Scottish Enlightenment And Scotland's Act Of Union

The relationship between the eighteenth-century Scottish Enlightenment and the 1707 Act of Union is complex; while the Scottish Enlightenment occurred after the Act of Union it is not entirely appropriate to attribute it entirely as the cause of the parliamentary union. Scotland, as a nation, was progressing in areas such as education, literature, and banking prior to the Act of Union, albeit at a slower pace than following said Union. By the seventeenth century, Scotland had five universities compared to England’s two, and by 1695 the Bank of Scotland was established. Therefore, it may be inaccurate to attribute Scotland’s intellectual and financial accomplishments to the parliamentary union, when as previously stated, progress was occurring …show more content…

There was an emphasis from Enlightenment writers on pastoral Christianity and Christian morals. For instance, Kames argued for the importance of religious belief in fostering moral virtue and social order. Scottish Enlightenment creative literature extends beyond themes of religion, landscape, and political movements, but noticeably absent is a direct reference to the loss of Scottish Parliament. However, one could draw a somewhat tangible connection between patriotism in Scottish creative literature and the Act of Union. For example, the Union Act could have prompted a renewed interest in Scottish national identity and pride. Writers and poets celebrated Scotland's distinct cultural heritage and traditions while asserting their political and religious beliefs. Yet, beyond this connection, it is difficult to establish Enlightenment literary works as a product of the 1707 parliamentary union, as it appears the subjects of these works were not directly related to said union. Further examining the connection between the Scottish Enlightenment and the Act of Union, it is important to note the already existing financial and educational institutions within Scotland prior to …show more content…

first-year students studied Greek grammar and the rules of rhetoric; second-year students studied rhetoric and Aristotle’s Categories; third-year students studied Aristotelian logic, ethics and politics; and fourth-year students studied physics, cosmography, history and basic Hebrew.” (FOOTNOTE) This all comes together to emphasise that Scottish institutions were not backwards or subpar before Scotland strengthened its ties to England. Scottish universities were at the forefront of philosophical thinking in Europe prior to the Enlightenment. It is essential to recognize the foundational role played by its pre-existing educational institutions in shaping the intellectual landscape of the Scottish Enlightenment, which served as fertile ground for the intellectual developments of the Enlightenment rather than the Act of Union. The most significant influence the Act of Union had on the Scottish Enlightenment was through economic progression--the economy following the Act of Union significantly influenced the Scottish Enlightenment in several ways. Scotland's economic trajectory in the early eighteenth century was shaped by its attempts to modernize and integrate with England's