How important is the Declaration of Arbroath..

[skauwt]

from a young scots perceptive i just find the whole thing almost" jobs for the boys" .....its more to do with lords and lairds than the actual people themselves i just have this feeling that all they want is the English king to leave them to there own devices and let them rule over the people in what ever way they see fit at the time

most the folk only joined because they knew they had a chance of a more titles and land and having to write to the pope...... well what's he to do with scotland he doesn't govern the people only a religion back then probably half the country where still almost pagan to a extent
i apologize if my view offends anyone but i merely answered my view which auld argonian asked for

[ThistleDown]

I should think there might be great similarities between the Arbroath Declaration and the American, since many of those who signed the latter were educated in the Scottish system. The question, however, was what do Scots think of it today. Much less, I suspect, than Americans do of their Declaration. More years between, perhaps? Less impact on how we live today? Was it not set aside, as it were, at the time of the Union? In other words, the Arbroath is just another document in the history of a country with many documents.

[Jaggy thistle]

We probably do not think of it as much as Americans think of the DoI because good as it was it did not achieve the desired result .The American Declaration did and still holds good today.

[Rob Wright]

I should think there might be great similarities between the Arbroath Declaration and the American, since many of those who signed the latter were educated in the Scottish system. The question, however, was what do Scots think of it today. Much less, I suspect, than Americans do of their Declaration. More years between, perhaps? Less impact on how we live today? Was it not set aside, as it were, at the time of the Union? In other words, the Arbroath is just another document in the history of a country with many documents.

Interesting thoughts. I know many here in the states consider landmarks that have been around for a mere twenty years to be old.

My thoughts are the value of the Arbroath Declaration lies in the influence it had over the thoughts of many great thinkers. Great thinkers who influenced the course of events and created something that continues to thrive today.

Rob

[Paul]

Personally, in principal (and modern principal at that, if possible) - I think it is just as relevant to those today who care for Scotland as much as those who the declaration was intended for... the Scots.

[ThistleDown]

Interesting thoughts. I know many here in the states consider landmarks that have been around for a mere twenty years to be old.

My thoughts are the value of the Arbroath Declaration lies in the influence it had over the thoughts of many great thinkers. Great thinkers who influenced the course of events and created something that continues to thrive today.

Rob

Sorry, Rob, I didn't mean to say that the Arbroath was unimportant, or that it did not influence such as the authors of the Declaration of Independance and others; I was attempting to answer the question "what does it mean to Scots today". Yes, there are many for whom it stands as a landmark document; for others it was superceded by the Union documents; for yet others the latter put finis to the former so the one of importance is much more recent; for yet another group the most important Scottish document has not yet been signed. In America, as I understand it, the entire populace is in love with the Declaration of Independance. In Scotland such is not the case regarding the Arbroath.

Rex (too)

[Rob Wright]

No need to apologize Rex, I got the gist of your post . Hence my interesting thoughts. I should of broken the rest of my post out to differentiate, alls good and wonderful

Rob

[macwilkin]

Sorry, Rob, I didn't mean to say that the Arbroath was unimportant, or that it did not influence such as the authors of the Declaration of Independance and others; I was attempting to answer the question "what does it mean to Scots today". Yes, there are many for whom it stands as a landmark document; for others it was superceded by the Union documents; for yet others the latter put finis to the former so the one of importance is much more recent; for yet another group the most important Scottish document has not yet been signed. In America, as I understand it, the entire populace is in love with the Declaration of Independance. In Scotland such is not the case regarding the Arbroath.

Rex (too)

I don't know if I'd say all Americans were "in love" with the Declaration; whilst I certainly respect and admire the sentiment behind it, I also look at it from a historian's perspective that things were not as bad as we were taught in the more traditional "patriot myth" of American history. For example, for all the talk of taxes paid by colonials, what is not told was that Britons were paying twice as much as the American colonies were, and the taxes were needed to pay for the recent French & Indian War, which the American colonists benefited the most because the end of the threat of New France.

As I tell my students, the word "Revolution" is a bit of a misnomer, as it was in fact, America's first Civil War. Many Americans saw no reason to rebel against their rightful government and actively fought against the rebels in provincial units. Whilst these people are still vilified today as "Tories", a deeper study shows that they, like their opponents on the other side, were fighting for a cause they believed to be right.

To many of my students, the events of 1776 are just an ancient as 1320 -- but really, so are the events of 1917, 1941 and 1968.

T.

[BoldHighlander]

I don't know if I'd say all Americans were "in love" with the Declaration; whilst I certainly respect and admire the sentiment behind it, I also look at it from a historian's perspective that things were not as bad as we were taught in the more traditional "patriot myth" of American history. For example, for all the talk of taxes paid by colonials, what is not told was that Britons were paying twice as much as the American colonies were, and the taxes were needed to pay for the recent French & Indian War, which the American colonists benefited the most because the end of the threat of New France.

As I tell my students, the word "Revolution" is a bit of a misnomer, as it was in fact, America's first Civil War. Many Americans saw no reason to rebel against their rightful government and actively fought against the rebels in provincial units. Whilst these people are still vilified today as "Tories", a deeper study shows that they, like their opponents on the other side, were fighting for a cause they believed to be right.

As I've read (& heard) it said, about 1/3 of the population were for the 'Revolution', 1/3 was against it, and the other 1/3 just wanted to be left alone

[ThistleDown]

I don't know if I'd say all Americans were "in love" with the Declaration; whilst I certainly respect and admire the sentiment behind it, I also look at it from a historian's perspective that things were not as bad as we were taught in the more traditional "patriot myth" of American history. For example, for all the talk of taxes paid by colonials, what is not told was that Britons were paying twice as much as the American colonies were, and the taxes were needed to pay for the recent French & Indian War, which the American colonists benefited the most because the end of the threat of New France.

As I tell my students, the word "Revolution" is a bit of a misnomer, as it was in fact, America's first Civil War. Many Americans saw no reason to rebel against their rightful government and actively fought against the rebels in provincial units. Whilst these people are still vilified today as "Tories", a deeper study shows that they, like their opponents on the other side, were fighting for a cause they believed to be right.

To many of my students, the events of 1776 are just an ancient as 1320 -- but really, so are the events of 1917, 1941 and 1968.

T.

Todd I can't find the clapping hands smiley or it would be here. Your lesson on the "Revolution" is as it is seen in Scotland: a bit more about the greed of one side, perhaps, but essentially as you are teaching.

Rex (too)