountains.<ref> for a complete list of Munros see http://www.sol.co.uk/d/dickwall/munroes.htm</ref>

Scotland has some 2,300 miles of coastline, including numerous estuaries called ''firths'' and sea lochs. Major rivers include the Spey, Tweed, Clyde, and Forth with the Tay being Scotland's longest river. Lakes, called ''lochs'' in the region, are abundant, with the name applied both to freshwater lakes and to sea inlets; Lochs Lomond, Morar, and Ness are the largest in the British Isles and well-known for their picturesque beauty, with Loch Ness having additional fame as the home of a legendary monster.

==People==

====Religion====
* see [[Church of Scotland]]

Scotland is historically Christian; the national church is the [[Church of Scotland]].

Scotland was a Catholic nation until the time of the [[Reformation]], when [[John Knox]] (1510-1572), George Wishart(1513-46) and other scholars returned from their travels in Germany excited by the works of [[John Calvin]] and to a lesser extent [[Martin Luther]].

Many of the lords became Protestant and in 1560, the Scottish Parliament formally rejected Papal jurisdiction. The Protestants ousted the Catholic queen, Mary Stuart ('Mary, Queen of Scots') and replaced her with her son, [[James VI]] (later to become [[James I]] of England).

Scotland became overwhelmingly Protestant with Catholicism surviving only in the remote and sparsely populated Highlands. About a third of the Presbyterians split off in the "Disruption of 1843" to form the Free Church of Scotland. After various other splits most of the Free Church reunited with the Church of Scotland in 1929. The Church of Scotland had about 960,000 adult members in 1980 but only 600,000 in 2006.

From the mid 19th century until the inter war period, there were large scale immigrations of Irish Catholics to Scotland's industrial urban centers and this changed the religious demography. Today there are a similar number of communicants of both the Roman Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland although both religions have suffered considerable declines in church going attendances. The Anglican (Episcopalian) Church is predominant in the north-east. Recent immigration has produced significant populations of Muslims, Hindus, Jews and Sikhs in Scotland's major cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee).

====Culture and sports====

Scotland has given the English speaking world many of the language's finest writers, poets and philosophers. Among these are Adam Smith, David Hume, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, Frances Hutcheson, James Hogg, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.M Barrie and Hugh MacDiarmid. The Scottish intellectual and cultural tradition can be traced back to the Scottish Enlightenment, a remarkable period in the 18th century characterized by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. Indeed it was Voltaire who said "we look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilization." Scotland is also famous for its disproportionate amount of inventors and scientists such as Alexander Graham Bell (telephone), Lord Kelvin (the Kelvin si unit of temperature), James Watt (condensed steam power), John Napier (logarithms and the decimal point), Joseph Lister (pioneer of antiseptics), Alexander Fleming (penicillin) James Clark Maxwell (electro-magnetism), Robert Watson Watt (radar) and John Logie Baird (television). It is home to ancient world class universities including the three Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews and being one of the first industrialized and urbanized nations in the world.

Above all else the national preoccupation is [[football (soccer)]]. Other popular pastimes include [[rugby]], [[lawn bowls]], [[motorsports]], [[horseracing]], [[shinty]] (similar to hockey), [[curling]], sports of the [[Highland Games]] - such as tossing the [[caber]]- and, of course, [[golf]]. Scotland is the home of golf. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at [[St Andrews]] is the governing body of world golf.

Other things associated with the country are [[kilt]]s ([[tartan]] skirt-like garments worn traditionally worn by Scotsmen), and the haunting music of the [[bagpipes]]. Scottish soldiers wore the kilt in battle up to the First World War and the pipes have signalled attacks by Scottish armies from mediaeval times. Famously, Brigadier Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, led a commando attack on [[Pegasus Bridge]] during the [[D-Day]] invasion of France accompanied by his piper Bill Millin, an event commemorated in the film ''[[The Longest Day]]''. Famous Scottish products include [[haggis]] and Scotch [[whisky]].

==Government==
Scotland has its own [[Scottish Parliament|Parliament]] comprising 129 members (MSPs) as well as sending 59 Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent its interests in the [[United Kingdom]] parliament which sits in [[London]]. Scottish MPs have historically been recognized for their political skills and appointed to the Cabinet in larger numbers than is proportionate; former Prime Ministers [[Gordon Brown]] and [[Tony Blair]] were born in Scotland.

The '''Scottish Government''' is the government in Scotland for devolved matters. Responsibility for all devolved matters was passed to the Scottish Executive from the
'''Scottish Office''' and other UK Government departments in 1999. The members of the Scottish Government are chosen from the party or parties holding most seats in the Parliament. The Scottish Government is led by the First Minister, who forms a ministerial team of Cabinet Secretaries. In the election on May 5 2011, the [[Scottish National Party]] won a majority, a remarkable achievement give that the Scottish electoral system is intended to produce coalition governments.

===Principal Government Officials===

The Government of Scotland has a number of departments within the cabinet, headed up by a cabinet secretary, as follows:

First Minister - Alex Salmond 
Deputy First Minister and Health Secretary - Nicola Sturgeon 
Finance Secretary - John Swinney 
Education Secretary - Mike Russell 
Justice Secretary - Kenny MacAskill 
Environment Secretary - Richard Lochhead

These secretaries are aided in their work by ministers, working within the cabinet departments, and each having their own specific area of devolved responsibility.

<ref>http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/Scottish-Cabinet</ref>

===Relations with England===
Relationships between Scottish and English MPs before [[devolution]] were sometimes tense because of what the former [[Conservative|Conservative Party]] MP, by then an [[Ulster Unionist]], [[Enoch Powell]] dubbed ''The West Lothian question''. The name arose in 1977 after [[Tam Dalyell]], Labour MP for West Lothian in Scotland, asked during a debate in the [[Houses of Parliament]] over Scottish and Welsh [[devolution]]:

<blockquote>''For how long will English constituencies and English Honourable members tolerate... at least 119 Honorable Members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland exercising an important, and probably often decisive, effect on British politics while they themselves have no say in the same matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?''</blockquote>

He pointed out that he as MP for West Lothian could vote on matters affecting English constituencies but not his own constituency.

===Lockerbie bombing===

The Government of Scotland has recently come under global scrutiny for its decision, led by Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill, to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahl, the only man convicted of the terrorist attack leading to the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over [[Lockerbie]], Scotland in 1988. He had served only 8 years of his term when he was released on grounds of compassion because he had terminal cancer, as required by Scots Law. A majority of the victims were American, and this decision received strong criticism from many Americans as well as the FBI Director Robert Mueller.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/22/fbi-director-slams-scotland-lockerbie-bomber-release/</ref>. The original conviction of al-Magrahi was controversial, however, both within Scotland and in the UK in general because the evidence leading to his conviction was extremely flimsy and it has been alleged that the key witness had been paid for giving his evidence by the [[Clinton]] administration or [[Blair]] government<ref>http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=in_the_back&article=122</ref>.

Libyan ruler Qaddafi profusely thanked British officials, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, for helping secure the release of the terrorist back to Libya. British Prime Minister Brown replied with a confusing set of denials, a disapproval of the hero's welcome that the terrorist received upon return to Libya, and a partial release of voluminous communications leading up to the release.<ref>http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14376240</ref>

==Economy==
Scotland's position at the forefront of the industrial revolution in the 19th century bequeathed a legacy of heavy engineering and manufacturing that lasted well into the 20th century. However with de-industrialisation from the 1970s onwards and latterly the relocation of manufacturing jobs to countries with lower labour costs (eg. Eastern Europe) the Scottish economy is now heavily dependant on tourism, the oil industry, agriculture, the service industry and public sector jobs.

==History==
* see [[History of Scotland]]

Scotland has been inhabited since the first [[Mesolithic]] hunter-gatherers are thought to have migrated to Scotland.<ref>At least 8500 years before recorded history dealt with Britain, according to the uniformitarian timescale. [http://www.scotlandhistory.net/ Scotland History], Wormland, Jenny. Scotland: a History. 2005, Oxford: Oxford University Press. p.1</ref>
These inhabitants showed advanced knowledge of astronomy, creating several [[Stonehenge]]-like monuments.

At the time of the [[Roman]]s the tribes in what became Scotland were similar to those further south, and can be considered to be [[Celtic]] peoples. Those from the North-East were called ‘Picti’ (Picts) by Roman writers, which could mean ‘painted people' and refer to tattoos. The Romans never subdued these northern tribes, and after a brief period when the Antonine Wall between the Firths of Forth and Clyde was the Roman Empire’s northern frontier, they drew back and had [[Hadrian’s Wall]] as the frontier. They did try to influence the tribes between the two Walls, and when kingdoms like Strathclyde emerged in the early [[Dark Ages]], their rulers often bore Roman names or titles, the dynasties having been founded by Roman officials. The Scots themselves began arriving as settlers in the West of Scotland at this time (AD 400-500). They were from a part of the north of [[Ireland]] and spoke Old Irish, which changed to become Scottish [[Gaelic]], and eventually replaced Pictish. They sometimes warred with the Picts and [[Briton]]s and sometimes allied with them, but a unified kingdom under the Scottish king Kenneth Mac Alpin was established in AD 843, called ‘Alba’ (still the [[Gaelic]] name for Scotland). This kingdom took over Strathclyde in the early 11th century to form the basis of Mediaeval Scotland. [[Normans]] and their descendants such as Robert the Bruce ('de Brus' was a Norman surname) became important nobles in Scotland.

====Union with England====
After the death of Queen [[Elizabeth I]] of England in 1603, James VI of Scotland ascended to the Throne of England, becoming [[James I]] of England. He was the first monarch to call himself King of Great Britain. This is referred to as the Union of the Crowns. James was also at this time King of [[Ireland]].

The Parliaments of Scotland and [[England]] were not united until 1707 and it is this date that is recognized as the formation of [[Great Britain]]. This is referred to as the Union of the Parliaments. (The [[United Kingdom]] was to come into being with the addition of [[Ireland]] in 1801.) The formation of the Irish Free State in 1922 resulted in the current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

====Monarchs of Scotland====
(the years in brackets are the years during which the monarch ruled)
*[[Malcolm II (1005-1034)]]
*[[Duncan I (1034-1040)]]
*[[Macbeth (1040-1057)]]
*[[Malcolm III (1057-1093)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1094)]]
*[[Duncan II (1094)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1097)]]
*[[Edgar (1097-1107)]]
*[[Alexander I (1107-1124)]]
*[[David I (1124-1153)]]
*[[Malcolm IV (1153-1195)]]
*[[William (The Lion) (1165-1214)]]
*[[Alexander II (1214-1249)]]
*[[Alexander III (1249-1286)]]
*[[Margaret of Norway (1286-1290)]]
*[[John Baliol (1292-1296)]]
*[[Robert I (1306-1329)]]
*[[David II|David II (1329-1371)]]
'''House Of Stuart'''
*[[Robert II|Robert II (1371-1390)]]
*[[Robert III (1390-1406)]]
*[[James I (1406-1437)]]
*[[James II (1437-1460)]]
*[[James III (1460-1488)]]
*[[James IV (1488-1513)]]
*[[James V (1513-1542)]]
*[[Mary Queen of Scots]] (1542-1567)
*[[James VI (1567-1625)]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.n-cyclopedia.com/scottish-history/index.htm A Brief History of Scotland]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Scottish Culture]]

Talk:Scotland

2011-07-23T21:01:26Z

HollyS: /* Lockerbie */ new section

in scottland, the kilt(that spelled right?) isnt that like your family's colors? --[[User:Will N.|Will N.]] 11:54, 1 May 2007 (EDT)

Yes Will N, the kilt is a tradtional dress still worn at weddings and social functions that is made in the clan (think family) tartan. Each tartan is comprised of colours specific to that family.

And Ed Poor, please can you stop removing the kilt picture. It is incredibly disrespectful to the Scots to remove not only a picture depicting their National dress but also their First Minister. The kilt has nothing to do with homosexuality, which frankly, is a topic that is discussed far too often on this site. [[User:Trashbat|Trashbat]] 12:16, 1 May 2007 (EDT)

== Kilts ==

Kilts are an item of dress, it is the tartan that has an association with families, or more accurately, Clan. In addition many public bodies have their own particular tartan. In the picture, Jack McConnell is seen wearing a pin-stripe kilt as part of an effort to promote Tartan Day.

Kilts are often made from Family/Clan Tartans, though not exclusively - there are many designs that have no particular family affiliation (such as Regimental designs) - Kilts are aso worn with somewhat plainer designs as well, and have even been made from leather..
I think the map is more appropriate than the pic of Jack McConnell - he is an elected representative, and does not necessarily epitomise Scottishness (indeed - pending the outcome of the general election on Thursday 03-May-2007, he may or may not continue as First Minister.) --[[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 17:45, 01 May 2007 (BST)

I've replaced the picture with one more <s>dull</s> appropriate.[[User:LordWhimsey|LordWhimsey]]
08:49, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

== homosexuality and the kilt - the link ==
[[Image:JackMcConnell.png|right|thumb|A scotsman wearing his skirt (known as a [[kilt]] in Scotland)([http://photos3.flickr.com/3348884_7b5cbe90be.jpg])]]'
em there is none - and I suggest any americans who visit scotland don't make suggest that linkage to members of, for example, her Maj's 51 (Scottish) Brigade. A frank and full exchange of viewpoints might then occur! --[[User:Cgday|Cgday]] 15:05, 1 May 2007 (EDT)

:This being Conservapedia, surely one would expect the description of Scotland by the leading [[conservative]] [[Christian]] [[Pat Robertson]], to be included in the article. He described Scotland as a "''dark country full of [[homosexual]]s''"<ref>http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9906/02/scotland.robertson/</ref>. [[User:Auld Nick|Auld Nick]] 05:57, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

::Not in the lead. And not [[out of context]]. Also, a photo of a man in a skirt rather than in a traditional plaid [[kilt]] makes more of a statement about [[homosexuality]], [[gender identity disorder]] or [[cross-dressing]] than it does about Scotland. Try to keep your mind on the purpose of this project. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 08:33, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

:::What? since when is a skirt and a kilt the same thing? Ed, you're way in the wrong on this one. [[User:Jrssr5|Jrssr5]] 08:42, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

:::Ed, you are wrong - check out this website to see how the kilt is evolving - traditional kilts are only part of it [http://www.21stcenturykilts.com/home.htm].

::::Wrong about what? Please restate the assertion you think I have made. (The fashion photo you showed me of contemporary young people doesn't tell me what you mean.) --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 08:58, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

::::: You asserted that "a photo of a man in a skirt rather than in a traditional plaid kilt makes more of a statement about homosexuality, gender identity disorder or cross-dressing than it does about Scotland." Whereas the link I provided shows that all kinds of non-traditional materials (denim, leather, camouflage patterns, tweed, pinstripe suit cloth, etc.) are being used to make kilts. The photo is of a man in a modern kilt. You assert that it is a skirt. Homosexuality and transvestisism are in no way associated with modern kilts. You assert that they are. To Scots, such words are particularly offensive.[[User:LordWhimsey|LordWhimsey]] 09:06, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

::[[User:Ed Poor|Ed]], even if the quote was [[out of context]] what is wrong with showing the conservative view of Scotland? Pro-Gaiety and homosexualism is rife in Scotland:
::*The repeal of laws banning the promotion of homosexuality in schools <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/800673.stm</ref>
::*The legalisation of so called gay marriage <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4494882.stm </ref>
::*Allowing homosexuals to adopt children <ref>http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1356432006 </ref>
::*Allowing homosexual teachers to teach homosexual sex to children <ref>http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=754672006</ref>
::*Open encouragement of homosexual soldiers and policemen <ref>http://www.gpascotland.com/050827.htm</ref>
::*The banning of pro-Christian opinions at sports events <ref>http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=387732007</ref>
::Those are just a few from the multitude of examples of how the [[homosexual agenda]] is permeating Scotland. Surely Scotland is a "''dark country full of [[homosexual]]s''" and this should be reflected here?
::[[User:Auld Nick|Auld Nick]] 09:07, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

Kilts are *not* skirts - the difference isn't subtle... it's interesting the connection some draw between 'cross-dressing' and kilt wearing; whenever I wear my kilt (especially in England and elsewhere) it usually attracts lots of attention from women...
'a dark country full of homosexuals' - I'm not even going to be drawn on that one, but featuring it prominently hardly does anything for the credibility of the article as a whole. --[[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 15:03, 02 May 2007 (BST)

:Spin, your statement that a [[kilt]] is not a skirt disagrees with the caption Nick put on the image to our upper right. The words ''Scotsman wearing his skirt (known as a [[kilt]] in Scotland)'' imply (1) that the man was wearing a skirt and (2) that a skirt is known as a kilt in Scotland.

:Would the two of you please sort this out. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 10:09, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

I see your point. The article that Jack McConnell is wearing is a kilt. Skirts are not known as kilts - the two words are not synonymous. Although kilts are mostly associated with male attire, this isn't universally true by any means. --[[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 15:21, 02 May 2007 (BST)

Might be worth clarifying the whole kilt issue, either by adding to this article (Traditional Attire section?) or by creating a separate linked page for the kilt. Perhaps one of our resident Scots would be able to? --[[User:Trashbat|Trashbat]] 13:06, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

I'd be happy that the image be replaced with a piper but I'm having difficulty finding a fair use one. Probably worth noting that most images of pipers will be in full ceremonial garb (kilt, sporran, etc). Perhaps someone will have more luck than I finding a suitable image. --[[User:Trashbat|Trashbat]] 13:24, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

At the risk of going round in circles, again the Pat Robertson comment - with respect, who is this guy? (I don't mean literally - I know who he is) There is no indication of how his opinion is relevant - whether or not you consider it to be true, it just sounds like abuse, which just undermines the credibility of (at least) the whole article. --[[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 11:04, 04 May 2007 (BST)

:Mr. Robertson's opinion is important as an example of Conservative thinking. Here at Conservapedia [[homosexuality]] is taken very seriously as can be seen at that article and others such as [[homosexual agenda]], [[gay rights]], [[homophobia]] and their accompanying talk pages. It is important that such matters are given a prominent position in Conservapedia, for example the [[Main Page]] news items such as [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Template:Tfa&oldid=139637 this], [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Template:Tfa&oldid=131062 this], [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Template:Tfa&oldid=130326 this] and [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Template:Tfa&oldid=85632 this]. Such conservative facts ([[Conservapedia:Differences with Wikipedia|Differences with Wikipedia No. 9]]) are always displayed prominently and not censored like at the [[Liberal bias|liberally biased]] [[Examples of Bias in Wikipedia|Wikipedia]]. In fact I think the information in question should appear right at the top of the article.
:[[User:Auld Nick|Auld Nick]] 15:12, 4 May 2007 (EDT)

::Ok. Pat Robertson's opinions are clearly in line with many(most? ..I don't know) conservative thinkers, at least in the US. ('Conservative' has a related but slightly different meaning in the UK)

::(from [[Racism]]) 'Racism is making broad generalizations about a group of people based on percieved notions' - articles in the press are designed to be provocative and inflammatory - that doesn't necessarily cast doubt on the truth of the information they refer to, but they are far from a foolproof source, not very indicative of the nature of a culture.
::I'm not accusing Pat Robertson of racism, but he's a bit close to the wire. (I suspect he would argue about 'perceived notions' - and whether he was making a 'broad generalisation')

::I'm not sure what you mean by 'Conservative Facts' - it's definitely a fact that Pat Robertson said that, but the truth of it is a different thing altogether..

::I understand that it is important that the guiding principles of Conservapedia are enforced, but the article seems to have more to say about the authors' abhorrence of homosexuality than it does about it's subject matter - irrespective of your views, that doesn't do any good at all. [[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 11:03, 07 May 2007 (BST)

:::[[Liberal]]ism seems to have won the day and the truth about the pernicious [[homosexual agenda]] has been ''hidden away'' in the article [[Church of Scotland]] where I assume the hope is that no one will find it.
:::People looking for information about Scotland are being denied some very important [[Conservapedia:Differences with Wikipedia|conservative facts]]. [[User:Auld Nick|Auld Nick]] 12:05, 12 May 2007 (EDT)

:::: "the truth about the pernicious [[homosexual agenda]]" Ah yes. That old chestnut. Far an taine ‘n abhainn, ‘s ann as mò a fuaim. --[[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 15:49, 14 May 2007 (BST)

:::Dèan magadh air na-h pàrras amadain an seo. [[User:Auld Nick|Auld Nick]] 10:58, 14 May 2007 (EDT)

:::: ok.. pretty sure that wasn't what I was doing. Anyway - this isn't especially productive. People reading the article will doubtless make up their own minds as to the credibility of the information therein, and the peculiar list of references. --[[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 18:03, 15 May 2007 (BST)

:: Ok, I AM Scottish, and a kilt is NOT A SKIRT! IT IS ALSO NOT WHAT A SKIRT IS CALLED IN SCOTLAND! WE CALL THEM SKIRTS! YES WE ACTUALLY DO SPEAK ENGLISH! SOME OF US ARE IN FACT QUITE LITERATE! I WOULD THANK YOU KINDLY TO TAKE THAT GARBAGE OFF OF THIS PAGE! --[[User:Daerean|Daerean]] 14:59, 23 May 2007 (EDT)

:::What is [http://scotweb-objects.com/images/items/thumbs/283x/Q90_sr_swhdr_girlskilt_w.jpg this] then? Looks like a skirt to me, even if it is caled a ''kilt.'' Most dictionaries would agree that a skirt is 
# The part of a garment, such as a dress or coat, that '''hangs freely from the waist down.'''
# A garment hanging from the waist and '''worn by women and girls.'''
# A part or attachment resembling the skirt of a garment, especially:
# One of the leather flaps hanging from the side of a saddle.
# The lower outer section of a rocket vehicle.
# A flexible strip hanging from the base of an air-cushion vehicle.
# A piece of fabric that extends over or beyond something to afford protection. 
The transvestite - or otherwise - habits of Scotsmen aside, a "kilt" is most definitely a "skirt" by definition. And finally, why do kilt wearers not simply wear the masculine version of the tartan garment, the "trews"? [[User:Fox|Fox]] 15:20, 23 May 2007 (EDT)

Trews are not a 'masculine version of the tartan garment'. I think the members of the Royal Regiment of Scotland who wear kilts and sporrans as part of their dress uniforms might take exception to the above.. indeed, Scottish troops wore kilts in combat as late as 1940. (not so much by the second world war, but compared to the uniforms worn by other British troops in (for example) the Napoleonic Wars, the kilt was a remarkably practical garment) See also [http://www.cabarfeidh.com/kilts_in_the_past.htm www.cabarfeidh.com/kilts_in_the_past.htm] [[User:SpinnakerMagic|SpinnakerMagic]] 15:38, 29 May 2007 (BST)

I think some of you need to get out more! See the world. Understand the world and accept the differences. Some of the closed-minded piffle that has been spouted above shows not only ignorance, but deliberate ignorance from minds too wrapped up in their own ideological and cultural prison to accept that all people are not American. A kilt is a kilt is a kilt. It has nothing at all to do with being gay. It is an item of traditional dress that is worn with pride - fierce pride - and sometimes nostalgia and with a sense of belonging. There is nothing equivocal about the kilt. Unlike the ubiquitous suit and tie, or jeans and teeshirt, it says something proud and definite. It says "I am a Scot!" And what is wrong with that? Yes. He may even be gay. But that's no more likely than if he was a from any other country in the world. Ask the Pope in his lovely white outfit if he is gay. Check out the Greek guard...they're really pretty. Say something to the cop in Samoa (thats Samoa - not American Samoa - where they still hold on to tradition and their family values)and their cops, both male and female, wear a nice blue lap lap, and carry a nice big stick! God made man in ''His'' image. Now it seems we have many Americans trying to make man into theirs!! Please show a bit of respect. If the rest of the world can accept a Scot in his kilt for what it is, why can't you? "Honi soit qui mal y pense"! [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 15:37, 29 May 2007 (EDT)

== Scotland and Cultural Controversies==

I'm sorry but I'm Scottish and I had to delete the entire section labled "Scotland and Cultural Controversies". I will not stand idly by and see my country being run down in print. Some of the points made were out and out lies. Protection for paedophiles? Utter nonsense. The "banning of pro-Christian sentiments at sports events"? Complete garbage. What was banned was the chanting of songs specifically aimed to incite murder against Catholics by certain Protestant supporters of a Glasgow soccer team (the song went "we're up to our knees in Fenian blood, surrender or you die!"). Further, repeating Pat Robertson's claims that Scotland is a "dark country full of homosexuals" is plain wrong and a touch hypocritical coming from an American. To the author of this piece - have you ever been to Scotland? Some facts first; political correctness is an American invention; gay liberation is an American invention; the sexual "revolution" was an American invention. People who live in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones. And I dont think that Robertson's views are widely held conservative opinions either, certainly not by Trent Lott, John Warner and Wayne Allard (all Republicans and proud of their Scottish heritage). And what is this obsession with homosexuality? Scotland has 2000 years of recorded history, was at the forefront of the industrial revolution, has given the world many writers, philosophers, soldiers, statesmen, explorers, scientists, engineers as well as the Presbyterian religon but Conservapedia devotes about 10% of its article on Scotland on supposed support for the "homosexual agenda". I can tell you from a position of authority (I do live here) that the inference is melodramatic and overstated. Scotland is UNDOUBTEDLY less homosexual than most of the U.S (eg N.Y, L.A, San Fran) . Oh, and a kilt is definetely not a skirt. Just ask some of the Scottish troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and see the response you get.--[[User:ScotsPatriot|ScotsPatriot]] 13:48, 26 September 2007 (EDT)

== Cities ==

Six? [[Inverness]] is very small for a city. Inhabitants of [[Perth]] (which is much larger) and elsewhere will be annoyed by not being mentioned.

You might usefully put a link somewhere here to [[:Category:Scottish Towns and Cities]]. --[[User:Jeremiah4-22|Jeremiah4-22]] 13:36, 11 May 2007 (EDT)

:That's partly why I added in the word "major" to the section. That way other cities wouldn't feel as slighted since it'd be near impossible to add every single one to the list. [[User:Jrssr5|Jrssr5]] 13:46, 11 May 2007 (EDT)

::I meant to say, ''You might usefully put a link somewhere here to'' <nowiki>[[Category:Scottish Towns and Cities]]</nowiki>. --[[User:Jeremiah4-22|Jeremiah4-22]] 14:55, 11 May 2007 (EDT)

:::Gotcha ... unfortunately you'll have to go to a sysop now as the article is re-locked. [[User:Jrssr5|Jrssr5]] 16:22, 11 May 2007 (EDT)

Blocking has the unfortunate consequence of perpetrating historical inaccuracy. Example: The Union of England Scotland and Ireland came about in 1801, not 1707. Can someone "break in" and change that please.[[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 20:12, 15 May 2007 (EDT)

== Union with England ==

The line "The current Chancellor of the Exchequer, and expected future prime minister Gordon Brown, is Scottish." is now factually incorrect, Gordon Brown is now the current prime minister of the United Kingdom.
:Protecting sysop informed :) [[Image:User Fox.png]] [[User:Fox|Fox]] ([[User talk:Fox|talk]]|[[Special:Contributions/Fox|contribs]]) 08:21, 2 July 2007 (EDT)

== Opening up sometime? ==

Any chance this article will become unlocked again? It has been close to two months and that's usually a pretty long time for vandals to be lurking around. Just a thought [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 17:08, 2 July 2007 (EDT)

==Homosexual agenda==

The section recently deleted should be preserved somewhere. If I don't get a good suggestion soon, I'll just put it back here. Should it go to [[Homosexual agenda]] or what? --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 14:00, 26 September 2007 (EDT)

Perhaps, but its not really my call. I couldn't help but look up the entries for America, Australia and England and theres nothing like that in those articles. I'm just wondering why Scotland has deserved such unfair treatment. Yes, obviously there are homosexuals in Scotland, like everywhere else, but the paragraph I deleted was grotesquely unjust and made Scotland seem like San Francisco gone mad (but with more rain). If the paragraph is to stay then similar entries for every nation in the western world detailing [[gay liberation]] should be submitted. Remember, Scotland is only following a lead that started in the United States.--[[User:ScotsPatriot|ScotsPatriot]] 15:36, 26 September 2007 (EDT)

== Societal Problems ==

I see there is a difference of opinion in what information is appropriate for the article, but there hasn't been a complaint in this section. Is the new information about Scotish migration trends from the 1800's to the 1890's wrong? If not, why is it inappropiate to mention? Thanks [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 19:40, 1 March 2008 (EST)

: Did ScotsPatriot take that out? He did delete several paragraphs. Maybe one of them could be properly deleted, but not the other.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 19:41, 1 March 2008 (EST)

::Yes, it was deleted. It appeared inappropriate to do so without explanation, so I was hoping a reason could be provided. [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 22:36, 1 March 2008 (EST)

::: I deleted it because as I've said before I will not see my country being unfairly run down in print. Lets look at the moral decline of the United States. The birthplace of political correctness, gay liberation, legalised abortion, crystal meth and crack cocaine, the home of the worlds largest sex industry, an unfettered organised crime "industry" etc, etc. And yet when you look up the entry on the United States you see none of this mentioned. I doubt any of the contributors to these scurrilous entries has even been to Scotland. Well I live here (so I should know) and the inferences drawn are melodramatic and unwarranted. There are 1800 Scottish soldiers fighting in Afghanistan right now, most of them fresh from Iraq. Is this an appropriate way to treat allies? Is this what you really think of us? Charming. Oh, the migration stuff I deleted was nonsense from start to finish. I studied Scottish history in university and Presbyterians fleeing Scotland (a wholly Presbyterian country at that time!) because of religous persecution is laughably wrong. And incidentaly, most of the great figures of the Scottish Enlightenment were resolutely Protestant and Presbyterian. Please read some half decent history books (big papery things popular before the internet) rather than reading something from the internet you half understand then propogating lies and distortions on this page. Scotland does have its problems but then so does the rest of the developed world. --[[User:ScotsPatriot|ScotsPatriot]] 15:30, 2 March 2008 (EST)

::::''Presbyterians fleeing Scotland (a wholly Presbyterian country at that time!) because of religous persecution is laughably wrong'' What about the persecution of the Covenanters under Charles II, ScotsPatriot? [[User:Koba|Koba]] 15:34, 2 March 2008 (EST)

::::: You're about 130 years out at least. At the time of the Clearances (late 18th and early 19th century) Scotland was a wholly Presbyterian country. Indeed even at the time of Charles II the majority of the country was Presbyterian (but not the King). The injustices of the persecution on the Covenanters is one of the reasons that Scotland became so fiercely Presbyterian for the next 200 years. Only with the influx of Irish Catholic immigrants in the mid 19th century did the demographics of Scotlands religous community change. --[[User:ScotsPatriot|ScotsPatriot]] 16:04, 2 March 2008 (EST)

:::::: I've had to remove the last three paragraphs of the Societal Problems section by JamesCarmody. This individual obviously has an axe to grind regarding Scotland and has no interest in providing informative, educational edits to this project. This site is an
educational tool not a website to propagate slander, lies and political bias (I believe your New York Times fulfils that purpose). I would bet my mortgage payments that this individual has never even been to Scotland preferring to get all of his information from the Internet. If he had visited Scotland and did some research he would have found that; "Secular Marriage" (sic) was introduced in the 1930s and is called a Registry Office marriage performed by a city or county official (you have them in the US), Same sex unions have been legal here for less time than most parts of the US (we're unfortunately following an American trend), Gay adoption (affects a few dozen adoptions annually but again another American trend), Teaching homosexuality in Schools is NOT allowed but books with a homosexual character are now not banned, Affirmative action is not allowed for anyone (Asians, Homosexuals, the Disabled, Afro-Caribbeans etc, etc) as it contravenes EU law, The state 'forces' religious schools (which are incidentally tax funded, public schools for Catholics only) to employ and promote not only Catholics but Protestants, Atheists, Hindus, 7th Day Adventists etc, their is no 'protection for paedophiles' (the link he uses is 4 years old and in fact states how early release for sex offenders was scrapped) and that the banning of 'anti gay chants at sports events' has indeed been banned along with incitement to murder, support for terrorism and a host of other unsavoury chants that have no place at a sports event. Finally, the paragraph about the Dunblane Massacre was utterly shameful. For the record it was the Scottish general public who advocated stricter gun control. Scottish people despise guns, have never had a gun culture, rarely see a gun (except when they go on vacation to other European countries or the US) and would be appalled at the thought of loosening gun control. The Police don't even have guns here. To claim that rapes 'skyrocketed' as a consequence of the post-Dunblane gun control is an OUT AND OUT LIE. The snide hypocrisy of this individual is breathtaking. JamesCarmody probably claims to be a Christian too. --[[User:ScotsPatriot|ScotsPatriot]] 16:26, 8 March 2008 (EST)
:JamesCarmody was just a troll with an axe to grind against Conservapedia; he got the boot as a result of his trolling. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 18:06, 9 March 2008 (EDT)

==Layout change==
The article itself is rather weak; information about Scotland itself is lacking. I'm going to do a pattern for the article based on the layouts for the many country articles we have; all that's needed is to fill in the blanks. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 19:00, 9 March 2008 (EDT)
:The pattern is made; all that is needed is detail. As to the "societal problems" section, this should be included only if it is confirmed that it is nation-wide. If such is restricted to conditions in certain cities or regions, then they should be removed from here and placed in the relevent articles. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 19:39, 9 March 2008 (EDT)
::Scotland does indeed have its problems regarding alcohol, sex and substance abuse but then so do many parts of the world. Scotland has given the world many writers, soldiers (including John Paul Jones incidentally), statesmen, explorers, inventors, scientists and engineers as well as the Presbyterian religion. A significant percentage of your own Founding Fathers had Scots or Ulster Scots ancestry. Scotland has sacrificed many of its own sons and daughters fighting fascism in the second world war and currently are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Scots also played a disproportionately large role in the British Imperial adventure that shaped the world to this day. Scotland ,as a subject for this project, could provide many fascinating articles and avenues of learning but the only essay about Scotland on Conservapedia devotes about 10% of its article on the dysfunctional behaviour of some of our youths. Its like having an article about the US and its rich history, culture and place in the world but setting aside a tenth of it to label its inhabitants drunks, drug addicts or worse. That would be grotesquely unfair as is the whole 'Societal Problems' section. --[[User:ScotsPatriot|ScotsPatriot]] 15:15, 10 March 2008 (EDT)
:::Look at it this way: if you find that you can use any of the "societal problems" section for this article, then go for it. Perhaps, say on the religion subtopic, there could be the line regarding the reduction of church attendance. But I have no problem with removing the "societal problems" section alltogether. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 22:28, 10 March 2008 (EDT)

Look, i lived in Scotland for a year back in '99 and you have to admit, Scotland does have a problem with: knife crime, vandalism of public (or federal) buildings, and graffiti, among other things.----[[User:PhilipV|PhilipV]][[User talk:PhilipV|'' I Support our Troops!'']] 11:46, 14 December 2008 (EST)

==Hunting the haggis==
A separate section on these and other symbols/cultural favourites sounds a good idea. [[User:Bugler|Bugler]] 18:25, 29 June 2008 (EDT)

==Monarch list==
AAAARRRGGH! Can everyone stay of Scotland for a minute or ten? I've been trying to fix the list of monarchs, kept running into edit conflicts and have now lost it and have to start again.[[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 15:55, 5 November 2008 (EST)

PhilipV, please slow down. The links should have gone around the monarch alone, not dates and all. Also Scotland and England were separate monarchies until 1707, so Anne was the last monarch of Scotland. Would you like to fill in the gap please? I have already done James VI (James I) Thank you. We all make mistakes - me more than most - but you're hurtling along leaving a string of things for others to fix. Cheers [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 16:13, 5 November 2008 (EST)

Bah, leave my edits alone, yonder foul fiend! (and what are these mistakes you speak of?, the link goes around the name, dates and all so that i dont have to repeat myself like a parrot when writing the page on the individual monarch (did that make sense?)... oh well, read your talkpage, i have put the matter bluntly there.--[[User:PhilipV|PhilipV]] 16:31, 5 November 2008 (EST)
: Why are you putting the dates in the titles of the individual monarchs? [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 20:47, 5 November 2008 (EST)
::: Let him go Philip. I am waiting to see what happens. He has a "plan". :) (See my talk page). [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 22:38, 5 November 2008 (EST)
:::: I'm just thinking of all the page moves/renamings that an administrator might have to do later on. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 01:03, 6 November 2008 (EST)

Part of my "plan" as Alan artfully put it is to avoid confusion. e.g. Alexander II was both a king of scotland in the middle ages, but also a tsar of russia, and a famous one too. i encountered these problems while researching about these monarchs.--[[User:PhilipV|PhilipV]] 16:02, 6 November 2008 (EST)
p.s. if you want to relocate the pages do as you wish, but remember some kings have the same name as other, more famous kings (there should be no confusion with the queens in this article group.)
::Philip. Click on [[Simon de Montfort]] which I wrote this morning. That's how it is done. Look at [[Europa]]. Ditto. By all means do the articles - in fact'''please''' do the articles - but do them under the monarchs' names alone, not names ''and'' dates. (Look at the Anglo-Saxon kings to see an example of something similar.) Someone senior is going to have to come along later and fix what you have done. I feel somewhat bad about this for not jumping up and down more forcefully yesterday, so I will do everything I "legally" can to take a load off their shoulders. Keep going but link their names only.[[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 16:36, 6 November 2008 (EST)

fine--[[User:PhilipV|PhilipV]] 17:34, 6 November 2008 (EST)
: Please provide a list somewhere of articles that you would like renamed (including their new name), and I'll transfer them. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 20:39, 6 November 2008 (EST)
::PJR: I am not sure whether you are addressing me or PV. If it is me, I can have a list dropped in here within minutes...It's the copy of the list I'd saved, that he had reverted. I am also willing to transfer all the dates to the articles themselves and edit them (his shift key is a bit feral for example). As far as multiple articles for one name....Alexanders, Jameses etc...have you any problem with doing it the way I did [[Simon de Montfort]]? I can't do anything now though. It's quarter to three and I have house and family commitments. (Just looked in while I was having a cuppa.)[[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 22:49, 6 November 2008 (EST)

::: I guess that I was addressing that to PhilipV, but I don't care who supplies a list. I was a bit rushed in posting that. Most of them I could figure for myself (simply drop the years part), but if there's going to be confusion and the name itself is not sufficient, I would want to know how it should be named. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 21:29, 9 November 2008 (EST)
::::Afternoon,Philip....I am about to drop the list I wrote before PV changed it back to his version onto my talk page for you to look at. A couple of the article were already written (Maid of Norway and Robert the Bruce) and they are under their popularly known names. Some will double up (or more0 with other kings, but I will get around that the same way I did [[Simon de Montfort]]. If I have time before the door slams in my face this afternoon I will do a dry run on say, [[Edgar]], who was also an Anglo-Saxon king. If I can copy and paste his articles onto the new headings - making them the same style as the British monarchs (with their birth and death dates as well as their reigns etc)once everything is finished someone can come along and delete the name (dates)]] headings. (If you know what I mean)[[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 23:27, 9 November 2008 (EST)
::::: I'm not sure that I follow everything there. Unless there is already an article for 'xxx', then there's no need to delete 'xxx (dates)'; that's where the renaming comes in. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 00:33, 10 November 2008 (EST)

Hi again --[[User:PhilipV|PhilipV]] 07:54, 1 December 2008 (EST)

== Locked? ==

Could I request that this page be unlocked? There are some details that need updating. [[User:Brit1909|Brit1909]] 21:06, 19 March 2011 (EDT)

== Lockerbie ==

I've created a separate sub-section for Lockerbie. I've tried to put some balance into the article, i.e. mentioning the flimsiness, verging on complete non-existence, of the case against al-Meghrahi. It's widely felt in Scotland and in the UK in general, including many of the relatives of British victims of the Lockerbie bombing, that a jury of 15 people gifted with ordinary levels of commonsense - the "best of the public", if you like - would not have regarded the case against him as proven beyond reasonable doubt. There is also a widespread suspicion that Clinton, Blair or both, arranged for the bribery of people who could be presented to the court as witnesses. [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 17:01, 23 July 2011 (EDT)

Scotland

2011-07-23T20:55:04Z

HollyS: Lockerbie

{{Country
|name =''Scotland''
|map =Scotland-map.jpg
|flag =Flag of Scotland.png
|arms =Lion rampant.png
|capital =Edinburgh
|capital-raw =
|government =Devolved parliamentary democracy
|government-raw =
|language =[[English]], [[Gaelic]]
|king =
|queen =Elizabeth II
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =Alex Salmond (''First Minister'')
|area =
|pop =
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =
|currency =
|idd =
|tld =
}}
'''Scotland''' is the second-largest and northern-most of the four countries in the [[United Kingdom]].
It is about three-eighths the size of its southern neighbour England, but is much less populous; most of the population lives in the ''central belt'', a band across central Scotland between the capital [[Edinburgh]] and the largest city, [[Glasgow]]. Other major cities are [[Aberdeen]] and [[Dundee]].

Scottish nationalists in recent years have sought greater regional autonomy, and have been granted control over some issues, including justice and education.

==Symbol==
The symbol of Scotland is the [[thistle]]. The Scottish flag is the Cross of St. Andrew, a white diagonal cross on a dark blue background. The design originated in the 9th century.
Scotland's motto is ''Nemo Me Impune Lacessit'' ("No one provokes me with impunity")<ref>http://www.scotland-guide.co.uk/ALL_AREAS_IN_SCOTLAND/Glasgow/Areas/Centre/Mercat_Cross.htm </ref>

==Geography==
Scotland is split into three distinct geographical regions; the mountainous Highlands to the north, the rolling countryside of the Central Lowlands (where the major urban centres are located) and the hilly Southern Uplands that lie next to the English border. Scotland also includes the island groups of [[Orkney]], [[Shetland]], the [[Inner Hebrides|Inner]] and [[Outer Hebrides]], the islands of the [[Firth of Clyde]] including [[Arran]], [[Bute]], [[Cumbrae]] & [[Wee Cumbrae]], as well as the outlying [[St. Kilda]] archipelago, [[Rockall]] and various other smaller islands.

[[Ben Nevis]], the highest mountain in the [[United Kingdom]], is in the Scottish [[Highlands of Scotland|Highlands]], as are most of the nation's highest mountains. Those with heights above 3000 feet are eponymously named [[Munro| Munros]] after Sir Hector Munro, the first person to compile a list of such mountains.<ref> for a complete list of Munros see http://www.sol.co.uk/d/dickwall/munroes.htm</ref>

Scotland has some 2,300 miles of coastline, including numerous estuaries called ''firths'' and sea lochs. Major rivers include the Spey, Tweed, Clyde, and Forth with the Tay being Scotland's longest river. Lakes, called ''lochs'' in the region, are abundant, with the name applied both to freshwater lakes and to sea inlets; Lochs Lomond, Morar, and Ness are the largest in the British Isles and well-known for their picturesque beauty, with Loch Ness having additional fame as the home of a legendary monster.

==People==

====Religion====
* see [[Church of Scotland]]

Scotland is historically Christian; the national church is the [[Church of Scotland]].

Scotland was a Catholic nation until the time of the [[Reformation]], when [[John Knox]] (1510-1572), George Wishart(1513-46) and other scholars returned from their travels in Germany excited by the works of [[John Calvin]] and to a lesser extent [[Martin Luther]].

Many of the lords became Protestant and in 1560, the Scottish Parliament formally rejected Papal jurisdiction. The Protestants ousted the Catholic queen, Mary Stuart ('Mary, Queen of Scots') and replaced her with her son, [[James VI]] (later to become [[James I]] of England).

Scotland became overwhelmingly Protestant with Catholicism surviving only in the remote and sparsely populated Highlands. About a third of the Presbyterians split off in the "Disruption of 1843" to form the Free Church of Scotland. After various other splits most of the Free Church reunited with the Church of Scotland in 1929. The Church of Scotland had about 960,000 adult members in 1980 but only 600,000 in 2006.

From the mid 19th century until the inter war period, there were large scale immigrations of Irish Catholics to Scotland's industrial urban centers and this changed the religious demography. Today there are a similar number of communicants of both the Roman Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland although both religions have suffered considerable declines in church going attendances. The Anglican (Episcopalian) Church is predominant in the north-east. Recent immigration has produced significant populations of Muslims, Hindus, Jews and Sikhs in Scotland's major cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee).

====Culture and sports====

Scotland has given the English speaking world many of the language's finest writers, poets and philosophers. Among these are Adam Smith, David Hume, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, Frances Hutcheson, James Hogg, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.M Barrie and Hugh MacDiarmid. The Scottish intellectual and cultural tradition can be traced back to the Scottish Enlightenment, a remarkable period in the 18th century characterized by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. Indeed it was Voltaire who said "we look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilization." Scotland is also famous for its disproportionate amount of inventors and scientists such as Alexander Graham Bell (telephone), Lord Kelvin (the Kelvin si unit of temperature), James Watt (condensed steam power), John Napier (logarithms and the decimal point), Joseph Lister (pioneer of antiseptics), Alexander Fleming (penicillin) James Clark Maxwell (electro-magnetism), Robert Watson Watt (radar) and John Logie Baird (television). It is home to ancient world class universities including the three Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews and being one of the first industrialized and urbanized nations in the world.

Above all else the national preoccupation is [[football (soccer)]]. Other popular pastimes include [[rugby]], [[lawn bowls]], [[motorsports]], [[horseracing]], [[shinty]] (similar to hockey), [[curling]], sports of the [[Highland Games]] - such as tossing the [[caber]]- and, of course, [[golf]]. Scotland is the home of golf. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at [[St Andrews]] is the governing body of world golf.

Other things associated with the country are [[kilt]]s ([[tartan]] skirt-like garments worn traditionally worn by Scotsmen), and the haunting music of the [[bagpipes]]. Famous Scottish products include [[pie]]s, [[haggis]] and Scotch [[whisky]].

==Government==
Scotland has its own [[Scottish Parliament|Parliament]] comprising 129 members (MSPs) as well as sending 59 Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent its interests in the [[United Kingdom]] parliament which sits in [[London]]. Scottish MPs have historically been recognized for their political skills and appointed to the Cabinet in larger numbers than is proportionate; former Prime Ministers [[Gordon Brown]] and [[Tony Blair]] were born in Scotland.

The '''Scottish Government''' is the government in Scotland for devolved matters. Responsibility for all devolved matters was passed to the Scottish Executive from the
'''Scottish Office''' and other UK Government departments in 1999. The members of the Scottish Government are chosen from the party or parties holding most seats in the Parliament. The Scottish Government is led by the First Minister, who forms a ministerial team of Cabinet Secretaries. In the election on May 5 2011, the [[Scottish National Party]] won a majority, a remarkable achievement give that the Scottish electoral system is intended to produce coalition governments.

===Principal Government Officials===

The Government of Scotland has a number of departments within the cabinet, headed up by a cabinet secretary, as follows:

First Minister - Alex Salmond 
Deputy First Minister and Health Secretary - Nicola Sturgeon 
Finance Secretary - John Swinney 
Education Secretary - Mike Russell 
Justice Secretary - Kenny MacAskill 
Environment Secretary - Richard Lochhead

These secretaries are aided in their work by ministers, working within the cabinet departments, and each having their own specific area of devolved responsibility.

<ref>http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/Scottish-Cabinet</ref>

===Relations with England===
Relationships between Scottish and English MPs before [[devolution]] were sometimes tense because of what the former [[Conservative|Conservative Party]] MP, by then an [[Ulster Unionist]], [[Enoch Powell]] dubbed ''The West Lothian question''. The name arose in 1977 after [[Tam Dalyell]], Labour MP for West Lothian in Scotland, asked during a debate in the [[Houses of Parliament]] over Scottish and Welsh [[devolution]]:

<blockquote>''For how long will English constituencies and English Honourable members tolerate... at least 119 Honorable Members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland exercising an important, and probably often decisive, effect on British politics while they themselves have no say in the same matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?''</blockquote>

He pointed out that he as MP for West Lothian could vote on matters affecting English constituencies but not his own constituency.

===Lockerbie bombing===

The Government of Scotland has recently come under global scrutiny for its decision, led by Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill, to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahl, the only man convicted of the terrorist attack leading to the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over [[Lockerbie]], Scotland in 1988. He had served only 8 years of his term when he was released on grounds of compassion because he had terminal cancer, as required by Scots Law. A majority of the victims were American, and this decision received strong criticism from many Americans as well as the FBI Director Robert Mueller.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/22/fbi-director-slams-scotland-lockerbie-bomber-release/</ref>. The original conviction of al-Magrahi was controversial, however, both within Scotland and in the UK in general because the evidence leading to his conviction was extremely flimsy and it has been alleged that the key witness had been paid for giving his evidence by the [[Clinton]] administration or [[Blair]] government<ref>http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=in_the_back&article=122</ref>.

Libyan ruler Qaddafi profusely thanked British officials, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, for helping secure the release of the terrorist back to Libya. British Prime Minister Brown replied with a confusing set of denials, a disapproval of the hero's welcome that the terrorist received upon return to Libya, and a partial release of voluminous communications leading up to the release.<ref>http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14376240</ref>

==Economy==
Scotland's position at the forefront of the industrial revolution in the 19th century bequeathed a legacy of heavy engineering and manufacturing that lasted well into the 20th century. However with de-industrialisation from the 1970s onwards and latterly the relocation of manufacturing jobs to countries with lower labour costs (eg. Eastern Europe) the Scottish economy is now heavily dependant on tourism, the oil industry, agriculture, the service industry and public sector jobs.

==History==
* see [[History of Scotland]]

Scotland has been inhabited since the first [[Mesolithic]] hunter-gatherers are thought to have migrated to Scotland.<ref>At least 8500 years before recorded history dealt with Britain, according to the uniformitarian timescale. [http://www.scotlandhistory.net/ Scotland History], Wormland, Jenny. Scotland: a History. 2005, Oxford: Oxford University Press. p.1</ref>
These inhabitants showed advanced knowledge of astronomy, creating several [[Stonehenge]]-like monuments.

At the time of the [[Roman]]s the tribes in what became Scotland were similar to those further south, and can be considered to be [[Celtic]] peoples. Those from the North-East were called ‘Picti’ (Picts) by Roman writers, which could mean ‘painted people' and refer to tattoos. The Romans never subdued these northern tribes, and after a brief period when the Antonine Wall between the Firths of Forth and Clyde was the Roman Empire’s northern frontier, they drew back and had [[Hadrian’s Wall]] as the frontier. They did try to influence the tribes between the two Walls, and when kingdoms like Strathclyde emerged in the early [[Dark Ages]], their rulers often bore Roman names or titles, the dynasties having been founded by Roman officials. The Scots themselves began arriving as settlers in the West of Scotland at this time (AD 400-500). They were from a part of the north of [[Ireland]] and spoke Old Irish, which changed to become Scottish [[Gaelic]], and eventually replaced Pictish. They sometimes warred with the Picts and [[Briton]]s and sometimes allied with them, but a unified kingdom under the Scottish king Kenneth Mac Alpin was established in AD 843, called ‘Alba’ (still the [[Gaelic]] name for Scotland). This kingdom took over Strathclyde in the early 11th century to form the basis of Mediaeval Scotland. [[Normans]] and their descendants such as Robert the Bruce ('de Brus' was a Norman surname) became important nobles in Scotland.

====Union with England====
After the death of Queen [[Elizabeth I]] of England in 1603, James VI of Scotland ascended to the Throne of England, becoming [[James I]] of England. He was the first monarch to call himself King of Great Britain. This is referred to as the Union of the Crowns. James was also at this time King of [[Ireland]].

The Parliaments of Scotland and [[England]] were not united until 1707 and it is this date that is recognized as the formation of [[Great Britain]]. This is referred to as the Union of the Parliaments. (The [[United Kingdom]] was to come into being with the addition of [[Ireland]] in 1801.) The formation of the Irish Free State in 1922 resulted in the current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

====Monarchs of Scotland====
(the years in brackets are the years during which the monarch ruled)
*[[Malcolm II (1005-1034)]]
*[[Duncan I (1034-1040)]]
*[[Macbeth (1040-1057)]]
*[[Malcolm III (1057-1093)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1094)]]
*[[Duncan II (1094)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1097)]]
*[[Edgar (1097-1107)]]
*[[Alexander I (1107-1124)]]
*[[David I (1124-1153)]]
*[[Malcolm IV (1153-1195)]]
*[[William (The Lion) (1165-1214)]]
*[[Alexander II (1214-1249)]]
*[[Alexander III (1249-1286)]]
*[[Margaret of Norway (1286-1290)]]
*[[John Baliol (1292-1296)]]
*[[Robert I (1306-1329)]]
*[[David II|David II (1329-1371)]]
'''House Of Stuart'''
*[[Robert II|Robert II (1371-1390)]]
*[[Robert III (1390-1406)]]
*[[James I (1406-1437)]]
*[[James II (1437-1460)]]
*[[James III (1460-1488)]]
*[[James IV (1488-1513)]]
*[[James V (1513-1542)]]
*[[Mary Queen of Scots]] (1542-1567)
*[[James VI (1567-1625)]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.n-cyclopedia.com/scottish-history/index.htm A Brief History of Scotland]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Scottish Culture]]

Scotland

2011-07-23T20:37:25Z

HollyS: /* Government */

{{Country
|name =''Scotland''
|map =Scotland-map.jpg
|flag =Flag of Scotland.png
|arms =Lion rampant.png
|capital =Edinburgh
|capital-raw =
|government =Devolved parliamentary democracy
|government-raw =
|language =[[English]], [[Gaelic]]
|king =
|queen =Elizabeth II
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =Alex Salmond (''First Minister'')
|area =
|pop =
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =
|currency =
|idd =
|tld =
}}
'''Scotland''' is the second-largest and northern-most of the four countries in the [[United Kingdom]].
It is about three-eighths the size of its southern neighbour England, but is much less populous; most of the population lives in the ''central belt'', a band across central Scotland between the capital [[Edinburgh]] and the largest city, [[Glasgow]]. Other major cities are [[Aberdeen]] and [[Dundee]].

Scottish nationalists in recent years have sought greater regional autonomy, and have been granted control over some issues, including justice and education.

The Scottish government damaged its international prestige in August, 2009, when it released terrorist Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahl, the only man convicted in the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. He had served only 8 years of his term when he was released on grounds of compassion because he had terminal cancer. He was welcomed home in Libya as a national hero, to the disgust of the civilized world.
==Symbol==
The symbol of Scotland is the [[thistle]]. The Scottish flag is the Cross of St. Andrew, a white diagonal cross on a dark blue background. The design originated in the 9th century.
Scotland's motto is ''Nemo Me Impune Lacessit'' ("No one provokes me with impunity")<ref>http://www.scotland-guide.co.uk/ALL_AREAS_IN_SCOTLAND/Glasgow/Areas/Centre/Mercat_Cross.htm </ref>

==Geography==
Scotland is split into three distinct geographical regions; the mountainous Highlands to the north, the rolling countryside of the Central Lowlands (where the major urban centres are located) and the hilly Southern Uplands that lie next to the English border. Scotland also includes the island groups of [[Orkney]], [[Shetland]], the [[Inner Hebrides|Inner]] and [[Outer Hebrides]], the islands of the [[Firth of Clyde]] including [[Arran]], [[Bute]], [[Cumbrae]] & [[Wee Cumbrae]], as well as the outlying [[St. Kilda]] archipelago, [[Rockall]] and various other smaller islands.

[[Ben Nevis]], the highest mountain in the [[United Kingdom]], is in the Scottish [[Highlands of Scotland|Highlands]], as are most of the nation's highest mountains. Those with heights above 3000 feet are eponymously named [[Munro| Munros]] after Sir Hector Munro, the first person to compile a list of such mountains.<ref> for a complete list of Munros see http://www.sol.co.uk/d/dickwall/munroes.htm</ref>

Scotland has some 2,300 miles of coastline, including numerous estuaries called ''firths'' and sea lochs. Major rivers include the Spey, Tweed, Clyde, and Forth with the Tay being Scotland's longest river. Lakes, called ''lochs'' in the region, are abundant, with the name applied both to freshwater lakes and to sea inlets; Lochs Lomond, Morar, and Ness are the largest in the British Isles and well-known for their picturesque beauty, with Loch Ness having additional fame as the home of a legendary monster.

==People==

====Religion====
* see [[Church of Scotland]]

Scotland is historically Christian; the national church is the [[Church of Scotland]].

Scotland was a Catholic nation until the time of the [[Reformation]], when [[John Knox]] (1510-1572), George Wishart(1513-46) and other scholars returned from their travels in Germany excited by the works of [[John Calvin]] and to a lesser extent [[Martin Luther]].

Many of the lords became Protestant and in 1560, the Scottish Parliament formally rejected Papal jurisdiction. The Protestants ousted the Catholic queen, Mary Stuart ('Mary, Queen of Scots') and replaced her with her son, [[James VI]] (later to become [[James I]] of England).

Scotland became overwhelmingly Protestant with Catholicism surviving only in the remote and sparsely populated Highlands. About a third of the Presbyterians split off in the "Disruption of 1843" to form the Free Church of Scotland. After various other splits most of the Free Church reunited with the Church of Scotland in 1929. The Church of Scotland had about 960,000 adult members in 1980 but only 600,000 in 2006.

From the mid 19th century until the inter war period, there were large scale immigrations of Irish Catholics to Scotland's industrial urban centers and this changed the religious demography. Today there are a similar number of communicants of both the Roman Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland although both religions have suffered considerable declines in church going attendances. The Anglican (Episcopalian) Church is predominant in the north-east. Recent immigration has produced significant populations of Muslims, Hindus, Jews and Sikhs in Scotland's major cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee).

====Culture and sports====

Scotland has given the English speaking world many of the language's finest writers, poets and philosophers. Among these are Adam Smith, David Hume, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, Frances Hutcheson, James Hogg, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.M Barrie and Hugh MacDiarmid. The Scottish intellectual and cultural tradition can be traced back to the Scottish Enlightenment, a remarkable period in the 18th century characterized by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. Indeed it was Voltaire who said "we look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilization." Scotland is also famous for its disproportionate amount of inventors and scientists such as Alexander Graham Bell (telephone), Lord Kelvin (the Kelvin si unit of temperature), James Watt (condensed steam power), John Napier (logarithms and the decimal point), Joseph Lister (pioneer of antiseptics), Alexander Fleming (penicillin) James Clark Maxwell (electro-magnetism), Robert Watson Watt (radar) and John Logie Baird (television). It is home to ancient world class universities including the three Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews and being one of the first industrialized and urbanized nations in the world.

Above all else the national preoccupation is [[football (soccer)]]. Other popular pastimes include [[rugby]], [[lawn bowls]], [[motorsports]], [[horseracing]], [[shinty]] (similar to hockey), [[curling]], sports of the [[Highland Games]] - such as tossing the [[caber]]- and, of course, [[golf]]. Scotland is the home of golf. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at [[St Andrews]] is the governing body of world golf.

Other things associated with the country are [[kilt]]s ([[tartan]] skirt-like garments worn traditionally worn by Scotsmen), and the haunting music of the [[bagpipes]]. Famous Scottish products include [[pie]]s, [[haggis]] and Scotch [[whisky]].

==Government==
Scotland has its own [[Scottish Parliament|Parliament]] comprising 129 members (MSPs) as well as sending 59 Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent its interests in the [[United Kingdom]] parliament which sits in [[London]]. Scottish MPs have historically been recognized for their political skills and appointed to the Cabinet in larger numbers than is proportionate; former Prime Ministers [[Gordon Brown]] and [[Tony Blair]] were born in Scotland.

The '''Scottish Government''' is the government in Scotland for devolved matters. Responsibility for all devolved matters was passed to the Scottish Executive from the
'''Scottish Office''' and other UK Government departments in 1999. The members of the Scottish Government are chosen from the party or parties holding most seats in the Parliament. The Scottish Government is led by the First Minister, who forms a ministerial team of Cabinet Secretaries. In the election on May 5 2011, the [[Scottish National Party]] won a majority, a remarkable achievement give that the Scottish electoral system is intended to produce coalition governments.

The Government of Scotland has recently come under global scrutiny for its decision, led by Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill, to release the terrorist responsible for the 1998 [[Lockerbie]] bombing. A majority of the victims were American, and this decision received strong criticism from many Americans as well as the FBI Director Robert Mueller.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/22/fbi-director-slams-scotland-lockerbie-bomber-release/</ref> Libyan ruler Qaddafi profusely thanked British officials, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, for helping secure the release of the terrorist back to Libya. British Prime Minister Brown replied with a confusing set of denials, a disapproval of the hero's welcome that the terrorist received upon return to Libya, and a partial release of voluminous communications leading up to the release.<ref>http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14376240</ref>

===Principal Government Officials===

The Government of Scotland has a number of departments within the cabinet, headed up by a cabinet secretary, as follows:

First Minister - Alex Salmond 
Deputy First Minister and Health Secretary - Nicola Sturgeon 
Finance Secretary - John Swinney 
Education Secretary - Mike Russell 
Justice Secretary - Kenny MacAskill 
Environment Secretary - Richard Lochhead

These secretaries are aided in their work by ministers, working within the cabinet departments, and each having their own specific area of devolved responsibility.

<ref>http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/Scottish-Cabinet</ref>

===Relations with England===
Relationships between Scottish and English MPs before [[devolution]] were sometimes tense because of what the former [[Conservative|Conservative Party]] MP, by then an [[Ulster Unionist]], [[Enoch Powell]] dubbed ''The West Lothian question''. The name arose in 1977 after [[Tam Dalyell]], Labour MP for West Lothian in Scotland, asked during a debate in the [[Houses of Parliament]] over Scottish and Welsh [[devolution]]:

<blockquote>''For how long will English constituencies and English Honourable members tolerate... at least 119 Honorable Members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland exercising an important, and probably often decisive, effect on British politics while they themselves have no say in the same matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?''</blockquote>

He pointed out that he as MP for West Lothian could vote on matters affecting English constituencies but not his own constituency.

==Economy==
Scotland's position at the forefront of the industrial revolution in the 19th century bequeathed a legacy of heavy engineering and manufacturing that lasted well into the 20th century. However with de-industrialisation from the 1970s onwards and latterly the relocation of manufacturing jobs to countries with lower labour costs (eg. Eastern Europe) the Scottish economy is now heavily dependant on tourism, the oil industry, agriculture, the service industry and public sector jobs.

==History==
* see [[History of Scotland]]

Scotland has been inhabited since the first [[Mesolithic]] hunter-gatherers are thought to have migrated to Scotland.<ref>At least 8500 years before recorded history dealt with Britain, according to the uniformitarian timescale. [http://www.scotlandhistory.net/ Scotland History], Wormland, Jenny. Scotland: a History. 2005, Oxford: Oxford University Press. p.1</ref>
These inhabitants showed advanced knowledge of astronomy, creating several [[Stonehenge]]-like monuments.

At the time of the [[Roman]]s the tribes in what became Scotland were similar to those further south, and can be considered to be [[Celtic]] peoples. Those from the North-East were called ‘Picti’ (Picts) by Roman writers, which could mean ‘painted people' and refer to tattoos. The Romans never subdued these northern tribes, and after a brief period when the Antonine Wall between the Firths of Forth and Clyde was the Roman Empire’s northern frontier, they drew back and had [[Hadrian’s Wall]] as the frontier. They did try to influence the tribes between the two Walls, and when kingdoms like Strathclyde emerged in the early [[Dark Ages]], their rulers often bore Roman names or titles, the dynasties having been founded by Roman officials. The Scots themselves began arriving as settlers in the West of Scotland at this time (AD 400-500). They were from a part of the north of [[Ireland]] and spoke Old Irish, which changed to become Scottish [[Gaelic]], and eventually replaced Pictish. They sometimes warred with the Picts and [[Briton]]s and sometimes allied with them, but a unified kingdom under the Scottish king Kenneth Mac Alpin was established in AD 843, called ‘Alba’ (still the [[Gaelic]] name for Scotland). This kingdom took over Strathclyde in the early 11th century to form the basis of Mediaeval Scotland. [[Normans]] and their descendants such as Robert the Bruce ('de Brus' was a Norman surname) became important nobles in Scotland.

====Union with England====
After the death of Queen [[Elizabeth I]] of England in 1603, James VI of Scotland ascended to the Throne of England, becoming [[James I]] of England. He was the first monarch to call himself King of Great Britain. This is referred to as the Union of the Crowns. James was also at this time King of [[Ireland]].

The Parliaments of Scotland and [[England]] were not united until 1707 and it is this date that is recognized as the formation of [[Great Britain]]. This is referred to as the Union of the Parliaments. (The [[United Kingdom]] was to come into being with the addition of [[Ireland]] in 1801.) The formation of the Irish Free State in 1922 resulted in the current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

====Monarchs of Scotland====
(the years in brackets are the years during which the monarch ruled)
*[[Malcolm II (1005-1034)]]
*[[Duncan I (1034-1040)]]
*[[Macbeth (1040-1057)]]
*[[Malcolm III (1057-1093)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1094)]]
*[[Duncan II (1094)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1097)]]
*[[Edgar (1097-1107)]]
*[[Alexander I (1107-1124)]]
*[[David I (1124-1153)]]
*[[Malcolm IV (1153-1195)]]
*[[William (The Lion) (1165-1214)]]
*[[Alexander II (1214-1249)]]
*[[Alexander III (1249-1286)]]
*[[Margaret of Norway (1286-1290)]]
*[[John Baliol (1292-1296)]]
*[[Robert I (1306-1329)]]
*[[David II|David II (1329-1371)]]
'''House Of Stuart'''
*[[Robert II|Robert II (1371-1390)]]
*[[Robert III (1390-1406)]]
*[[James I (1406-1437)]]
*[[James II (1437-1460)]]
*[[James III (1460-1488)]]
*[[James IV (1488-1513)]]
*[[James V (1513-1542)]]
*[[Mary Queen of Scots]] (1542-1567)
*[[James VI (1567-1625)]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.n-cyclopedia.com/scottish-history/index.htm A Brief History of Scotland]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Scottish Culture]]

James II

2011-07-21T22:10:19Z

HollyS: /* Catholic issue */ corrrecting typo

'''James II''' [1633-1701] was James II as king of England and Ireland and James VII as king of Scotland, 1685-1688. A member of the Stuart dynasty, he was the second son of King [[Charles I]] and became Duke of York<ref>New York is named after him.</ref>. He succeeded his late brother [[Charles II]] to the throne. He antagonized all the leading sectors of Britain by his plans to make Britain a Roman Catholic nation and form an alliance with the France of King [[Louis XIV]]. The leaders called on William of Orange, the ruler of the Netherlands to overthrow James, which happened in 1688. James went into exile in France and schemed to organize his supporters (called "Jacobites") to invade Britain and restore him to the throne. He failed.
[[File:Jamesii.jpg|thumb|200px]]

==Reign==
The Duke of Monmouth (1649-85) was very popular illegitimate son of Charles II of England and third in line for the throne. Monmouth was banished to the Netherlands after the revelation of a plot by Whig politicians to kill King Charles II and his brother, the Catholic Duke of York, in 1683. After Charles's death, Monmouth staged an uprising against James II, but he was defeated and executed.

James came to the throne with a full treasury and no economic crises. His revenues grew thanks to the growth of a centrally controlled, salaried royal bureaucracy, which increased the efficiency of tax collection in the 1680s. James was by far the most solvent of the Stuart monarchs of the seventeenth century. The new money allowed James to greatly increase the standing army, from 8500 men to about 40,000. He ordered local innkeepers to house and feed soldiers or lose their licenses<ref>A grievance later echoed in the Third Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.</ref>. The creation of an independent legal system for the army, combined with the garrisoning of troops across the country, alarmed men who feared he planned to impose arbitrary rule by force. The king's systematic promotion of Catholic to higher ranks was another worrisome sign, and alienated him from the traditional officer corps. When Parliament protested, he prorogued (disbanded) Parliament in November 1685.When William of Orange invaded in 1688, the army refused to defend the king.
==Royal despotism?==
James realized that local elites were unfriendly, so he tried to strip away their political power. He tried to seize control of county governments by appointing friends who would his religious policies. In many counties, James replaced between 75% and 90% of the justices of the peace (JP) who controlled local affairs. James sent parliament home and had plans to control the next Parliament; he took royal control of many cities by canceling their charters. The most famous case came when he revoked the charter of the City of London and put his men in the top local offices. He tried to set up new courts to handle clergy of the Church of England, but the bishops fought him to a standstill. James tried to force Catholic officials on Oxford University. At Cambridge University, Professor [[Isaac Newton]] led the resistance. James issued many dispensations to release Catholic supporters from legal disabilities.

Under James, the open pursuit of his Catholic programme proved unacceptable to Britain's ruling classes, confirmed latent fears of a design to establish a royal despotism. James' blunder was to underestimate the real vulnerability of the monarchy that his brother Charles II had restored in 1660. For all its outward strength and independence, it rested upon the tacit acceptance and co-operation of the nation's local elites. Early modern British government was in practice a collaborative affair, and this made the James' goal of an absolutist system impossible in practical terms. James may have wanted to emulate Louis XIV but it was quite impossible in Britain.<ref> See Goodlad (2007)</ref>
== Catholic issue==
James was an active Catholic who surrounded himself with Catholic advisors and dreamed of restoring Catholicism as the state religion, to the dismay of the Anglicans in the Church of England, as well as the Dissenters (other Protestants). He greatly underestimated the depth of anti-Catholic hatreds and fears in Britain. James had a long-term goal: he believed that by relaxing the harsh rules against Catholics that Britain would eventually become a Catholic Country--vastly underestimating the strength of anti-Catholicism among all ranks of the British people. The Anglican bishops opposed his plans so he tried to form an alliance with the Protestant Dissenters against the Church of England, but the Dissenters realized his goal was to build up Catholicism. With the revocation of the [[Edict of Nantes]] by French King [[Louis XIV]] in 1784, a wave of persecuted Huguenots arrived in Britain, telling more horror stories about Catholic rule.

Most serious of all, James tried to emulate and form an alliance with the powerful Catholic king of France, Louis XIV. This brought [[William III|William of Orange]] into the picture, the ruler of the Netherlands. William was trying to organize a European coalition against France, and needed Britain to join. British leaders in 1688 told William they were through with James and asked him to invade and take the throne. He did so, James fled, and William (now called William III) became king jointly with his wife [[Mary II]]. As the Protestant daughter of James II, Mary had a good claim to the throne.

==Glorious Revolution==
The overthrow of James was hailed at the time, and ever since, as the "[[Glorious Revolution]]." [[ Edmund Burke]] set the tone for over two centuries of historiographical analysis when he proclaimed that:
:The Revolution was made to preserve our ancient indisputable laws and liberties, and that ancient constitution of government which is our only security for law and liberty.

Many historians have endorsed Burke's view, including Macaulay (1848) and more recently John Morrill, who captured the consensus of contemporary historiography well when he declared that "the Sensible Revolution of 1688—89 was a conservative Revolution." On the contrary, argues Pincus (2009), it was momentous, especially when looking at the alternative that James was trying to enact of a powerful centralized autocratic state. England's role in Europe and the country's political economy in the 17th century refutes the view of many late-20th-century historians that nothing revolutionary occurred during the Glorious Revolution of 1688-89. Pincus says it was not a placid turn of events. In diplomacy and economics James II transformed the English state's ideology and policies. This occurred not because James II was an outsider who inflicted foreign notions on England but because foreign affairs and political economy were at the core of the English revolutionaries' agenda. The revolution of 1688-89 cannot be fathomed in isolation. It would have been inconceivable without the transformations resulting from the events of the 1640s and 1650s. Indeed, the ideas accompanying the Glorious Revolution were rooted in the mid-century upheavals. Thus, the 17th century was a century of revolution in England, deserving of the same scholarly attention that 'modern' revolutions attract.

James II was building a powerful militarized state on the assumption that the world's wealth was necessarily finite, and empires were created by taking land from another state. The [[East India Company]] was thus an ideal tool to create a vast new English imperial dominion by warring with the Dutch and the Mogul Empire in India. After 1689 came an alternative understanding of economics, which saw Britain as a commercial rather than an agrarian society. The proponents of this view, most famously [[Adam Smith]] in 1776, realized that wealth was created by human endeavor and thus potentially infinite.
==Exile==
James II escaped to France, where Louis XIV protected him and helped him foment a rebellion in Britain that would put James on the throne. James invaded Ireland and at the head of an army of 55,000 men was defeated by King William III at the [[Battle of the Boyne]] in July 1690, ending any realistic hopes of returning to power. After the defeat James created a culturally spectacular and politically active court-in-exile in France where he unsuccessfully planned his return to power. James ruled his exiled court at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. Much of his military strength came from loyal Irish Catholics. Irish Jacobite regiments were called "Wild Geese." James II died in exile in 1701.
==See also==
* [[Charles II]], his older brother
* [[English Civil War]]
* [[Glorious Revolution]]
* [[William III]], known also as Willaim of Orange

==Further reading==
[[File:James2-Speck.jpg|thumb|200px]]
* Dekrey, Gary S. "Between Revolutions: Re-appraising the Restoration in Britain," ''History Compass'' 2008 6(3): 738-773,
* Glassey, Lionel, ed. ''The Reigns of Charles II and James VII and II'' (1997)
* Goodlad, Graham. " Before the Glorious Revolution: The Making of Absolute Monarchy?," ''History Review''. Issue: 58; 2007. pp 10+. Examines the Controversies Surrounding the Development of Royal Power under Charles II and James II. [http://www.questia.com/read/5022714365?title=Before%20the%20Glorious%20Revolution%3a%20The%20Making%20of%20Absolute%20Monarchy%3f%20Graham%20Goodlad%20Examines%20the%20Controversies%20Surrounding%20the%20Development%20of%20Royal%20Power%20under%20Charles%20II%20and%20James%20II in Questia]
* [[Thomas Babington Macaulay|Macaulay, Thomas Babington]]. ''The History of England from the Accession of James II'', 5 vols. (1848) [http://www.gutenberg.net/etext/1468 vol. 1], [http://www.gutenberg.net/etext/2439 vol. 2], [http://www.gutenberg.net/etext/2612 vol. 3], [http://www.gutenberg.net/etext/2613 vol. 4], [http://www.gutenberg.net/etext/2614 vol. 5], the greatest of the narrative histories; makes James a terrible villain.
* Miller, John. ''James II'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/James-English-Monarchs-Professor-Miller/dp/0300087284/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257103410&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search], solid scholarly biography; Miller sees James as more interested in his own survival and tolerance for Catholics and suggests he did not have a grand plan to Catholicize England
* Miller, John. ''The Stuarts'' (2004), 320pp; standard scholarly survey
* Miller, John. The Glorious Revolution, (2nd ed. 1997) [http://www.amazon.com/Glorious-Revolution-2nd-John-Miller/dp/0582292220/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257103761&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Mullett, M. ''James II and English Politics 1678-1688'' (1993) [http://www.amazon.com/English-Politics-1678-1688-Lancaster-Pamphlets/dp/0415090423/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257103410&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Pincus, Steve. ''1688: The First Modern Revolution'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/1688-Modern-Revolution-Walpole-Eighteenth-C/dp/0300115474/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257104647&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search], influential new interpretation
* Speck, W.A. ''James II'' (2002), solid scholarly biography; argues James did not seek to impose Catholicism, but his ambitions went far beyond equal treatment for Catholics.
* Speck, W.A. "James II and VII (1633–1701)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,''(2004), online at academic libraries
====references====
<references/>
{{Nb_english_monarchs}}
[[category:Scottish Monarchs]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[category:English Civil War]]

England

2011-07-21T22:08:21Z

HollyS: /* Religion */ typo

[[Image:England.gif|right|thumb|300px|England (highlighted in light green), showing the boundaries of the ceremonial counties.]]
'''England''' is a constituent country of the [[United Kingdom]] located on the island of [[Great Britain]] in the north-west of [[Europe]].
It is home of the [[English]] language currently spoken by perhaps a billion people worldwide, and was the seat of an empire that spanned the globe.
England is the largest of the UK's constituent countries, both in terms of area and population. It is also home to the UK's capital and [[parliament]], making this area politically and economically important to the UK as a whole. England's government is technically a Constitutional Monarchy, although it exhibits many aspects of [[Socialism]].

== History ==

The prehistoric inhabitants of the island of Britain were largely [[Celt]]ic.
From AD 43, the [[Roman]]s invaded [[Britain]] and took control of the southern half of the islands, where they founded the fort of "Londinium", which later became [[London]].

[[File:England900.jpg|thumb|280px|England and its neighbors about 900 AD]]
As the [[Roman Empire]] abandoned Britain in AD410, [[Germanic]] tribes, specifically the [[Angles]], [[Saxons]] and [[Jutes]], began to settle over the majority of the island. Kingdoms formed, such as Northumbria (Anglian) in the north, Wessex (named after the West Saxons) in the south west and Kent (probably settled by Jutes, and now the name of a county) in the south east. Parts of the regions now known as [[Wales]], [[Scotland]], and the county of Cornwall continued to be independent Celtic nations for some time after this. The Germanic invaders were still [[pagan]]s when they conquered part of Britain (e.g. [[Penda]] of Mercia was (allegedly) the last pagan King). The English peoples were converted to [[Christianity]], however, in the 7th Century AD. This happened from two directions: the mission of [[St. Augustine]], emissary of Gregory the Great came initially to Kent, while the (successful) mission to the Northumbrian Angles (and from there to peoples further south) was from the [[Celtic Church]] based in northern British monasteries such as [[Iona]] and [[Lindisfarne]]. The entire [[British Isles]] later came under the sway of [[Roman Catholicism]] as the powerful Northumbrian King, Oswy, chose in favour of Roman practice in AD 664 ('Synod of Whitby').
[[Image:London England.jpg|right|300px]]
Later, in 1066 AD, the Norman French Duke [[William the Conqueror]] defeated the last [[Anglo-Saxon]] King, [[Harold Godwinson]]. William established himself as king of England, and the present day English monarchy traces its descent from William.

Amongst the privileged elite [[French]] language and customs became a part of English culture, however for the most part the common population continued to use their own language and customs. William retained significant territories on mainland Europe, in what is now France. For many hundreds of years England fought a series of wars (including the [[Hundred Years War]]) for possession of northern France. These did not end until 1588 with the loss of [[Calais]]. The [[Channel Islands]] are still a crown dependency to this day.

On the basis of their territories in England and France the Norman monarchs became influential in Europe. In 1215, rebellious nobles forced [[King John]] to sign the [[Magna Carta]], essentially a charter guaranteeing the rights of the king's subject nobles and the church, and setting forward the precedent that the monarch's powers were bound by law. In 1455-1487 a series of conflicts called the [[Wars of the Roses]] were fought between the noble families of York and Lancaster for control of the throne.

After the [[Wars of the Roses]] had been won by Henry of Lancaster, the reign of the [[Tudor dynasty|Tudors]] began. Henry VII, as he became, was more concerned with defending his crown and so concentrated mainly on domestic policies. While Henry VII is one of England's less famous kings he was one of the few monarchs ever to leave the crown solvent upon his death. Henry VIII, unlike his father, was obsessed with winning glory on the battlefield, preferably in France. Henry launched three major wars throughout his reign against France and in the process managed to capture Boulogne. However Henry is most famous for his split with Rome. When the current [[Pope]] refused to allow him to divorce his first wife Catherine of Aragon, Henry declared himself head of the English Church and decreed that the Pope had no power over England. During his reign Henry had six wives, of which only three bore him children. Of these, only one was a son - a sickly child who reigned as Edward VI for just six years after his father's death. His daughter Elizabeth, however, was crowned Queen in 1558 and became perhaps England's greatest and best-loved monarch.

== Religion ==
In 1533 AD King [[Henry VIII]] formed the [[Church of England]] (CoE) after the [[pope]] refused to annul the marriage between the king and [[Catherine of Aragon]]; while originally the CoE followed a policy of [[Catholic]] without the pope, his successors [[Edward VI]] and [[Elizabeth I]] moved the church in a far more [[Protestantism|protestant]] direction. Henry established himself as the head of the church and made it the state religion of England. This situation continues to this day, although in much modified form. The queen is still the nominal head of the church, although purely as a figurehead. Decisions technically taken by the queen are in fact done only on the advice of her ministers, who in matters of the church invariably act on the advice of the church leaders. Until recently certain bishops of the Church of England were automatically given seats in the House of Lords. The Church of England is closely involved with the ceremonies associated with England, for example at coronations or royal weddings.

Since the [[Reformation]] the country has remained primarily Anglican with the notable exception of the Catholic reigns of [[Mary I]] and [[James II]]. More recently, the number of [[Roman Catholics]] is poised to overtake the number of [[Anglicans]] in the country, a trend that is likely to continue with an influx of migrants from Catholic countries such as [[Ireland]] and recent [[EU]] accession countries such as [[Poland]][http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article1386939.ece]. As with the UK as a whole, the significant minority religions include [[Hinduism]], [[Judaism]] and [[Islam]].

A 2001 census gave the following figures for religious affiliation: [[Christianity]]: 71.6%, [[Islam]]: 3.1%, [[Hindu]]: 1.1%, [[Sikh]]: 0.7%, [[Jewish]]: 0.5%, and [[Buddhist]]: 0.3%, No Faith: 22.3%. Approximately 7% of responders did not answer the question.<ref>http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/commentaries/ethnicity.asp </ref> Unlike American Schools, State run Comprhensive schools in England have a daily act of Christian worship, although there have been efforts in recent times to remove this to properly reflect the multifaith make-up of England <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/dec/26/scrap-compulsory-acts-of-worship</ref> (as well as this it does support some "faith schools" such as Peter Vardy's Emmanuel Schools Foundation through the Academies program).

== Influence ==

England is the home of the English language, which was later spread to all parts of the world by the [[British Empire]], along with traditional English concepts such as the rule of law, universal suffrage, parliamentary government, the jury system, and freedom of speech.

== References ==

<references/>

== See also ==
*[[English Bill of Rights]]
*[[English Civil War]]
*[[English Painting]]
*[[English coronation oath]]

[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:England| ]]
[[Category:European Countries]]
[[Category:British History]]

England

2011-07-21T22:07:22Z

HollyS: /* Influence */ Rule of law

[[Image:England.gif|right|thumb|300px|England (highlighted in light green), showing the boundaries of the ceremonial counties.]]
'''England''' is a constituent country of the [[United Kingdom]] located on the island of [[Great Britain]] in the north-west of [[Europe]].
It is home of the [[English]] language currently spoken by perhaps a billion people worldwide, and was the seat of an empire that spanned the globe.
England is the largest of the UK's constituent countries, both in terms of area and population. It is also home to the UK's capital and [[parliament]], making this area politically and economically important to the UK as a whole. England's government is technically a Constitutional Monarchy, although it exhibits many aspects of [[Socialism]].

== History ==

The prehistoric inhabitants of the island of Britain were largely [[Celt]]ic.
From AD 43, the [[Roman]]s invaded [[Britain]] and took control of the southern half of the islands, where they founded the fort of "Londinium", which later became [[London]].

[[File:England900.jpg|thumb|280px|England and its neighbors about 900 AD]]
As the [[Roman Empire]] abandoned Britain in AD410, [[Germanic]] tribes, specifically the [[Angles]], [[Saxons]] and [[Jutes]], began to settle over the majority of the island. Kingdoms formed, such as Northumbria (Anglian) in the north, Wessex (named after the West Saxons) in the south west and Kent (probably settled by Jutes, and now the name of a county) in the south east. Parts of the regions now known as [[Wales]], [[Scotland]], and the county of Cornwall continued to be independent Celtic nations for some time after this. The Germanic invaders were still [[pagan]]s when they conquered part of Britain (e.g. [[Penda]] of Mercia was (allegedly) the last pagan King). The English peoples were converted to [[Christianity]], however, in the 7th Century AD. This happened from two directions: the mission of [[St. Augustine]], emissary of Gregory the Great came initially to Kent, while the (successful) mission to the Northumbrian Angles (and from there to peoples further south) was from the [[Celtic Church]] based in northern British monasteries such as [[Iona]] and [[Lindisfarne]]. The entire [[British Isles]] later came under the sway of [[Roman Catholicism]] as the powerful Northumbrian King, Oswy, chose in favour of Roman practice in AD 664 ('Synod of Whitby').
[[Image:London England.jpg|right|300px]]
Later, in 1066 AD, the Norman French Duke [[William the Conqueror]] defeated the last [[Anglo-Saxon]] King, [[Harold Godwinson]]. William established himself as king of England, and the present day English monarchy traces its descent from William.

Amongst the privileged elite [[French]] language and customs became a part of English culture, however for the most part the common population continued to use their own language and customs. William retained significant territories on mainland Europe, in what is now France. For many hundreds of years England fought a series of wars (including the [[Hundred Years War]]) for possession of northern France. These did not end until 1588 with the loss of [[Calais]]. The [[Channel Islands]] are still a crown dependency to this day.

On the basis of their territories in England and France the Norman monarchs became influential in Europe. In 1215, rebellious nobles forced [[King John]] to sign the [[Magna Carta]], essentially a charter guaranteeing the rights of the king's subject nobles and the church, and setting forward the precedent that the monarch's powers were bound by law. In 1455-1487 a series of conflicts called the [[Wars of the Roses]] were fought between the noble families of York and Lancaster for control of the throne.

After the [[Wars of the Roses]] had been won by Henry of Lancaster, the reign of the [[Tudor dynasty|Tudors]] began. Henry VII, as he became, was more concerned with defending his crown and so concentrated mainly on domestic policies. While Henry VII is one of England's less famous kings he was one of the few monarchs ever to leave the crown solvent upon his death. Henry VIII, unlike his father, was obsessed with winning glory on the battlefield, preferably in France. Henry launched three major wars throughout his reign against France and in the process managed to capture Boulogne. However Henry is most famous for his split with Rome. When the current [[Pope]] refused to allow him to divorce his first wife Catherine of Aragon, Henry declared himself head of the English Church and decreed that the Pope had no power over England. During his reign Henry had six wives, of which only three bore him children. Of these, only one was a son - a sickly child who reigned as Edward VI for just six years after his father's death. His daughter Elizabeth, however, was crowned Queen in 1558 and became perhaps England's greatest and best-loved monarch.

== Religion ==
In 1533 AD King [[Henry VIII]] formed the [[Church of England]] (CoE) after the [[pope]] refused to annul the marriage between the king and [[Catherine of Aragon]]; while originally the CoE followed a policy of [[Catholic]] without the pope, his successors [[Edward VI]] and [[Elizabeth I]] moved the church in a far more [[Protestantism|protestant]] direction. Henry established himself as the head of the church and made it the state religion of England. This situation continues to this day, although in much modified form. The queen is still the nominal head of the church, although purely as a figurehead. Decisions technically taken by the queen are in fact done only on the advice of her ministers, who in matters of the church invariably act on the advice of the church leaders. Until recently certain bishops of the Church of England were automatically given seats in the House of Lords. The Church of England is closely involved with the ceremonies associated with England, for example at coronations or royal weddings.

Since the [[Reformation]] the country has remained primarily Anglican with the notable exception of the Catholic reigns of [[Mary I]] and [[James II]. More recently, the number of [[Roman Catholics]] is poised to overtake the number of [[Anglicans]] in the country, a trend that is likely to continue with an influx of migrants from Catholic countries such as [[Ireland]] and recent [[EU]] accession countries such as [[Poland]][http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article1386939.ece]. As with the UK as a whole, the significant minority religions include [[Hinduism]], [[Judaism]] and [[Islam]].

A 2001 census gave the following figures for religious affiliation: [[Christianity]]: 71.6%, [[Islam]]: 3.1%, [[Hindu]]: 1.1%, [[Sikh]]: 0.7%, [[Jewish]]: 0.5%, and [[Buddhist]]: 0.3%, No Faith: 22.3%. Approximately 7% of responders did not answer the question.<ref>http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/commentaries/ethnicity.asp </ref> Unlike American Schools, State run Comprhensive schools in England have a daily act of Christian worship, although there have been efforts in recent times to remove this to properly reflect the multifaith make-up of England <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/dec/26/scrap-compulsory-acts-of-worship</ref> (as well as this it does support some "faith schools" such as Peter Vardy's Emmanuel Schools Foundation through the Academies program).

== Influence ==

England is the home of the English language, which was later spread to all parts of the world by the [[British Empire]], along with traditional English concepts such as the rule of law, universal suffrage, parliamentary government, the jury system, and freedom of speech.

== References ==

<references/>

== See also ==
*[[English Bill of Rights]]
*[[English Civil War]]
*[[English Painting]]
*[[English coronation oath]]

[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:England| ]]
[[Category:European Countries]]
[[Category:British History]]

England

2011-07-21T22:06:47Z

HollyS: /* Religion */ James II

[[Image:England.gif|right|thumb|300px|England (highlighted in light green), showing the boundaries of the ceremonial counties.]]
'''England''' is a constituent country of the [[United Kingdom]] located on the island of [[Great Britain]] in the north-west of [[Europe]].
It is home of the [[English]] language currently spoken by perhaps a billion people worldwide, and was the seat of an empire that spanned the globe.
England is the largest of the UK's constituent countries, both in terms of area and population. It is also home to the UK's capital and [[parliament]], making this area politically and economically important to the UK as a whole. England's government is technically a Constitutional Monarchy, although it exhibits many aspects of [[Socialism]].

== History ==

The prehistoric inhabitants of the island of Britain were largely [[Celt]]ic.
From AD 43, the [[Roman]]s invaded [[Britain]] and took control of the southern half of the islands, where they founded the fort of "Londinium", which later became [[London]].

[[File:England900.jpg|thumb|280px|England and its neighbors about 900 AD]]
As the [[Roman Empire]] abandoned Britain in AD410, [[Germanic]] tribes, specifically the [[Angles]], [[Saxons]] and [[Jutes]], began to settle over the majority of the island. Kingdoms formed, such as Northumbria (Anglian) in the north, Wessex (named after the West Saxons) in the south west and Kent (probably settled by Jutes, and now the name of a county) in the south east. Parts of the regions now known as [[Wales]], [[Scotland]], and the county of Cornwall continued to be independent Celtic nations for some time after this. The Germanic invaders were still [[pagan]]s when they conquered part of Britain (e.g. [[Penda]] of Mercia was (allegedly) the last pagan King). The English peoples were converted to [[Christianity]], however, in the 7th Century AD. This happened from two directions: the mission of [[St. Augustine]], emissary of Gregory the Great came initially to Kent, while the (successful) mission to the Northumbrian Angles (and from there to peoples further south) was from the [[Celtic Church]] based in northern British monasteries such as [[Iona]] and [[Lindisfarne]]. The entire [[British Isles]] later came under the sway of [[Roman Catholicism]] as the powerful Northumbrian King, Oswy, chose in favour of Roman practice in AD 664 ('Synod of Whitby').
[[Image:London England.jpg|right|300px]]
Later, in 1066 AD, the Norman French Duke [[William the Conqueror]] defeated the last [[Anglo-Saxon]] King, [[Harold Godwinson]]. William established himself as king of England, and the present day English monarchy traces its descent from William.

Amongst the privileged elite [[French]] language and customs became a part of English culture, however for the most part the common population continued to use their own language and customs. William retained significant territories on mainland Europe, in what is now France. For many hundreds of years England fought a series of wars (including the [[Hundred Years War]]) for possession of northern France. These did not end until 1588 with the loss of [[Calais]]. The [[Channel Islands]] are still a crown dependency to this day.

On the basis of their territories in England and France the Norman monarchs became influential in Europe. In 1215, rebellious nobles forced [[King John]] to sign the [[Magna Carta]], essentially a charter guaranteeing the rights of the king's subject nobles and the church, and setting forward the precedent that the monarch's powers were bound by law. In 1455-1487 a series of conflicts called the [[Wars of the Roses]] were fought between the noble families of York and Lancaster for control of the throne.

After the [[Wars of the Roses]] had been won by Henry of Lancaster, the reign of the [[Tudor dynasty|Tudors]] began. Henry VII, as he became, was more concerned with defending his crown and so concentrated mainly on domestic policies. While Henry VII is one of England's less famous kings he was one of the few monarchs ever to leave the crown solvent upon his death. Henry VIII, unlike his father, was obsessed with winning glory on the battlefield, preferably in France. Henry launched three major wars throughout his reign against France and in the process managed to capture Boulogne. However Henry is most famous for his split with Rome. When the current [[Pope]] refused to allow him to divorce his first wife Catherine of Aragon, Henry declared himself head of the English Church and decreed that the Pope had no power over England. During his reign Henry had six wives, of which only three bore him children. Of these, only one was a son - a sickly child who reigned as Edward VI for just six years after his father's death. His daughter Elizabeth, however, was crowned Queen in 1558 and became perhaps England's greatest and best-loved monarch.

== Religion ==
In 1533 AD King [[Henry VIII]] formed the [[Church of England]] (CoE) after the [[pope]] refused to annul the marriage between the king and [[Catherine of Aragon]]; while originally the CoE followed a policy of [[Catholic]] without the pope, his successors [[Edward VI]] and [[Elizabeth I]] moved the church in a far more [[Protestantism|protestant]] direction. Henry established himself as the head of the church and made it the state religion of England. This situation continues to this day, although in much modified form. The queen is still the nominal head of the church, although purely as a figurehead. Decisions technically taken by the queen are in fact done only on the advice of her ministers, who in matters of the church invariably act on the advice of the church leaders. Until recently certain bishops of the Church of England were automatically given seats in the House of Lords. The Church of England is closely involved with the ceremonies associated with England, for example at coronations or royal weddings.

Since the [[Reformation]] the country has remained primarily Anglican with the notable exception of the Catholic reigns of [[Mary I]] and [[James II]. More recently, the number of [[Roman Catholics]] is poised to overtake the number of [[Anglicans]] in the country, a trend that is likely to continue with an influx of migrants from Catholic countries such as [[Ireland]] and recent [[EU]] accession countries such as [[Poland]][http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article1386939.ece]. As with the UK as a whole, the significant minority religions include [[Hinduism]], [[Judaism]] and [[Islam]].

A 2001 census gave the following figures for religious affiliation: [[Christianity]]: 71.6%, [[Islam]]: 3.1%, [[Hindu]]: 1.1%, [[Sikh]]: 0.7%, [[Jewish]]: 0.5%, and [[Buddhist]]: 0.3%, No Faith: 22.3%. Approximately 7% of responders did not answer the question.<ref>http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/commentaries/ethnicity.asp </ref> Unlike American Schools, State run Comprhensive schools in England have a daily act of Christian worship, although there have been efforts in recent times to remove this to properly reflect the multifaith make-up of England <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/dec/26/scrap-compulsory-acts-of-worship</ref> (as well as this it does support some "faith schools" such as Peter Vardy's Emmanuel Schools Foundation through the Academies program).

== Influence ==

England is the home of the English language, which was later spread to all parts of the world by the [[British Empire]], along with traditional English concepts such as universal suffrage, parliamentary government, the jury system, and freedom of speech.

== References ==

<references/>

== See also ==
*[[English Bill of Rights]]
*[[English Civil War]]
*[[English Painting]]
*[[English coronation oath]]

[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:England| ]]
[[Category:European Countries]]
[[Category:British History]]

Talk:Mystery:Why is England More Liberal than the United States?

2011-07-20T22:50:55Z

HollyS: /* Move Request */ Conservative regions of UK

Nice essay! I hope you add more! I have always been wondering this, considering until recently England was more centered towards religion. [[User:NickP|NickP]] 01:15, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

Andy,

This is a very interesting topic, but I think an important point needs to be raised. English liberalism is not a new problem. It's important to keep in mind that many of the first colonists in America came here to escape from what they perceived as laxity within the Church of England, and that the revolutionary war was a reaction to British governmental overreach and over-regulation. In many ways, American conservatism is a RESPONSE to British liberalism. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 13:38, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:There is no doubt that the roots of revolution were in the overreach of government and taxation. The latter may be characteristic of left leaning (liberal) governments but I think it is a little anachronistic to decribe this a a reaction against "liberalism". Going further, I don't believe the British government of the time, while authoritarian, could be described in terms of either classical liberalism or its current meaning.
:I would add that fundamental reason why Great Britain/UK (I have no idea why this work singles out "England" specifically) and Europe generally have more liberal attitudes has arisen from several historical trends - that this topic needs to expand on - but most notable the contrasting feature of the United States is that its growth and success rests on indiviudal responsibility, liberties and a hostile mindset to big government and tax since the revolution! [[User:Laguardia|Laguardia]]
::Speaking as an Englishman, this does appear to be the most plausible explanation for the divergence between American and European political sentiments. America as a nation was founded on the rejection of a major controlling governmental force, so the nation's people have long been distrustful of the expansion of government. Concepts like welfare didn't come into their hayday in the UK until the beginning of the 20th Century, long after America had established itself as a nation that was distrustful of national programs. The difference then is just the logical conclusion of two countries following those post-revolution trends. I think that most of the other suggestions in this essay (like nationalised television) are symptoms of the differing perspectives, not causes. --[[User:Maninahat|Maninahat]] 14:37, 20 July 2011 (EDT)

== The entrenched Church of England ==

I wonder if part of the reason is that the officially entrenched nature of the Anglican Church has caused a complacency amongst the religious over there. In many ways the Church of England has become more of a social organisation than a religious one, and this has had a liberalizing effect on the population on the whole. --[[User:DamianJohn|DamianJohn]] 14:43, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:Good point ... and certainly worth adding. I'll include it now, and please feel free to improve.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 15:01, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

== More liberal ==

Is the UK more liberal? What factors are we judging its liberalism on? [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 16:53, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:England is certainly less [[conservative]] than the U.S.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 17:07, 17 July 2011 (EDT)
::I am sure that it is but I am just wondering about what factors have been taken into account. [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 20:18, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

== The BBC ==
It's a public broadcaster, which tend to be liberal (look at NPR and PBS in the US) and furthermore, Brits have no choice in funding it, as it's paid for by mandatory TV licenses. Finally, while there is commercial (i.e. non-government TV) in Britain, the BBC is the only free (as in beer, aside from the license) option. Because of the tightly-controlled media, and lack of a free market, it's no wonder liberalism is so rampant there. --[[User:FergusE|FergusE]] 22:01, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:The BBC is not the only free-to-view broadcaster by any means. Up until the advent of digital television there were five free channels, BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5. There are now dozens more free-to-air channels, the vast majority of them being commercial broadcasters. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 22:37, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

::Do you deny that The BBC is the dominant media in England and that it's heavily liberally biased? --[[User:FergusE|FergusE]] 22:49, 17 July 2011 (EDT)
:::I will answer from my perspective of living in the UK for a year not so long ago. Yes. Liberally biased but not ''heavily'' liberally biased. --[[User:DamianJohn|DamianJohn]] 01:53, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::::FergusE, rather than turning on me for pointing out a factual error and posing a question that bears no relevance to the point I was making, you could just accept your mistake graciously. I never said it wasn't the dominant media in England. And I do not think it is even possible, or sensible to divide the world up into things which are 'conservative' and things which are 'liberal' as if the two terms are categories set in stone and used in the same way by everyone. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 08:31, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

==A federal England and freedom of speech==

This is quite a slippery argument. England is a much smaller country than the United States and it's hard to see how it would be practical to devise any sort of federal structure. Of course, the United Kingdom is now, essentially, arranged along federal lines. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have their own assemblies or parliaments.

I don't quite understand the freedom of speech argument. What evidence is there that England is less at home to the right of free expression than is the United States?--[[User:Jdixon|Jdixon]] 11:13, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:England does not guarantee a right of free speech. It's that simple.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:21, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
::Actually Article 10 of the UK Human Rights Act of 1998 states: 
::''Article 10: Freedom of Expression (1) Everyone has the right of freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without inference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.'' however this was only guaranteed in 2000 unlike the US which was in the 1700's [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 21:42, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:::Are there any cases where this has made any difference?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:24, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
::::Well, the fact is they do have the freedom of speech which is protected by law. [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 22:25, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:::::It has frequently made a difference. Indeed, many in the Conservative Party are calling for an overhaul of UK human rights laws since they believe them to have led to overly lenient sentences in certain court cases. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 22:27, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::::::Are there any examples that could be reviewed?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:28, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
:::::::[http://ukhumanrightsblog.com/2011/01/21/court-of-human-rights-five-recent-article-10-cases-%E2%80%93-hugh-tomlinson-qc/ Here] and [http://inforrm.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/case-law-mgn-v-united-kingdom-partial-victory-for-mirror-group-on-cfas-defeat-on-privacy/ here.] [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 22:31, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::::::::Your second link seems to support my point: there still is not freedom of speech in England. (I couldn't get your first link to work).--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 20:34, 19 July 2011 (EDT)
:::::::::Article 10 ''does'' guarantee freedom of speech and expression but the question is whether it is used and, anyway, it is some 300 years behind the US meaning that they haven't had any opportunity to exercise it like the US. [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 21:37, 19 July 2011 (EDT)
Well, this article provides a rather nice summary; David Cameron [http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/feb/28/conservatives-human-rights for the repeal of the Human Rights Act]. If you would like anything more specific from me it will have to wait. It's 3.30am over here and I need my sleep. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 22:33, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

: Your link seems to be broken, unfortunately.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 20:34, 19 July 2011 (EDT)
:: Fixed. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 21:54, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

== Move Request ==

Can a moderator move the page to [[Mystery:Why is The United Kingdom More Liberal than the United States?]]? It would make more sense because England is only one part of the country. [[User:TonyB|TonyB]] 20:28, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

: No, I don't think so. "England", the dominant nation in the United Kingdom, is the more familiar term. And England itself is more liberal than the United States.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:16, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::Hello Andy, I am new to this site and think there could be some interesting observations to be made in this article. with the intention of being helpful, unless you really do mean Engalnd excluding Wales, Scotland etc. I must point out that "England" as a term for the whole of the United Kingdom has long passed into non-accetpable use appart from in very casual parlance outside of the United Kingdom and even then it is regarded as incorrect and even parochial. If the article is going to be worthy of a encyclopedic resource for educational use, I would along with Tony's suggestion. If it needs to be concise, "Britain" is the more common contracted term to refer to the whole of the UK (even inlcuding Northern Ireland) pretty much everywhere.[[User:DavidMilton]]

::Mr Schlafly, Scotland and Wales are also more liberal than the US. Northern Ireland is becoming liberal too as interest in religion declines. [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 19:40, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

:::Is England the most liberal of all?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 20:30, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

::::The Conservative Party would have a majority of Parliamentary seats if you took England on its own, and the vast majority of the Conservative Party vote comes from the English electorate. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 21:52, 19 July 2011 (EDT)
:::::It has been generally considered that England is the most conservative of the states that make up the UK. I cannot find the source off the top of my head, but I know that if it weren't for the results of Wales and Scotland there wouldn't have been a labour government until 1997 (and by that time it was a fairly centrist labour govt compared to earlier times). If you look at this [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/ map] you can see the trend of England is solidly blue, whereas in Wales and Scotland Red and Yellow predominate. The same for [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/vote_2005/default.stm 2005]. It goes without saying that the conservative party in the UK may not be what Andy Schlafly would consider conservative in the US context, but it does tend to indicate that relatively speaking England is the most conservative of the states that make up the UK. I personally would favour a change of name to the United Kingdom. --[[User:DamianJohn|DamianJohn]] 13:59, 20 July 2011 (EDT)
::::The most socially conservative part of the UK and the one with the highest church attendance is the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland. Interestingly, this is not favourable territory for the so-called Conservative Party, which does not have pro-Christian, socially conservative policies. [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 18:50, 20 July 2011 (EDT)

== Population Density?? ==

I was thinking along the lines of major differences between England and the US and one of the biggest differences that kept popping up in my mind was population density. The US has a much smaller population density than England. In fact I think England has a population density that is 12 times more dense compared in to the US. Basic politics and voting patterns in the US say that urban areas (high population density) tend to vote Democratic while rural areas (low population density) tend to vote Republican. [http://neuropolitics.org/defaultfeb09.asp] So maybe England has the similar trends with their voting habits.--[[User:Harrymd|Harrymd]] 21:25, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

: Great point ... worth including. Please feel free to add it.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:44, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:: I know the referenced article I used for the trends referenced evolution, but I was in the middle of watching a movie with my family so I didn't have time to look for another one.--[[User:Harrymd|Harrymd]] 21:47, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
:::Are you sure about this population density idea? Constituencies in thinly populated areas like the Highlands of Scotland, the Northern and Western Isles, the Scottish Borders, mid-Wales and Cornwall have consistently voted Liberal or Labour. I think liberal attitudes in Britain have much more to do with a lack of religious belief and low church attendance. [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 19:38, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

::::Good point. Some counterexamples exist in the US also: Vermont, one of the most rural states, is also perhaps the most liberal.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 20:39, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

:::::I'll admit that there are some counter example, but that is why I didn't use exclusive language, because there are always things that fall outside generalities.--[[User:Harrymd|Harrymd]] 21:06, 19 July 2011 (EDT)
:::::: The mystery is why ENGLAND is so liberal not Scotland, which the Highlands of Scotland are in. The metropolitan area of London consists of approx. 26% of the English population--[[User:Harrymd|Harrymd]] 13:33, 20 July 2011 (EDT)

::::::: Further muddying the issue are the demographics of voters across the UK. The south, which is less rural, more urban, and more middle-class, tends to be more supportive of the conservative party. The north, noted for its larger proportions of working class, tends to be labour (more left-wing) supporting. Despite this, the northern countryside tends to be predominantly made up of conservative voters, and northern towns tend to be staunch Labour supporters. Thus the influence of population density on voting seems to be reversed, or outweighed by other factors, depending on which portion of the country you are from. --[[User:Maninahat|Maninahat]] 14:49, 20 July 2011 (EDT)

::::::::Sure. And conversely, rural areas of the south of England (Cornwall apart) are staunchly conservative. Is it mere coincidence that church attendance is much higher in these areas than in London (atheist/non-Christian)? [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 18:43, 20 July 2011 (EDT)

Talk:Mystery:Why is England More Liberal than the United States?

2011-07-20T22:43:13Z

HollyS: /* Population Density?? */ Rural southern England

Nice essay! I hope you add more! I have always been wondering this, considering until recently England was more centered towards religion. [[User:NickP|NickP]] 01:15, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

Andy,

This is a very interesting topic, but I think an important point needs to be raised. English liberalism is not a new problem. It's important to keep in mind that many of the first colonists in America came here to escape from what they perceived as laxity within the Church of England, and that the revolutionary war was a reaction to British governmental overreach and over-regulation. In many ways, American conservatism is a RESPONSE to British liberalism. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 13:38, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:There is no doubt that the roots of revolution were in the overreach of government and taxation. The latter may be characteristic of left leaning (liberal) governments but I think it is a little anachronistic to decribe this a a reaction against "liberalism". Going further, I don't believe the British government of the time, while authoritarian, could be described in terms of either classical liberalism or its current meaning.
:I would add that fundamental reason why Great Britain/UK (I have no idea why this work singles out "England" specifically) and Europe generally have more liberal attitudes has arisen from several historical trends - that this topic needs to expand on - but most notable the contrasting feature of the United States is that its growth and success rests on indiviudal responsibility, liberties and a hostile mindset to big government and tax since the revolution! [[User:Laguardia|Laguardia]]
::Speaking as an Englishman, this does appear to be the most plausible explanation for the divergence between American and European political sentiments. America as a nation was founded on the rejection of a major controlling governmental force, so the nation's people have long been distrustful of the expansion of government. Concepts like welfare didn't come into their hayday in the UK until the beginning of the 20th Century, long after America had established itself as a nation that was distrustful of national programs. The difference then is just the logical conclusion of two countries following those post-revolution trends. I think that most of the other suggestions in this essay (like nationalised television) are symptoms of the differing perspectives, not causes. --[[User:Maninahat|Maninahat]] 14:37, 20 July 2011 (EDT)

== The entrenched Church of England ==

I wonder if part of the reason is that the officially entrenched nature of the Anglican Church has caused a complacency amongst the religious over there. In many ways the Church of England has become more of a social organisation than a religious one, and this has had a liberalizing effect on the population on the whole. --[[User:DamianJohn|DamianJohn]] 14:43, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:Good point ... and certainly worth adding. I'll include it now, and please feel free to improve.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 15:01, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

== More liberal ==

Is the UK more liberal? What factors are we judging its liberalism on? [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 16:53, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:England is certainly less [[conservative]] than the U.S.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 17:07, 17 July 2011 (EDT)
::I am sure that it is but I am just wondering about what factors have been taken into account. [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 20:18, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

== The BBC ==
It's a public broadcaster, which tend to be liberal (look at NPR and PBS in the US) and furthermore, Brits have no choice in funding it, as it's paid for by mandatory TV licenses. Finally, while there is commercial (i.e. non-government TV) in Britain, the BBC is the only free (as in beer, aside from the license) option. Because of the tightly-controlled media, and lack of a free market, it's no wonder liberalism is so rampant there. --[[User:FergusE|FergusE]] 22:01, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:The BBC is not the only free-to-view broadcaster by any means. Up until the advent of digital television there were five free channels, BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5. There are now dozens more free-to-air channels, the vast majority of them being commercial broadcasters. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 22:37, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

::Do you deny that The BBC is the dominant media in England and that it's heavily liberally biased? --[[User:FergusE|FergusE]] 22:49, 17 July 2011 (EDT)
:::I will answer from my perspective of living in the UK for a year not so long ago. Yes. Liberally biased but not ''heavily'' liberally biased. --[[User:DamianJohn|DamianJohn]] 01:53, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::::FergusE, rather than turning on me for pointing out a factual error and posing a question that bears no relevance to the point I was making, you could just accept your mistake graciously. I never said it wasn't the dominant media in England. And I do not think it is even possible, or sensible to divide the world up into things which are 'conservative' and things which are 'liberal' as if the two terms are categories set in stone and used in the same way by everyone. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 08:31, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

==A federal England and freedom of speech==

This is quite a slippery argument. England is a much smaller country than the United States and it's hard to see how it would be practical to devise any sort of federal structure. Of course, the United Kingdom is now, essentially, arranged along federal lines. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have their own assemblies or parliaments.

I don't quite understand the freedom of speech argument. What evidence is there that England is less at home to the right of free expression than is the United States?--[[User:Jdixon|Jdixon]] 11:13, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:England does not guarantee a right of free speech. It's that simple.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:21, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
::Actually Article 10 of the UK Human Rights Act of 1998 states: 
::''Article 10: Freedom of Expression (1) Everyone has the right of freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without inference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.'' however this was only guaranteed in 2000 unlike the US which was in the 1700's [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 21:42, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:::Are there any cases where this has made any difference?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:24, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
::::Well, the fact is they do have the freedom of speech which is protected by law. [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 22:25, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:::::It has frequently made a difference. Indeed, many in the Conservative Party are calling for an overhaul of UK human rights laws since they believe them to have led to overly lenient sentences in certain court cases. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 22:27, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::::::Are there any examples that could be reviewed?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:28, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
:::::::[http://ukhumanrightsblog.com/2011/01/21/court-of-human-rights-five-recent-article-10-cases-%E2%80%93-hugh-tomlinson-qc/ Here] and [http://inforrm.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/case-law-mgn-v-united-kingdom-partial-victory-for-mirror-group-on-cfas-defeat-on-privacy/ here.] [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 22:31, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::::::::Your second link seems to support my point: there still is not freedom of speech in England. (I couldn't get your first link to work).--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 20:34, 19 July 2011 (EDT)
:::::::::Article 10 ''does'' guarantee freedom of speech and expression but the question is whether it is used and, anyway, it is some 300 years behind the US meaning that they haven't had any opportunity to exercise it like the US. [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 21:37, 19 July 2011 (EDT)
Well, this article provides a rather nice summary; David Cameron [http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/feb/28/conservatives-human-rights for the repeal of the Human Rights Act]. If you would like anything more specific from me it will have to wait. It's 3.30am over here and I need my sleep. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 22:33, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

: Your link seems to be broken, unfortunately.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 20:34, 19 July 2011 (EDT)
:: Fixed. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 21:54, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

== Move Request ==

Can a moderator move the page to [[Mystery:Why is The United Kingdom More Liberal than the United States?]]? It would make more sense because England is only one part of the country. [[User:TonyB|TonyB]] 20:28, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

: No, I don't think so. "England", the dominant nation in the United Kingdom, is the more familiar term. And England itself is more liberal than the United States.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:16, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::Hello Andy, I am new to this site and think there could be some interesting observations to be made in this article. with the intention of being helpful, unless you really do mean Engalnd excluding Wales, Scotland etc. I must point out that "England" as a term for the whole of the United Kingdom has long passed into non-accetpable use appart from in very casual parlance outside of the United Kingdom and even then it is regarded as incorrect and even parochial. If the article is going to be worthy of a encyclopedic resource for educational use, I would along with Tony's suggestion. If it needs to be concise, "Britain" is the more common contracted term to refer to the whole of the UK (even inlcuding Northern Ireland) pretty much everywhere.[[User:DavidMilton]]

::Mr Schlafly, Scotland and Wales are also more liberal than the US. Northern Ireland is becoming liberal too as interest in religion declines. [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 19:40, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

:::Is England the most liberal of all?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 20:30, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

::::The Conservative Party would have a majority of Parliamentary seats if you took England on its own, and the vast majority of the Conservative Party vote comes from the English electorate. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 21:52, 19 July 2011 (EDT)
:::::It has been generally considered that England is the most conservative of the states that make up the UK. I cannot find the source off the top of my head, but I know that if it weren't for the results of Wales and Scotland there wouldn't have been a labour government until 1997 (and by that time it was a fairly centrist labour govt compared to earlier times). If you look at this [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/ map] you can see the trend of England is solidly blue, whereas in Wales and Scotland Red and Yellow predominate. The same for [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/vote_2005/default.stm 2005]. It goes without saying that the conservative party in the UK may not be what Andy Schlafly would consider conservative in the US context, but it does tend to indicate that relatively speaking England is the most conservative of the states that make up the UK. I personally would favour a change of name to the United Kingdom. --[[User:DamianJohn|DamianJohn]] 13:59, 20 July 2011 (EDT)

== Population Density?? ==

I was thinking along the lines of major differences between England and the US and one of the biggest differences that kept popping up in my mind was population density. The US has a much smaller population density than England. In fact I think England has a population density that is 12 times more dense compared in to the US. Basic politics and voting patterns in the US say that urban areas (high population density) tend to vote Democratic while rural areas (low population density) tend to vote Republican. [http://neuropolitics.org/defaultfeb09.asp] So maybe England has the similar trends with their voting habits.--[[User:Harrymd|Harrymd]] 21:25, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

: Great point ... worth including. Please feel free to add it.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:44, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:: I know the referenced article I used for the trends referenced evolution, but I was in the middle of watching a movie with my family so I didn't have time to look for another one.--[[User:Harrymd|Harrymd]] 21:47, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
:::Are you sure about this population density idea? Constituencies in thinly populated areas like the Highlands of Scotland, the Northern and Western Isles, the Scottish Borders, mid-Wales and Cornwall have consistently voted Liberal or Labour. I think liberal attitudes in Britain have much more to do with a lack of religious belief and low church attendance. [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 19:38, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

::::Good point. Some counterexamples exist in the US also: Vermont, one of the most rural states, is also perhaps the most liberal.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 20:39, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

:::::I'll admit that there are some counter example, but that is why I didn't use exclusive language, because there are always things that fall outside generalities.--[[User:Harrymd|Harrymd]] 21:06, 19 July 2011 (EDT)
:::::: The mystery is why ENGLAND is so liberal not Scotland, which the Highlands of Scotland are in. The metropolitan area of London consists of approx. 26% of the English population--[[User:Harrymd|Harrymd]] 13:33, 20 July 2011 (EDT)

::::::: Further muddying the issue are the demographics of voters across the UK. The south, which is less rural, more urban, and more middle-class, tends to be more supportive of the conservative party. The north, noted for its larger proportions of working class, tends to be labour (more left-wing) supporting. Despite this, the northern countryside tends to be predominantly made up of conservative voters, and northern towns tend to be staunch Labour supporters. Thus the influence of population density on voting seems to be reversed, or outweighed by other factors, depending on which portion of the country you are from. --[[User:Maninahat|Maninahat]] 14:49, 20 July 2011 (EDT)

::::::::Sure. And conversely, rural areas of the south of England (Cornwall apart) are staunchly conservative. Is it mere coincidence that church attendance is much higher in these areas than in London (atheist/non-Christian)? [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 18:43, 20 July 2011 (EDT)

Mystery:Why is England More Liberal than the United States?

2011-07-19T23:43:02Z

HollyS: Punctuation

Reasons for why [[England]] is substantially more [[liberal]] than the [[United States]] include:

*England lacks socially [[conservative]] intellectuals, perhaps due to its [[atheist]]ic-controlled university system
*[[Labor union]]s are far more powerful in England than in the United States
*[[gun control|Gun control]] dominates England -- negating a healthy attitude of [[self-defense]] -- in contrast with the United States
*Approximately 80% of people in the United Kingdom as a whole (which England is the dominant part) believe in the [[theory of evolution]], around twice the percentage in the United States.<ref>http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/08/060810-evolution.html</ref>.
*While there has been growth among evangelical churches, churches attendance a whole have been in sharp decline in England over the last fifty years and is much less when compared to the United States. This increases secular influences and reduces christian guidance.
*A state-run church that became a social bureaucracy over time
*Freedom of speech was only guaranteed as of the year 2000, nearly 300 years after the US<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/946400.stm#expression</ref>
*The United States began as a rebellion against excessive government powers both when the colonies were settled and by the [[American Revolution]]. This makes Americans less likely to accept liberal leaning governments who seek to reduce the role of the individual and increase government control and tax.
*The welfare state in England is so thoroughly entrenched and used by people dependent on the government that any attempt by a conservative to reform it is met with hostility.
*In modern times England has never been as [[isolationist]] as the US and participates more in socialist-leaning groups like the [[European Union]] where it could be influenced. The US's characteristic way of being different allows for a more conservative view point.
*Unlike the [[federalism]] and decentralized government in the United States, England has centralized government that enables a small number of liberals to exercise more influence.
*England has a population density that is nearly twelve times more dense than the United States. Voting patterns show that high population density areas tend to vote more on liberal lines while low population density ares tend to vote on conservative lines.

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Mystery]]

Talk:Mystery:Why is England More Liberal than the United States?

2011-07-19T23:40:30Z

HollyS: /* Move Request */

Nice essay! I hope you add more! I have always been wondering this, considering until recently England was more centered towards religion. [[User:NickP|NickP]] 01:15, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

Andy,

This is a very interesting topic, but I think an important point needs to be raised. English liberalism is not a new problem. It's important to keep in mind that many of the first colonists in America came here to escape from what they perceived as laxity within the Church of England, and that the revolutionary war was a reaction to British governmental overreach and over-regulation. In many ways, American conservatism is a RESPONSE to British liberalism. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 13:38, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:There is no doubt that the roots of revolution were in the overreach of government and taxation. The latter may be characteristic of left leaning (liberal) governments but I think it is a little anachronistic to decribe this a a reaction against "liberalism". Going further, I don't believe the British government of the time, while authoritarian, could be described in terms of either classical liberalism or its current meaning.
:I would add that fundamental reason why Great Britain/UK (I have no idea why this work singles out "England" specifically) and Europe generally have more liberal attitudes has arisen from several historical trends - that this topic needs to expand on - but most notable the contrasting feature of the United States is that its growth and success rests on indiviudal responsibility, liberties and a hostile mindset to big government and tax since the revolution! [[User:Laguardia|Laguardia]]

== The entrenched Church of England ==

I wonder if part of the reason is that the officially entrenched nature of the Anglican Church has caused a complacency amongst the religious over there. In many ways the Church of England has become more of a social organisation than a religious one, and this has had a liberalizing effect on the population on the whole. --[[User:DamianJohn|DamianJohn]] 14:43, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:Good point ... and certainly worth adding. I'll include it now, and please feel free to improve.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 15:01, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

== More liberal ==

Is the UK more liberal? What factors are we judging its liberalism on? [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 16:53, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:England is certainly less [[conservative]] than the U.S.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 17:07, 17 July 2011 (EDT)
::I am sure that it is but I am just wondering about what factors have been taken into account. [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 20:18, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

== The BBC ==
It's a public broadcaster, which tend to be liberal (look at NPR and PBS in the US) and furthermore, Brits have no choice in funding it, as it's paid for by mandatory TV licenses. Finally, while there is commercial (i.e. non-government TV) in Britain, the BBC is the only free (as in beer, aside from the license) option. Because of the tightly-controlled media, and lack of a free market, it's no wonder liberalism is so rampant there. --[[User:FergusE|FergusE]] 22:01, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:The BBC is not the only free-to-view broadcaster by any means. Up until the advent of digital television there were five free channels, BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5. There are now dozens more free-to-air channels, the vast majority of them being commercial broadcasters. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 22:37, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

::Do you deny that The BBC is the dominant media in England and that it's heavily liberally biased? --[[User:FergusE|FergusE]] 22:49, 17 July 2011 (EDT)
:::I will answer from my perspective of living in the UK for a year not so long ago. Yes. Liberally biased but not ''heavily'' liberally biased. --[[User:DamianJohn|DamianJohn]] 01:53, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::::FergusE, rather than turning on me for pointing out a factual error and posing a question that bears no relevance to the point I was making, you could just accept your mistake graciously. I never said it wasn't the dominant media in England. And I do not think it is even possible, or sensible to divide the world up into things which are 'conservative' and things which are 'liberal' as if the two terms are categories set in stone and used in the same way by everyone. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 08:31, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

==A federal England and freedom of speech==

This is quite a slippery argument. England is a much smaller country than the United States and it's hard to see how it would be practical to devise any sort of federal structure. Of course, the United Kingdom is now, essentially, arranged along federal lines. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have their own assemblies or parliaments.

I don't quite understand the freedom of speech argument. What evidence is there that England is less at home to the right of free expression than is the United States?--[[User:Jdixon|Jdixon]] 11:13, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:England does not guarantee a right of free speech. It's that simple.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:21, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
::Actually Article 10 of the UK Human Rights Act of 1998 states: 
::''Article 10: Freedom of Expression (1) Everyone has the right of freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without inference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.'' however this was only guaranteed in 2000 unlike the US which was in the 1700's [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 21:42, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:::Are there any cases where this has made any difference?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:24, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
::::Well, the fact is they do have the freedom of speech which is protected by law. [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 22:25, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:::::It has frequently made a difference. Indeed, many in the Conservative Party are calling for an overhaul of UK human rights laws since they believe them to have led to overly lenient sentences in certain court cases. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 22:27, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::::::Are there any examples that could be reviewed?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:28, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
:::::::[http://ukhumanrightsblog.com/2011/01/21/court-of-human-rights-five-recent-article-10-cases-%E2%80%93-hugh-tomlinson-qc/ Here] and [http://inforrm.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/case-law-mgn-v-united-kingdom-partial-victory-for-mirror-group-on-cfas-defeat-on-privacy/ here.] [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 22:31, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

Well, this article provides a rather nice summary; David Cameron [http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2006/may/12/immigrationpolicy.immigrationcalling for the repeal of the Human Rights Act]. If you would like anything more specific from me it will have to wait. It's 3.30am over here and I need my sleep. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 22:33, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

== Move Request ==

Can a moderator move the page to [[Mystery:Why is The United Kingdom More Liberal than the United States?]]? It would make more sense because England is only one part of the country. [[User:TonyB|TonyB]] 20:28, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

: No, I don't think so. "England", the dominant nation in the United Kingdom, is the more familiar term. And England itself is more liberal than the United States.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:16, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::Hello Andy, I am new to this site and think there could be some interesting observations to be made in this article. with the intention of being helpful, unless you really do mean Engalnd excluding Wales, Scotland etc. I must point out that "England" as a term for the whole of the United Kingdom has long passed into non-accetpable use appart from in very casual parlance outside of the United Kingdom and even then it is regarded as incorrect and even parochial. If the article is going to be worthy of a encyclopedic resource for educational use, I would along with Tony's suggestion. If it needs to be concise, "Britain" is the more common contracted term to refer to the whole of the UK (even inlcuding Northern Ireland) pretty much everywhere.[[User:DavidMilton]]

::Mr Schlafly, Scotland and Wales are also more liberal than the US. Northern Ireland is becoming liberal too as interest in religion declines. [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 19:40, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

== Population Density?? ==

I was thinking along the lines of major differences between England and the US and one of the biggest differences that kept popping up in my mind was population density. The US has a much smaller population density than England. In fact I think England has a population density that is 12 times more dense compared in to the US. Basic politics and voting patterns in the US say that urban areas (high population density) tend to vote Democratic while rural areas (low population density) tend to vote Republican. [http://neuropolitics.org/defaultfeb09.asp] So maybe England has the similar trends with their voting habits.--[[User:Harrymd|Harrymd]] 21:25, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

: Great point ... worth including. Please feel free to add it.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:44, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:: I know the referenced article I used for the trends referenced evolution, but I was in the middle of watching a movie with my family so I didn't have time to look for another one.--[[User:Harrymd|Harrymd]] 21:47, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
:::Are you sure about this population density idea? Constituencies in thinly populated areas like the Highlands of Scotland, the Northern and Western Isles, the Scottish Borders, mid-Wales and Cornwall have consistently voted Liberal or Labour. I think liberal attitudes in Britain have much more to do with a lack of religious belief and low church attendance. [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 19:38, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

== '''the Church leads the nation and govt,''' ==
the Church is the Light of the world, (Light = guide)
the Church is the Salt of the earth, (salt = preservative)

the politicians and people will follow the Church,
because Christ gave all Christians authority over demons and diseases,
see theelijahchallenge.org

the Church speaks with authority,
and the Church confounds the evil spirits in a nation, with Spiritual warfare (prayer, authoritative commands)

Christians rebuke the evil spirits with Kingly authority,commands,
a General moves his troops with a spoken word (command), because the King has authority,
we are kings,,,,,,,,,and Christ is our King of kings,
the Father gave Christ all authority in Heaven and earth,

so Britain is liberal because the Church is apostate,liberal,lukewarm,babylon, mother of harlets, rev17

but in recent years,,,,,most north american churches have called evil good,
so most churches in the world are apostate, babylon, ,,,,,,,,we're in the endtimes
see www.bible-codes.org

9-11-01 world trade center collapse
9-11-08 world trade collapse
9-29-08 dow-jones fell 777.7 points, on jewish new years day, the first day of the jewish calendar year 5769,
during sept 2008 (christian calendar year)
2008 + 5769 = 7777 years,,,,,,,,,the Dow fell 777.7 points ON THAT SAME DAY,,,,9-29-08

SIGNS FROM GOD!

== '''GREAT SYMBOLIC STORY, SIGN FROM GOD''' ==

It's common knowledge that Christians fled religious persecution from the State Churches (Church of England and others) and the RCC,

to come to the NEW WORLD, for religious freedom,

the early colonial americans were revived and united by the FIRST GREAT AWAKENING,
and those Christians prayed for good govt,
and they sent their best men (Bible-believers) to the Convention, to write the Founding Documents (Declaration, Constitutions, Bill of Rights)

Christ answered their prayers, and inspired the Founders to write WORLD-CLASS freedoms, rights, biblical principles of good govt,

so Christ super-blessed the bible-believing nation, usa, with Spiritual and physical riches,

and the usa was the lone super-power,,,,she dominated the nations in every category (economy,stability, politics, entertainment, publicity, jobs, freedoms, rights, olympics, inventions, medicine,science, space race, health, corn belt, etc)

the usa king (president) dominated the other kings of the nations,,,,,,,like a King of kings (a Christ-figure, in the Bible-believing nation)

mexico is dominated by rcc (not bible-belief),,,,and is 3rd world,
but usa is the lone super-blessed super-power,,,,,,,because we believe the bible,,,,,,a nation of fundamentalist Christians.

all non-christian nations are ruined by Christ-rejection,
the Christian bible-believing nations are rich,powerful, super-blessed,
WHICH IS A GREAT SIGN TO THE WORLD,
CHRIST IS GOOD FOR A NATION,

but since 1987, most north american churches are calling evil good,
and God pulled His Holy Spirit of Christ out of those bad churches,
and the endtimes began

www.bible-codes.org

written by dennis

Talk:Mystery:Why is England More Liberal than the United States?

2011-07-19T23:38:03Z

HollyS: /* Population Density?? */

Nice essay! I hope you add more! I have always been wondering this, considering until recently England was more centered towards religion. [[User:NickP|NickP]] 01:15, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

Andy,

This is a very interesting topic, but I think an important point needs to be raised. English liberalism is not a new problem. It's important to keep in mind that many of the first colonists in America came here to escape from what they perceived as laxity within the Church of England, and that the revolutionary war was a reaction to British governmental overreach and over-regulation. In many ways, American conservatism is a RESPONSE to British liberalism. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 13:38, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:There is no doubt that the roots of revolution were in the overreach of government and taxation. The latter may be characteristic of left leaning (liberal) governments but I think it is a little anachronistic to decribe this a a reaction against "liberalism". Going further, I don't believe the British government of the time, while authoritarian, could be described in terms of either classical liberalism or its current meaning.
:I would add that fundamental reason why Great Britain/UK (I have no idea why this work singles out "England" specifically) and Europe generally have more liberal attitudes has arisen from several historical trends - that this topic needs to expand on - but most notable the contrasting feature of the United States is that its growth and success rests on indiviudal responsibility, liberties and a hostile mindset to big government and tax since the revolution! [[User:Laguardia|Laguardia]]

== The entrenched Church of England ==

I wonder if part of the reason is that the officially entrenched nature of the Anglican Church has caused a complacency amongst the religious over there. In many ways the Church of England has become more of a social organisation than a religious one, and this has had a liberalizing effect on the population on the whole. --[[User:DamianJohn|DamianJohn]] 14:43, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:Good point ... and certainly worth adding. I'll include it now, and please feel free to improve.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 15:01, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

== More liberal ==

Is the UK more liberal? What factors are we judging its liberalism on? [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 16:53, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:England is certainly less [[conservative]] than the U.S.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 17:07, 17 July 2011 (EDT)
::I am sure that it is but I am just wondering about what factors have been taken into account. [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 20:18, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

== The BBC ==
It's a public broadcaster, which tend to be liberal (look at NPR and PBS in the US) and furthermore, Brits have no choice in funding it, as it's paid for by mandatory TV licenses. Finally, while there is commercial (i.e. non-government TV) in Britain, the BBC is the only free (as in beer, aside from the license) option. Because of the tightly-controlled media, and lack of a free market, it's no wonder liberalism is so rampant there. --[[User:FergusE|FergusE]] 22:01, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

:The BBC is not the only free-to-view broadcaster by any means. Up until the advent of digital television there were five free channels, BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5. There are now dozens more free-to-air channels, the vast majority of them being commercial broadcasters. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 22:37, 17 July 2011 (EDT)

::Do you deny that The BBC is the dominant media in England and that it's heavily liberally biased? --[[User:FergusE|FergusE]] 22:49, 17 July 2011 (EDT)
:::I will answer from my perspective of living in the UK for a year not so long ago. Yes. Liberally biased but not ''heavily'' liberally biased. --[[User:DamianJohn|DamianJohn]] 01:53, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::::FergusE, rather than turning on me for pointing out a factual error and posing a question that bears no relevance to the point I was making, you could just accept your mistake graciously. I never said it wasn't the dominant media in England. And I do not think it is even possible, or sensible to divide the world up into things which are 'conservative' and things which are 'liberal' as if the two terms are categories set in stone and used in the same way by everyone. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 08:31, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

==A federal England and freedom of speech==

This is quite a slippery argument. England is a much smaller country than the United States and it's hard to see how it would be practical to devise any sort of federal structure. Of course, the United Kingdom is now, essentially, arranged along federal lines. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have their own assemblies or parliaments.

I don't quite understand the freedom of speech argument. What evidence is there that England is less at home to the right of free expression than is the United States?--[[User:Jdixon|Jdixon]] 11:13, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:England does not guarantee a right of free speech. It's that simple.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:21, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
::Actually Article 10 of the UK Human Rights Act of 1998 states: 
::''Article 10: Freedom of Expression (1) Everyone has the right of freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without inference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.'' however this was only guaranteed in 2000 unlike the US which was in the 1700's [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 21:42, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:::Are there any cases where this has made any difference?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:24, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
::::Well, the fact is they do have the freedom of speech which is protected by law. [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 22:25, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:::::It has frequently made a difference. Indeed, many in the Conservative Party are calling for an overhaul of UK human rights laws since they believe them to have led to overly lenient sentences in certain court cases. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 22:27, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::::::Are there any examples that could be reviewed?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:28, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
:::::::[http://ukhumanrightsblog.com/2011/01/21/court-of-human-rights-five-recent-article-10-cases-%E2%80%93-hugh-tomlinson-qc/ Here] and [http://inforrm.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/case-law-mgn-v-united-kingdom-partial-victory-for-mirror-group-on-cfas-defeat-on-privacy/ here.] [[User:MaxFletcher|MaxFletcher]] 22:31, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

Well, this article provides a rather nice summary; David Cameron [http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2006/may/12/immigrationpolicy.immigrationcalling for the repeal of the Human Rights Act]. If you would like anything more specific from me it will have to wait. It's 3.30am over here and I need my sleep. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 22:33, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

== Move Request ==

Can a moderator move the page to [[Mystery:Why is The United Kingdom More Liberal than the United States?]]? It would make more sense because England is only one part of the country. [[User:TonyB|TonyB]] 20:28, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

: No, I don't think so. "England", the dominant nation in the United Kingdom, is the more familiar term. And England itself is more liberal than the United States.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:16, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

::Hello Andy, I am new to this site and think there could be some interesting observations to be made in this article. with the intention of being helpful, unless you really do mean Engalnd excluding Wales, Scotland etc. I must point out that "England" as a term for the whole of the United Kingdom has long passed into non-accetpable use appart from in very casual parlance outside of the United Kingdom and even then it is regarded as incorrect and even parochial. If the article is going to be worthy of a encyclopedic resource for educational use, I would along with Tony's suggestion. If it needs to be concise, "Britain" is the more common contracted term to refer to the whole of the UK (even inlcuding Northern Ireland) pretty much everywhere.[[User:DavidMilton]]

== Population Density?? ==

I was thinking along the lines of major differences between England and the US and one of the biggest differences that kept popping up in my mind was population density. The US has a much smaller population density than England. In fact I think England has a population density that is 12 times more dense compared in to the US. Basic politics and voting patterns in the US say that urban areas (high population density) tend to vote Democratic while rural areas (low population density) tend to vote Republican. [http://neuropolitics.org/defaultfeb09.asp] So maybe England has the similar trends with their voting habits.--[[User:Harrymd|Harrymd]] 21:25, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

: Great point ... worth including. Please feel free to add it.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:44, 18 July 2011 (EDT)

:: I know the referenced article I used for the trends referenced evolution, but I was in the middle of watching a movie with my family so I didn't have time to look for another one.--[[User:Harrymd|Harrymd]] 21:47, 18 July 2011 (EDT)
:::Are you sure about this population density idea? Constituencies in thinly populated areas like the Highlands of Scotland, the Northern and Western Isles, the Scottish Borders, mid-Wales and Cornwall have consistently voted Liberal or Labour. I think liberal attitudes in Britain have much more to do with a lack of religious belief and low church attendance. [[User:HollyS|HollyS]] 19:38, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

== '''the Church leads the nation and govt,''' ==
the Church is the Light of the world, (Light = guide)
the Church is the Salt of the earth, (salt = preservative)

the politicians and people will follow the Church,
because Christ gave all Christians authority over demons and diseases,
see theelijahchallenge.org

the Church speaks with authority,
and the Church confounds the evil spirits in a nation, with Spiritual warfare (prayer, authoritative commands)

Christians rebuke the evil spirits with Kingly authority,commands,
a General moves his troops with a spoken word (command), because the King has authority,
we are kings,,,,,,,,,and Christ is our King of kings,
the Father gave Christ all authority in Heaven and earth,

so Britain is liberal because the Church is apostate,liberal,lukewarm,babylon, mother of harlets, rev17

but in recent years,,,,,most north american churches have called evil good,
so most churches in the world are apostate, babylon, ,,,,,,,,we're in the endtimes
see www.bible-codes.org

9-11-01 world trade center collapse
9-11-08 world trade collapse
9-29-08 dow-jones fell 777.7 points, on jewish new years day, the first day of the jewish calendar year 5769,
during sept 2008 (christian calendar year)
2008 + 5769 = 7777 years,,,,,,,,,the Dow fell 777.7 points ON THAT SAME DAY,,,,9-29-08

SIGNS FROM GOD!

== '''GREAT SYMBOLIC STORY, SIGN FROM GOD''' ==

It's common knowledge that Christians fled religious persecution from the State Churches (Church of England and others) and the RCC,

to come to the NEW WORLD, for religious freedom,

the early colonial americans were revived and united by the FIRST GREAT AWAKENING,
and those Christians prayed for good govt,
and they sent their best men (Bible-believers) to the Convention, to write the Founding Documents (Declaration, Constitutions, Bill of Rights)

Christ answered their prayers, and inspired the Founders to write WORLD-CLASS freedoms, rights, biblical principles of good govt,

so Christ super-blessed the bible-believing nation, usa, with Spiritual and physical riches,

and the usa was the lone super-power,,,,she dominated the nations in every category (economy,stability, politics, entertainment, publicity, jobs, freedoms, rights, olympics, inventions, medicine,science, space race, health, corn belt, etc)

the usa king (president) dominated the other kings of the nations,,,,,,,like a King of kings (a Christ-figure, in the Bible-believing nation)

mexico is dominated by rcc (not bible-belief),,,,and is 3rd world,
but usa is the lone super-blessed super-power,,,,,,,because we believe the bible,,,,,,a nation of fundamentalist Christians.

all non-christian nations are ruined by Christ-rejection,
the Christian bible-believing nations are rich,powerful, super-blessed,
WHICH IS A GREAT SIGN TO THE WORLD,
CHRIST IS GOOD FOR A NATION,

but since 1987, most north american churches are calling evil good,
and God pulled His Holy Spirit of Christ out of those bad churches,
and the endtimes began

www.bible-codes.org

written by dennis