18th-century Scotland

Eighteenth-century Scotland was a time of significant change, marked by the Union with England in 1707, which created the Kingdom of Great Britain. Economically, it shifted from traditional farming and Clan systems toward more modern industries like textiles and trade, especially with the Atlantic world. The period saw cultural growth through the Scottish Enlightenment, producing influential thinkers like David Hume. Politically, Scotland balanced internal tensions, including struggles between traditional clans and modern government. It was also a time of social upheaval, with emigration, urban growth, and changing landownership shaping Scottish society into a more modern nation.