Issue 1 - Worsening Relations with England

Question 1

Navigation Acts

Answer 1

England:
Passed in the 1660s-70s by the English Parliament.
Goods/produce being brought to England in English ships or ships from the country they were trading with.
Scottish Merchants could only sell Scottish produce to England. Treated as foreign merchants.
Scotland couldn’t trade with English colonies in North America.
Despite James VII and II promoting Scottish interests, William ended this and only put English interests forward.

Scotland:
Scottish presence in America traded with rivals - Holland, France, Denmark, ignoring Acts.
Done by ‘tramping’ - transfer of goods between many ships.

Question 2

Economic Problems in Scotland

Answer 2

England:
William prevented exporting woollen cloth and fish to France after 1689 due to the Nine Years War.
Higher tariffs on exported goods caused economic hardship.

Question 3

Darien

Answer 3

William + English:
William forbade English, Dutch investment following pressure from English Parliament.
Had granted generous trading terms but withdrew as it could ruin English trade.
Needed money for foreign wars (9 year).
Banned English merchants, colonies from offering any support.

Poor Planning:
Scots faced starvation, tropical disease. Nearby English colonies were forbidden to trade.
Spanish had claimed land and made threats.
Paterson never visited Darien. Based scheme off of a story someone shared.
Bought ships rather than hire, being expensive.
No insurance, no compensation for people lost as sea. Prices were highest when Scotland were buying.
1,200 people on ship didn’t know where they were going.
Goods carried were unsuitable, overpriced.

Unsuitability:
Darien had 200 inches rainfall yearly as close by to a tropical rainforest.
Area full of killer diseases - malaria, yellow fever, typhoid, cholera.
Sand flies, poisonous snakes, plant diseases, crop-eating crabs.

Question 4

Problem of the Succession

Answer 4

Act of Settlement, 1701:
Settled English throne on the House of Hanover after Anne’s death if she died childless. Didn’t ask Scotland. Anna was extremely anti-Scottish.
Scottish Parliament was meant to be summoned 20 days after death of William, but took 90 days, showing ignorance.
Entered war (Spanish Succession) against France which Scotland was ‘part of’.

Question 5

Legislative War 1701-1705

Answer 5

Attack 1:
- England: Act of Settlement, 1701, choosing Scotland’s monarch
- Scotland: Act of Security, 1703, Scotland could decide Anne’s successor and they couldn’t have same sovereign in future unless they could freely trade with England and American colonies, and end interference with Scottish affairs.

Attack 2:
- England: Declared Scotland was at war with France in Spanish Succession.
- Scotland: Act Anent Peace and War, 1703, if monarch was shared then Scotland could choose wars it was part of.

Attack 3:
- England: Scotland couldn’t trade with France
- Scotland: Wine Act, 1703, Scots could import French wine despite the war.
Wool Act, 1704, allowing export of wool but prohibiting import.

Worcester Affair:
English vessel seized in Firth of Forth by Darien officials. Allegations made by 2 of Worcester’s crew, captain Thomas Green and 17 others tried for piracy. Revenge for England seizing Scottish ship. Sailors found guilty and hanged in front of 80,000.

Alien Act, 1705:
Threated to treat all Scots as foreigners.

Key Scottish trade (cattle, linen, coal, sheep) with England banned unless full union negotiations started by 25 December 1706.