Heartland Scottish History is a website for anyone who wants to know more about Scotland's past.

Whether you are a Scot living in Scotland or one of our extended family of Scots living abroad Heartland offers a wealth of information about the story of our nation.

So if you are Scottish or of Scottish ancestry, planning a visit to Scotland, looking for Scottish historical and heritage imagery, seeking information or articles about Scotland, or just interested in finding out more about Scottish history, then Heartland has something for you.

Click on any of the boxes below to access a section of the website dedicated to a theme in Scottish history. The sections form a single narrative stretching from pre-history to the 21st century but they are also self-contained. Feel free to dip in and out of the various sections individually in whatever order you like.

Don't miss the Feedback section at the end of each page. We want to encourage debate and discussion about Scottish history and culture and Feedback is your chance to have your say about the issues raised on Heartland.

Prologue A Nation Is Born Who are the Scots? Where did they come from and how did they come to think of themselves as a nation? The complex question of the origin of Scottish national identity is considered here.

The Independence Struggle: 1296-1328  Throughout the 14th century, England struggled to bring the unruly northern kingdom of Scotland under control whilst the Scots fought to assert their  independence. It was a decisive moment in Scotland's history, one which would have profound long-term consequences.

The Reformation Upheaval: 1514-1567 The Reformation swept through 16th century Scotland overturning centuries of tradition. What finally emerged at the end of it was a nation with a new set of religious beliefs and institutions, but which also preserved some of the more timeless ideals of its past.

The Covenanter Revolution: 1638-1688 In 1638 Scotland rose in revolution against the unpopular political and religious policies of Charles I. The enormous consequences of this much neglected episode in Scottish history are revealed and explored here.

The Darien Adventure & the Treaty of Union: 1688-1707 In the late 17th century the Scots attempted to establish an international trading colony in South America. The venture ended in catastrophe forcing the Scots to completely redefine their relationship with England and the rest of the world.

The Jacobite Risings: 1688-1746 Few episodes in any nation's history have become as sentimentalised as the Jacobite Risings. Yet in their time the Jacobites posed a serious threat to the British government. What is the real story behind the myth-making?

Robert Owen and New Lanark: 1771-1858 The entrepreneur Robert Owen had a vision of creating a whole new society. In the early nineteenth century he bought the modest textile village of New Lanark and set about creating one of the most ambitious and influential social experiments ever conceived.

Red Clydeside: 1914-1919 In the early 20th century the world was convulsed by war and social unrest. Disaffection with the political establishment compelled many to seek change through radical action. Did this era really see Scotland brought to the brink of a revolution?

The Scottish Parliament: Into The 21st Century The 21st century has begun with the first Scottish Parliament for 300 years. Scotland's long history of parliamentary government is reviewed here.

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