How important is the Declaration of Arbroath..

[ThistleDown]

It's worse than that and you chaps may find it hard to understand. Much of Scottish history has been so romanticised by the likes of Sir Walter Scott, Landseer, Mel Gibson etc., willingly aided and abetted by assorted propaganda campaigns, by Kings, politicians and with the willing participation of the tourist industry of the last 150 years with their biscuit box version of Scots history. The nett result of all that, is that there is now a legacy of almost total cynicism to almost all of Scottish history by the Scots.I have noticed this effect for many years now and I am quite convinced that this is one of the reasons that the kilt is not seen as regular everyday wear in Scotland.

Hear hear. What we have been on about in this thread and in many others is the inaccuracy of the tales of Scotland told overseas, the myths and romanticism of the Highlands, the clans, Scotland as a whole. I am in total agreement with your last sentence, in partucular, Jock.

[skauwt]

That wasn't what I was going to quote Todd, but the jest of it was exactly the same

as i said before ive traced over 660 ancestors so to think i dont care about the past is somewhat insulting
i merely made a statement regarding what any folk from this part of "central" scotland my age would say

[macwilkin]

as i said before ive traced over 660 ancestors so to think i dont care about the past is somewhat insulting
i merely made a statement regarding what any folk from this part of "central" scotland my age would say

If you took offense at my use of Burke's quote, them I am sorry and I do beg your pardon. My use of the quote was more rhetorical and not necessarily directed at you personally.

T.

[skauwt]

If you took offense at my use of Burke's quote, them I am sorry and I do beg your pardon. My use of the quote was more rhetorical and not necessarily directed at you personally.

T.

as we`d say here "its cool"
i myself wish folk would look into there past more ive always thought without the past we are nothing
this topic has brought alot of good points though about the ignorance of todays society in general ,
i make a point of telling my nephews and nieces the deeds there great grand fathers did in the worldwars they risked there lifes for our freedom something which also is talking for granted now even though the declaration isnt seen as a big deal today for me it highlights the want for freedom thats makes us who we are

[macwilkin]

as we`d say here "its cool"
i myself wish folk would look into there past more ive always thought without the past we are nothing
this topic has brought alot of good points though about the ignorance of todays society in general ,
i make a point of telling my nephews and nieces the deeds there great grand fathers did in the worldwars they risked there lifes for our freedom something which also is talking for granted now even though the declaration isnt seen as a big deal today for me it highlights the want for freedom thats makes us who we are

Well said!

T.

[BoldHighlander]

That wasn't what I was going to quote Todd, but the jest of it was exactly the same

as i said before ive traced over 660 ancestors so to think i dont care about the past is somewhat insulting
i merely made a statement regarding what any folk from this part of "central" scotland my age would say

My post was made before I read your reply, and in truth was not aimed at you or anyone else here, but rather at the population at large (on both sides of the pond).

Sorry if you took it that way

[Graywolf]

What a great chain of e-mails and I know I am descended from one of them and possibly three - more genealogical work to do for me. Of course if you go back far enough you can tie into just about everybody - at least on paper.

[Graywolf]

Another repsonse-

Since there appears to be some dicussion regarding taxes and the Revolution - yes I know I am behind the times in this thread, but right now I am working 12 hr days 6 days/week - i refer you to Fowler's Empires at War. Seems the colonies were promised the King would cover their costs. Another case of a politician making a promise he could not keep.

[lammy d]

I have it hanging on my wall(not the real one) there was a march there at the weekend and a historic signing with a torch lit walk and a concert at the church during the week ! As for people not knowing about it falls in to not getting taught Scottish history at school but getting taught British (English) history at school. http://www.tartandayscotland.com/new...lines-2010.asp

[macwilkin]

Another repsonse-

Since there appears to be some dicussion regarding taxes and the Revolution - yes I know I am behind the times in this thread, but right now I am working 12 hr days 6 days/week - i refer you to Fowler's Empires at War. Seems the colonies were promised the King would cover their costs. Another case of a politician making a promise he could not keep.

No, he did -- he was the only one who paid for it, because the American colonial assemblies were too cheap to pony up and help pay for their own defence. Ben Franklin couldn't even get them to agree to the Albany Plan of Union in 1754 to work together for mutual self-defence. "He" aslo paid for the British garrison that defeated Pontiac's Rebellion in 1763.

And it was William Pitt, not the King, who offered for London to pay for the raising and equipping of colonial provinical units in the French & Indian Wars. Contrary to the myth, George III had little to do with the disagreement; Parliament and a string of PM's did after William Pitt took sick. It would be interesting to see what would have happened had men like Pitt and Edmund Burke, who agreed with the colonists, would have done -- perhaps we would still be part of the Commonwealth today.

T.