[Gráinne]

The little I know of Scottish history: 300 years after Braveheart, James VI came down to take the empty English throne. A century after that, the two countries were united. Sometime, Northern Ireland was added to form "Great Britain". Please correct me if I'm wrong, but that's generally what happened (I think).

My paternal grandmother was born in Campbeltown and was very proud of her Scottish (not British and def. not English) heritage!

American History 101: There were many colonists who remained loyal to the British and didn't want full independence but more autonomy. Britain offered economic security and profit; independence would mean starting from scratch. Same with forming a government and constitution. Many colonists came over for religious reasons and didn't necessarily want to form a brand-new country. Many felt that we shared the same culture and were one people.

The independence cause began when Britain wanted to tax the colonies for their wars and business ventures, and the patriots wanted to keep that money for their own. Britain also annoyingly appointed the governors of the colonies, a task the patriots wished to do for themselves. The colonists also felt they should have some say in Parliament, which didn't happen. Many of the patriots were reluctant to go to war, and it was really the intervention of France that resulted in independence. Thirty years later, a "mini-war" came out partly from meddling over the border from British Canada. My family tree is chock full of these "Loyalists" who beat it for Canada after the Revolutionary War.

I sometimes wonder if the Revolution hadn't happened, if we would today be under a Canada or Australia-like system. I'm not sure how those countries "relate" to England or how they are different from N. Ireland or Scotland, but they have bigger ties to England than we do; recognizing the Queen and all that. Is it possible for Scotland not to be totally independent but to become a commonwealth such as Canada? Or is it all or nothing?