The History of Scotland: From the Wars of Independence to Devolution
WednesdayS January 07 to March 11 10:00 am to 12 noon
ZOOM Session
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Resources Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Presenter: Dr. Carolyn Harris
Course Overview: This course examines the history of Scotland from the Wars of Independence to Devolution.
January 7: The Emergence of Scotland - An examination of the geography of Scotland including the Lowlands, Highlands and Islands as well as the border with England followed by key events in early Scottish history including the rise and fall of the Picts and the emergence of a unified Scottish kingdom.
January 14: The Wars of Independence - Following a succession crisis in 1290, the Bruce and Balliol families competed for the Scottish Crown. William Wallace, then Robert the Bruce fought King Edward I of England and his successors for Scotland’s independence.
January 21: The Early Stewart Monarchs - Robert the Bruce’s grandson, Robert II was the first monarch of the Stewart dynasty, which would reign in Scotland until 1714. The early Stewart monarchs were ambitious and well educated, presiding over a turbulent court and a Scottish Renaissance.
January 28: Mary Queen of Scots, John Knox and the Scottish Reformation - Scotland’s most famous monarch, Mary Queen of Scots was a Roman Catholic raised in France who came into conflict with the founder of the Scottish Presbyterian Church, John Knox.
February 4: The Act of Union and the Jacobite Rebellions - England and Scotland unified with a single parliament in 1707. The Jacobite Rebellions, supporting the descendants of King James VII, opposed this settlement in the early 18th century.
February 11: The Scottish Enlightenment - Eighteenth century Scotland experienced an intellectual golden age centred around its five universities and social clubs in the cities, where the ideas of philosophers and economists such as Adam Smith and David Hume informed debates elsewhere in Europe and the wider world.
February 18: Scotland and the British Empire - After the Act of Union, Scotland played a key role in the development of the British Empire. Scots joined the British Army (forming the Highland Regiments) and the East India Company.
February 25: The Highland Clearances and the Scots in Canada - The enclosure of tenant land holdings to allow for larger scale sheep and cattle farming prompted widespread migration from rural areas to cities and emigration abroad. Canada was a popular destination for rural Scots, especially the province of Nova Scotia.
March 4: Sir Walter Scott and the Revival of Scottish Culture - After decades of repression following the Jacobite Rebellions, the culture of the Scottish Highlands experienced a revival inspired by the novels of Sir Walter Scott.
March 11: Modern Scotland and Devolution - The development of modern Scotland in the 20th and 21st centuries including the Scottish experience of the First and Second World Wars, new religious movements, independence campaigns and Devolution.
Committee Contact and Chair: Jane Botsford
Dr. Carolyn Harris is a historian, royal commentator and author of three books: Magna Carta and Its Gifts to Canada, Queenship and Revolution in Early Modern Europe and Raising Royalty: 1000 Years of Royal Parenting. She received her PhD in history from Queen’s University. She is the co-editor of the English Consorts: Power, Influence and Dynasty series and the Production Lead for the Royal Studies Journal. Carolyn is a highly rated lecturer who has presented several lecture series for Learning Unlimited Etobicoke as well as other adult learning organizations. Carolyn was featured by the Queen's Alumni Review in 2023 for her work as a royal history media consultant.
