Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Telephone

2012-01-03T20:51:06Z

JSFortan:

A '''telephone''' is a device which allows instantaneous [[voice]] communication between two parties. It has evolved into one of the most used pieces of equipment worldwide, and is a crucial component of the daily lives of most individuals, families and [[business]]es, despite only being invented less than 150 years ago and having a relatively simple design and concept.

==History==

The telephone was developed out of the [[telegraph]], a system through which messages could be sent and received by send pulses of signal through an electrical circuit in the form of [[morse code]]. These required trained operators to both send and receive the message (which was then typed and delivered to the receiving party), however the basic concept led to the design of the telephone, and the extensive wiring provided infrastructure for early telephones.

Credit for inventing the telephone is a subject of extensive debate. There are reports stating that it was developed as early as 1849 by Antonio Meucci, however it is unknown whether he built a telephone or a different type of electric device involving voice. The two main contenders for recognition as the inventor are [[Alexander Graham Bell|Alexander Bell]] and [[Elisha Gray]] who designed similar products using [[electromagnets]]. Their patent applications were registered on the same day in 1876 (with Gray's being filed two hours before Bell's), however as Bell had actually built a working model it was his that was granted, Gray choosing to withdraw his on advice of his lawyers. The following month Bell transmitted his famous line, "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you", however he used components from Gray's patent in his final design.

Bell's struggles were not over after his patent application was confirmed. [[Thomas Edison]] had been developing a product which used a carbon microphone to transmit signals at a significantly cheaper price than the original design (which required permanent magnets and iron fittings), resulting in intense competition between the companies. In 1878 the first telephone exchanges were opened in both North America and Europe, however these were limited in that they required operators to monitor and connect lines. In 1879 David Connolly and JT McTighe patented an automatic dialing system, later developed by John and Charles Erickson and Frank Lundquist. This system was first implemented in 1919, however it was only in 1978 that the last manual phone was converted.

In 1927 the first transcontinental telephone call was made, however this was only possible through broadcasting radio waves. In 1935 the first international telephone call was made, leading to the running of wires along sea beds to allow long distance communication. Later developments in technology including satellite communications allowed for increased volume and higher quality in these calls.

The design of the telephone has allowed the development of other forms of technology, in particular the [[Internet]]. Originally [[dial up modems]] connected directly through the telephone system, and more recently [[ADSL]] which uses partitions of telephone lines (this in turn has led to [[Voice over IP]] or VoIP in which calls can be placed through an internet connection). [[Cellular phones]] were also developed from the fixed line network, and utilise similar technology when transmitting calls between base towers and exchanges.

==Methodology==

===Basic Principle===

The principle behind the telephone is remarkably simple: it consists of an electrical circuit between two handsets (each containing a speaker and a microphone). The circuit is maintained at about 30 milliamps (provided by the telephone exchange), and is connected when the handset of the phone is taken off the hook. As one party speaks into the telephone the microphone vibrates, resulting in small changes in resistance of the circuit. These changes are tiny, however since the circuit is operating at such a low current they are proportionally large, resulting in a fluctuating current. This changing current results in the [[speakers]] in the circuit vibrating at changing frequencies, effectively reproducing the original input sound. In order to prevent one's own speaker to vibrate at one's input (in other words to stop a person hearing their own voice) many phones are fitted with a [[duplex]] coil which splits the incoming current and prevent [[foldback]].

===Telephone Networks===

The actual methodology behind the telephone network is slightly more complicated. Each line (or telephone circuit) from a building consists of a pair of thin copper wires. A number of these wires (eg all the wires on a street or in a region) are connected at an entrance bridge (typically a box on the side of a road) where they are packed into a thick wire. For small networks this wire may run directly to the central exchange, for larger networks several of this wires may meet at a local exchange, where their signals are converted into a digital signal which is transmitted to the main exchange.

At the exchange a call is connected to its destination phone. Originally this was done manually with human operators. When a phone was taken off the hook the circuit would be completed and an indicator light would switch on. The worker at the exchange would speak down the line and determine the intended destination phone before manually connecting the incoming call to a jack corresponding to the target phone, effectively completing the circuit. More recently this is achieved automatically using dial tones. The typical phone has twelve dials powered by the electrical circuit, each consisting of a different pair of fluctuating frequencies (each row has a sound frequency, each column has a sound frequency, these are added together). When the phone is taken off the hook the computer at the exchange "listens" to these dial tones and determines the target phone (hence a telephone number), and subsequently completes the circuit between the two phones.

Once the circuit is extended to the target phone it will start ringing, the actual ring being a fluctuation between two tones powered by the small current in the phone circuit and controlled by a [[capacitator]]. Although the speaker/microphone of the handset are not initially connected to the circuit the dial speaker is, when the phone is taken off the hook a switch takes the dial speaker off the circuit and connects the handset. When the handset is placed down at the end of the call the hook switch takes the handset off the circuit and places the dial speaker back on, however the computer at the exchange detects that the call is completed, and disconnects the circuit between the two phones.

When the handset is picked up again the dial tone is heard, indicating that there is a completed circuit between the phone and the exchange which can be extended to another phone. If a call is placed to a phone which is "off hook" the exchange will detect that no complete circuit can be established, and will return a busy tone down the line. In order to conserve power most telephone companies will limit the [[bandwidth]], effectively limiting the pitch of tones that can be transmitted over the system (sounds of very high pitch are cut off because they have the highest frequency and hence require the most power to transmit). In the event of a power failure phone lines will continue to be functional (provided they themselves are not cut) because power is provided not through the mains lines but through the exchange, which itself usually has either a backup generator or a large battery supply or both.

===Interstate and International Calls===

International and interstate calls function roughly the same way as domestic calls, however rather than being connected through one main exchange two or more exchanges allow the circuit to be completed. If an incoming call to an exchange is detected to be outside of the exchange's jurisdiction (through area or country codes) the exchange will attempt to connect to the exchange in which the target phone is located. Over small distances this may be through a wire connecting the two centers, however over larger distances undersea cables or satellite technology may be used and an individual call may be routed through several exchanges (for example the original exchange dials and exchange connected to a satellite transmitter, which in turn sends the signals to an exchange connected to a satellite receiver, which may then connect to other exchanges in order to reach the target phone). Remarkably this entire process may take mere seconds, however it is more expensive and more prone to disconnections than local calls.

==Morality==

Telephones have opened our Great Christian Nation to an unrelenting amount of filth and immorality. Telephones allow immoral and non-Christian people to be sinful at great distances. [[Satan|Obama]] has been known to use a telephone, along with teleprompters. We, as good Christians, should not use these devil-boxes. Instead, we should sue Godly means of communication, like prayer.

==See Also==

* [[Cellular phone]]

[[Category:Technology]]
[[Category:Electricity]]

Scotland

2012-01-03T20:46:35Z

JSFortan:

{{Country
|name =''Scotland''
|map =Scotland-map.jpg
|flag =Flag of Scotland.png
|arms =Lion rampant.png
|capital =Edinburgh
|capital-raw =
|government =Devolved parliamentary democracy
|government-raw =
|language =[[English]], [[Gaelic]]
|king =
|queen =Elizabeth II
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =Alex Salmond (''First Minister'')
|area =
|pop =
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =
|currency =
|idd =
|tld =
}}
'''Scotland''' is the second-largest and northern-most of the four countries in the [[United Kingdom]].
It is about three-eighths the size of its southern neighbour [[England]], but is much less populous; most of the population lives in the ''central belt'', a band across central Scotland between the capital [[Edinburgh]] and the largest city, [[Glasgow]]. Other major cities are [[Aberdeen]] and [[Dundee]].

Scottish [[Scottish National Party|nationalists]] in recent years have sought greater regional autonomy, and have been granted control over some issues, including [[justice]] and [[education]].

According to [[Pat Robertson]], Scotland is, "a dark land full of [[homosexuality|homosexuals]]". All Good Christians should be wary of visiting.

==Symbol==
The symbol of Scotland is the [[thistle]]. The Scottish [[flag]] is the Cross of St. Andrew, a white diagonal cross on a dark blue background. The design originated in the 9th century.
Scotland's motto is ''Nemo Me Impune Lacessit'' ("No one provokes me with impunity")<ref>http://www.scotland-guide.co.uk/ALL_AREAS_IN_SCOTLAND/Glasgow/Areas/Centre/Mercat_Cross.htm </ref>

==Geography==
Scotland is split into three distinct geographical regions; the mountainous Highlands to the north, the rolling countryside of the Central Lowlands (where the major urban centres are located) and the hilly Southern Uplands that lie next to the English border. Scotland also includes the island groups of [[Orkney]], [[Shetland]], the [[Inner Hebrides|Inner]] and [[Outer Hebrides]], the islands of the [[Firth of Clyde]] including [[Arran]], [[Bute]], [[Cumbrae]] and [[Wee Cumbrae]], as well as the outlying [[St. Kilda]] archipelago, [[Rockall]] and various other smaller islands.

[[Ben Nevis]], the highest mountain in the [[United Kingdom]], is in the Scottish [[Scottish Highlands|Highlands]], as are most of the nation's highest mountains. Those with heights above 3000 feet are eponymously named [[Munro|Munros]] after Sir Hector Munro, the first person to compile a list of such mountains.<ref> for a complete list of Munros see http://www.sol.co.uk/d/dickwall/munroes.htm</ref>

Scotland has some 2,300 miles of coastline, including numerous estuaries called ''firths'' and sea lochs. Major rivers include the Spey, Tweed, Clyde, and Forth with the Tay being Scotland's longest river. Lakes, called ''lochs'' in the region, are abundant, with the name applied both to freshwater lakes and to sea inlets; Lochs Lomond, Morar, and Ness are the largest in the British Isles and well-known for their picturesque beauty, with [[Loch Ness]] having additional fame as the home of a [[Loch Ness Monster|legendary monster]].

==People==

====Religion====
* see [[Church of Scotland]]

Scotland is historically [[Christianity|Christian]]; the national [[church]] is the [[Church of Scotland]].

Scotland was a [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] nation until the time of the [[Reformation]], when [[John Knox]] (1510-1572), George Wishart(1513-46) and other scholars returned from their travels in Germany excited by the works of [[John Calvin]] and to a lesser extent [[Martin Luther]].

Many of the lords became Protestant and in 1560, the Scottish Parliament formally rejected Papal jurisdiction. The Protestants ousted the Catholic queen, Mary Stuart ('Mary, Queen of Scots') and replaced her with her son, [[James VI]] (later to become [[James I]] of England).

Scotland became overwhelmingly [[Protestantism|Protestant]] with Catholicism surviving only in the remote and sparsely populated Highlands. About a third of the [[Presbyterian]]s split off in the "Disruption of 1843" to form the Free Church of Scotland. After various other splits most of the Free Church reunited with the Church of Scotland in 1929. The Church of Scotland had about 960,000 adult members in 1980 but only 600,000 in 2006.

From the mid 19th century until the inter war period, there were large scale immigrations of [[Ireland|Irish]] Catholics to Scotland's industrial urban centres and this changed the religious demography. Today there are a similar number of communicants of both the Roman Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland although both religions have suffered considerable declines in church going attendances. The Anglican (Episcopalian) Church is predominant in the north-east. Recent immigration has produced significant populations of [[Islam|Muslims]], [[Hinduism|Hindus]], [[Judaism|Jews]] and [[Sikhism|Sikhs]] in Scotland's major cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee).

====Culture and sports====

Scotland has given the English speaking world many of the language's finest writers, poets and philosophers. Among these are Adam Smith, David Hume, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, Frances Hutcheson, James Hogg, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.M Barrie and Hugh MacDiarmid. The Scottish intellectual and cultural tradition can be traced back to the Scottish Enlightenment, a remarkable period in the 18th century characterized by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. Indeed it was Voltaire who said "we look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilization." Scotland is also famous for its disproportionate amount of inventors and scientists such as Alexander Graham Bell (telephone), Lord Kelvin (the Kelvin si unit of temperature), James Watt (condensed steam power), John Napier (logarithms and the decimal point), Joseph Lister (pioneer of antiseptics), Alexander Fleming (penicillin) James Clark Maxwell (electro-magnetism), Robert Watson Watt (radar) and John Logie Baird (television). It is home to ancient world class universities including the three Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews and being one of the first industrialized and urbanized nations in the world.

Above all else the national preoccupation is [[football (soccer)]]. Other popular pastimes include [[rugby]], [[lawn bowls]], [[motorsports]], [[horseracing]], [[shinty]] (similar to hockey), [[curling]], sports of the [[Highland Games]] - such as tossing the [[caber]]- and, of course, [[golf]]. Scotland is the home of golf. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at [[St Andrews]] is the governing body of world golf.

Other things associated with the country are [[kilt]]s ([[tartan]] skirt-like garments worn traditionally worn by Scotsmen), and the haunting music of the [[bagpipes]]. Scottish soldiers wore the kilt in battle up to the First World War and the pipes have signalled attacks by Scottish armies from mediaeval times. Famously, Brigadier Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, led a commando attack on [[Pegasus Bridge]] during the [[D-Day]] invasion of France accompanied by his piper Bill Millin, an event commemorated in the film ''[[The Longest Day]]''. Famous Scottish products include [[haggis]] and Scotch [[whisky]].

==Government==
Scotland has its own [[Scottish Parliament|Parliament]] comprising 129 members (MSPs) as well as sending 59 Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent its interests in the [[United Kingdom]] parliament which sits in [[London]]. Scottish MPs have historically been recognized for their political skills and appointed to the Cabinet in larger numbers than is proportionate; former Prime Ministers [[Gordon Brown]] and [[Tony Blair]] were born in Scotland.

The '''Scottish Government''' is the government in Scotland for devolved matters. Responsibility for all devolved matters was passed to the Scottish Executive from the
'''Scottish Office''' and other UK Government departments in 1999. The members of the Scottish Government are chosen from the party or parties holding most seats in the Parliament. The Scottish Government is led by the First Minister, who forms a ministerial team of Cabinet Secretaries. In the election on May 5 2011, the [[Scottish National Party]] won a majority, a remarkable achievement given that the Scottish electoral system is intended to produce coalition governments.

===Principal Government Officials===

The Government of Scotland has a number of departments within the cabinet, headed up by a cabinet secretary, as follows:

Alex Salmond - First Minister 
Nicola Sturgeon - Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health 
John Swinney - Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth 
Mike Russell - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning 
Kenny MacAskill - Cabinet Secretary for Justice 
Richard Lochhead - Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment 
Bruce Crawford - Cabinet Secretary for Parliament and Government Strategy 
Fiona Hyslop - Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs 
Alex Neil - Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment 

These secretaries are aided in their work by ministers, working within the cabinet departments, and each having their own specific area of devolved responsibility.<ref>http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/Scottish-Cabinet</ref>

===Relations with England===
Relationships between Scottish and English MPs before [[devolution]] were sometimes tense because of what the former [[Conservative|Conservative Party]] MP, by then an [[Ulster Unionist]], [[Enoch Powell]] dubbed ''The West Lothian question''. The name arose in 1977 after [[Tam Dalyell]], Labour MP for West Lothian in Scotland, asked during a debate in the [[Houses of Parliament]] over Scottish and Welsh [[devolution]]:

<blockquote>''For how long will English constituencies and English Honourable members tolerate... at least 119 Honorable Members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland exercising an important, and probably often decisive, effect on British politics while they themselves have no say in the same matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?''</blockquote>

He pointed out that he as MP for West Lothian could vote on matters affecting English constituencies but not his own constituency.

===Lockerbie bombing===

The Government of Scotland has recently come under global scrutiny for its decision, led by Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill, to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahl, the only man convicted of the terrorist attack leading to the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over [[Lockerbie]], Scotland in 1988. He had served only 8 years of his term when he was released on grounds of compassion because he had terminal cancer, as required by Scots Law. A majority of the victims were American, and this decision received strong criticism from many Americans as well as the FBI Director Robert Mueller.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/22/fbi-director-slams-scotland-lockerbie-bomber-release/</ref>. The original conviction of al-Magrahi was controversial, however, both within Scotland and in the UK in general because the evidence leading to his conviction was extremely flimsy and it has been alleged that the key witness had been paid for giving his evidence by the [[Clinton]] administration or [[Blair]] government<ref>http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=in_the_back&article=122</ref>.

Libyan ruler Qaddafi profusely thanked British officials, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, for helping secure the release of the terrorist back to Libya. British Prime Minister Brown replied with a confusing set of denials, a disapproval of the hero's welcome that the terrorist received upon return to Libya, and a partial release of voluminous communications leading up to the release.<ref>http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14376240</ref>

==Economy==
Scotland's position at the forefront of the industrial revolution in the 19th century bequeathed a legacy of heavy engineering and manufacturing that lasted well into the 20th century. However with de-industrialisation from the 1970s onwards and latterly the relocation of manufacturing jobs to countries with lower labour costs (eg. Eastern Europe) the Scottish economy is now heavily dependant on tourism, the oil industry, agriculture, the service industry and public sector jobs.

==History==
* see [[History of Scotland]]

Scotland has been inhabited since the first [[Mesolithic]] hunter-gatherers are thought to have migrated to Scotland.<ref>At least 8500 years before recorded history dealt with Britain, according to the uniformitarian timescale. [http://www.scotlandhistory.net/ Scotland History], Wormland, Jenny. Scotland: a History. 2005, Oxford: Oxford University Press. p.1</ref>
These inhabitants showed advanced knowledge of astronomy, creating several [[Stonehenge]]-like monuments.

At the time of the [[Roman]]s the tribes in what became Scotland were similar to those further south, and can be considered to be [[Celtic]] peoples. Those from the North-East were called ‘Picti’ (Picts) by Roman writers, which could mean ‘painted people' and refer to tattoos. The Romans never subdued these northern tribes, and after a brief period when the Antonine Wall between the Firths of Forth and Clyde was the Roman Empire’s northern frontier, they drew back and had [[Hadrian’s Wall]] as the frontier. They did try to influence the tribes between the two Walls, and when kingdoms like Strathclyde emerged in the early [[Dark Ages]], their rulers often bore Roman names or titles, the dynasties having been founded by Roman officials. The Scots themselves began arriving as settlers in the West of Scotland at this time (AD 400-500). They were from a part of the north of [[Ireland]] and spoke Old Irish, which changed to become Scottish [[Gaelic]], and eventually replaced Pictish. They sometimes warred with the Picts and [[Briton]]s and sometimes allied with them, but a unified kingdom under the Scottish king Kenneth Mac Alpin was established in AD 843, called ‘Alba’ (still the [[Gaelic]] name for Scotland). This kingdom took over Strathclyde in the early 11th century to form the basis of Mediaeval Scotland. [[Normans]] and their descendants such as Robert the Bruce ('de Brus' was a Norman surname) became important nobles in Scotland.

Scotland had the earliest system of general public education in the world in modern times, dating from 1496. Education was further promoted by the Church of Scotland following the Protestant Reformation in 1560, because it was believed important that each person could read the Bible for him or herself in English.

====Union with England====
After the death of Queen [[Elizabeth I]] of England in 1603, James VI of Scotland ascended to the Throne of England, becoming [[James I]] of England. He was the first monarch to call himself King of Great Britain. This is referred to as the Union of the Crowns. James was also at this time King of [[Ireland]].

The Parliaments of Scotland and [[England]] were not united until 1707 and it is this date that is recognized as the formation of [[Great Britain]]. This is referred to as the Union of the Parliaments. (The [[United Kingdom]] was to come into being with the addition of [[Ireland]] in 1801.) The formation of the Irish Free State in 1922 resulted in the current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

====Monarchs of Scotland====
Before the Union of the Scottish and English crowns in 1603
(the years in brackets are the years during which the monarch ruled)

'''House Of Alpin'''
*[[Malcolm II (1005-1034)]]
'''House Of Dunkeld'''
*[[Duncan I (1034-1040)]]
*[[Macbeth (1040-1057)]]
*[[Malcolm III (1057-1093)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1094)]]
*[[Duncan II (1094)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1097)]]
*[[Edgar (1097-1107)]]
*[[Alexander I (1107-1124)]]
*[[David I (1124-1153)]]
*[[Malcolm IV (1153-1195)]]
*[[William (The Lion) (1165-1214)]]
*[[Alexander II (1214-1249)]]
*[[Alexander III (1249-1286)]]
*[[Margaret of Norway (1286-1290)]]
'''House Of Balliol'''
*[[John Balliol (1292-1296)]]
'''House Of Bruce'''
*[[Robert I (1306-1329)]]
*[[David II|David II (1329-1371)]]
'''House Of Stewart'''
*[[Robert II|Robert II]] (1371-1390)
*[[Robert III]] (1390-1406)
*[[James I]] (1406-1437)
*[[James II]] (1437-1460)
*[[James III]] (1460-1488)
*[[James IV]] (1488-1513)
*[[James V]] (1513-1542)
'''House Of Stuart'''
*[[Mary Queen of Scots]] (1542-1567)
*[[James I|James VI]] (1567-1625)
*[[Charles I]] (1625-1649)
*[[Charles II]] (1649-1685)
*[[James VII]] (1685-1688)

==External Links==
*[http://www.n-cyclopedia.com/scottish-history/index.htm A Brief History of Scotland]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Scottish Culture]]

Scotland

2012-01-03T20:45:26Z

JSFortan: Added Pat Robertson Quote

{{Country
|name =''Scotland''
|map =Scotland-map.jpg
|flag =Flag of Scotland.png
|arms =Lion rampant.png
|capital =Edinburgh
|capital-raw =
|government =Devolved parliamentary democracy
|government-raw =
|language =[[English]], [[Gaelic]]
|king =
|queen =Elizabeth II
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =Alex Salmond (''First Minister'')
|area =
|pop =
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =
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}}
'''Scotland''' is the second-largest and northern-most of the four countries in the [[United Kingdom]].
It is about three-eighths the size of its southern neighbour [[England]], but is much less populous; most of the population lives in the ''central belt'', a band across central Scotland between the capital [[Edinburgh]] and the largest city, [[Glasgow]]. Other major cities are [[Aberdeen]] and [[Dundee]].

Scottish [[Scottish National Party|nationalists]] in recent years have sought greater regional autonomy, and have been granted control over some issues, including [[justice]] and [[education]].

According to [[Pat Robertson]], Scotland is. "a dark land full of [[homosexuals|Homosexuality]]". All Good Christians should be wary of visiting.

==Symbol==
The symbol of Scotland is the [[thistle]]. The Scottish [[flag]] is the Cross of St. Andrew, a white diagonal cross on a dark blue background. The design originated in the 9th century.
Scotland's motto is ''Nemo Me Impune Lacessit'' ("No one provokes me with impunity")<ref>http://www.scotland-guide.co.uk/ALL_AREAS_IN_SCOTLAND/Glasgow/Areas/Centre/Mercat_Cross.htm </ref>

==Geography==
Scotland is split into three distinct geographical regions; the mountainous Highlands to the north, the rolling countryside of the Central Lowlands (where the major urban centres are located) and the hilly Southern Uplands that lie next to the English border. Scotland also includes the island groups of [[Orkney]], [[Shetland]], the [[Inner Hebrides|Inner]] and [[Outer Hebrides]], the islands of the [[Firth of Clyde]] including [[Arran]], [[Bute]], [[Cumbrae]] and [[Wee Cumbrae]], as well as the outlying [[St. Kilda]] archipelago, [[Rockall]] and various other smaller islands.

[[Ben Nevis]], the highest mountain in the [[United Kingdom]], is in the Scottish [[Scottish Highlands|Highlands]], as are most of the nation's highest mountains. Those with heights above 3000 feet are eponymously named [[Munro|Munros]] after Sir Hector Munro, the first person to compile a list of such mountains.<ref> for a complete list of Munros see http://www.sol.co.uk/d/dickwall/munroes.htm</ref>

Scotland has some 2,300 miles of coastline, including numerous estuaries called ''firths'' and sea lochs. Major rivers include the Spey, Tweed, Clyde, and Forth with the Tay being Scotland's longest river. Lakes, called ''lochs'' in the region, are abundant, with the name applied both to freshwater lakes and to sea inlets; Lochs Lomond, Morar, and Ness are the largest in the British Isles and well-known for their picturesque beauty, with [[Loch Ness]] having additional fame as the home of a [[Loch Ness Monster|legendary monster]].

==People==

====Religion====
* see [[Church of Scotland]]

Scotland is historically [[Christianity|Christian]]; the national [[church]] is the [[Church of Scotland]].

Scotland was a [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] nation until the time of the [[Reformation]], when [[John Knox]] (1510-1572), George Wishart(1513-46) and other scholars returned from their travels in Germany excited by the works of [[John Calvin]] and to a lesser extent [[Martin Luther]].

Many of the lords became Protestant and in 1560, the Scottish Parliament formally rejected Papal jurisdiction. The Protestants ousted the Catholic queen, Mary Stuart ('Mary, Queen of Scots') and replaced her with her son, [[James VI]] (later to become [[James I]] of England).

Scotland became overwhelmingly [[Protestantism|Protestant]] with Catholicism surviving only in the remote and sparsely populated Highlands. About a third of the [[Presbyterian]]s split off in the "Disruption of 1843" to form the Free Church of Scotland. After various other splits most of the Free Church reunited with the Church of Scotland in 1929. The Church of Scotland had about 960,000 adult members in 1980 but only 600,000 in 2006.

From the mid 19th century until the inter war period, there were large scale immigrations of [[Ireland|Irish]] Catholics to Scotland's industrial urban centres and this changed the religious demography. Today there are a similar number of communicants of both the Roman Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland although both religions have suffered considerable declines in church going attendances. The Anglican (Episcopalian) Church is predominant in the north-east. Recent immigration has produced significant populations of [[Islam|Muslims]], [[Hinduism|Hindus]], [[Judaism|Jews]] and [[Sikhism|Sikhs]] in Scotland's major cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee).

====Culture and sports====

Scotland has given the English speaking world many of the language's finest writers, poets and philosophers. Among these are Adam Smith, David Hume, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, Frances Hutcheson, James Hogg, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.M Barrie and Hugh MacDiarmid. The Scottish intellectual and cultural tradition can be traced back to the Scottish Enlightenment, a remarkable period in the 18th century characterized by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. Indeed it was Voltaire who said "we look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilization." Scotland is also famous for its disproportionate amount of inventors and scientists such as Alexander Graham Bell (telephone), Lord Kelvin (the Kelvin si unit of temperature), James Watt (condensed steam power), John Napier (logarithms and the decimal point), Joseph Lister (pioneer of antiseptics), Alexander Fleming (penicillin) James Clark Maxwell (electro-magnetism), Robert Watson Watt (radar) and John Logie Baird (television). It is home to ancient world class universities including the three Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews and being one of the first industrialized and urbanized nations in the world.

Above all else the national preoccupation is [[football (soccer)]]. Other popular pastimes include [[rugby]], [[lawn bowls]], [[motorsports]], [[horseracing]], [[shinty]] (similar to hockey), [[curling]], sports of the [[Highland Games]] - such as tossing the [[caber]]- and, of course, [[golf]]. Scotland is the home of golf. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at [[St Andrews]] is the governing body of world golf.

Other things associated with the country are [[kilt]]s ([[tartan]] skirt-like garments worn traditionally worn by Scotsmen), and the haunting music of the [[bagpipes]]. Scottish soldiers wore the kilt in battle up to the First World War and the pipes have signalled attacks by Scottish armies from mediaeval times. Famously, Brigadier Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, led a commando attack on [[Pegasus Bridge]] during the [[D-Day]] invasion of France accompanied by his piper Bill Millin, an event commemorated in the film ''[[The Longest Day]]''. Famous Scottish products include [[haggis]] and Scotch [[whisky]].

==Government==
Scotland has its own [[Scottish Parliament|Parliament]] comprising 129 members (MSPs) as well as sending 59 Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent its interests in the [[United Kingdom]] parliament which sits in [[London]]. Scottish MPs have historically been recognized for their political skills and appointed to the Cabinet in larger numbers than is proportionate; former Prime Ministers [[Gordon Brown]] and [[Tony Blair]] were born in Scotland.

The '''Scottish Government''' is the government in Scotland for devolved matters. Responsibility for all devolved matters was passed to the Scottish Executive from the
'''Scottish Office''' and other UK Government departments in 1999. The members of the Scottish Government are chosen from the party or parties holding most seats in the Parliament. The Scottish Government is led by the First Minister, who forms a ministerial team of Cabinet Secretaries. In the election on May 5 2011, the [[Scottish National Party]] won a majority, a remarkable achievement given that the Scottish electoral system is intended to produce coalition governments.

===Principal Government Officials===

The Government of Scotland has a number of departments within the cabinet, headed up by a cabinet secretary, as follows:

Alex Salmond - First Minister 
Nicola Sturgeon - Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health 
John Swinney - Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth 
Mike Russell - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning 
Kenny MacAskill - Cabinet Secretary for Justice 
Richard Lochhead - Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment 
Bruce Crawford - Cabinet Secretary for Parliament and Government Strategy 
Fiona Hyslop - Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs 
Alex Neil - Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment 

These secretaries are aided in their work by ministers, working within the cabinet departments, and each having their own specific area of devolved responsibility.<ref>http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/Scottish-Cabinet</ref>

===Relations with England===
Relationships between Scottish and English MPs before [[devolution]] were sometimes tense because of what the former [[Conservative|Conservative Party]] MP, by then an [[Ulster Unionist]], [[Enoch Powell]] dubbed ''The West Lothian question''. The name arose in 1977 after [[Tam Dalyell]], Labour MP for West Lothian in Scotland, asked during a debate in the [[Houses of Parliament]] over Scottish and Welsh [[devolution]]:

<blockquote>''For how long will English constituencies and English Honourable members tolerate... at least 119 Honorable Members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland exercising an important, and probably often decisive, effect on British politics while they themselves have no say in the same matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?''</blockquote>

He pointed out that he as MP for West Lothian could vote on matters affecting English constituencies but not his own constituency.

===Lockerbie bombing===

The Government of Scotland has recently come under global scrutiny for its decision, led by Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill, to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahl, the only man convicted of the terrorist attack leading to the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over [[Lockerbie]], Scotland in 1988. He had served only 8 years of his term when he was released on grounds of compassion because he had terminal cancer, as required by Scots Law. A majority of the victims were American, and this decision received strong criticism from many Americans as well as the FBI Director Robert Mueller.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/22/fbi-director-slams-scotland-lockerbie-bomber-release/</ref>. The original conviction of al-Magrahi was controversial, however, both within Scotland and in the UK in general because the evidence leading to his conviction was extremely flimsy and it has been alleged that the key witness had been paid for giving his evidence by the [[Clinton]] administration or [[Blair]] government<ref>http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=in_the_back&article=122</ref>.

Libyan ruler Qaddafi profusely thanked British officials, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, for helping secure the release of the terrorist back to Libya. British Prime Minister Brown replied with a confusing set of denials, a disapproval of the hero's welcome that the terrorist received upon return to Libya, and a partial release of voluminous communications leading up to the release.<ref>http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14376240</ref>

==Economy==
Scotland's position at the forefront of the industrial revolution in the 19th century bequeathed a legacy of heavy engineering and manufacturing that lasted well into the 20th century. However with de-industrialisation from the 1970s onwards and latterly the relocation of manufacturing jobs to countries with lower labour costs (eg. Eastern Europe) the Scottish economy is now heavily dependant on tourism, the oil industry, agriculture, the service industry and public sector jobs.

==History==
* see [[History of Scotland]]

Scotland has been inhabited since the first [[Mesolithic]] hunter-gatherers are thought to have migrated to Scotland.<ref>At least 8500 years before recorded history dealt with Britain, according to the uniformitarian timescale. [http://www.scotlandhistory.net/ Scotland History], Wormland, Jenny. Scotland: a History. 2005, Oxford: Oxford University Press. p.1</ref>
These inhabitants showed advanced knowledge of astronomy, creating several [[Stonehenge]]-like monuments.

At the time of the [[Roman]]s the tribes in what became Scotland were similar to those further south, and can be considered to be [[Celtic]] peoples. Those from the North-East were called ‘Picti’ (Picts) by Roman writers, which could mean ‘painted people' and refer to tattoos. The Romans never subdued these northern tribes, and after a brief period when the Antonine Wall between the Firths of Forth and Clyde was the Roman Empire’s northern frontier, they drew back and had [[Hadrian’s Wall]] as the frontier. They did try to influence the tribes between the two Walls, and when kingdoms like Strathclyde emerged in the early [[Dark Ages]], their rulers often bore Roman names or titles, the dynasties having been founded by Roman officials. The Scots themselves began arriving as settlers in the West of Scotland at this time (AD 400-500). They were from a part of the north of [[Ireland]] and spoke Old Irish, which changed to become Scottish [[Gaelic]], and eventually replaced Pictish. They sometimes warred with the Picts and [[Briton]]s and sometimes allied with them, but a unified kingdom under the Scottish king Kenneth Mac Alpin was established in AD 843, called ‘Alba’ (still the [[Gaelic]] name for Scotland). This kingdom took over Strathclyde in the early 11th century to form the basis of Mediaeval Scotland. [[Normans]] and their descendants such as Robert the Bruce ('de Brus' was a Norman surname) became important nobles in Scotland.

Scotland had the earliest system of general public education in the world in modern times, dating from 1496. Education was further promoted by the Church of Scotland following the Protestant Reformation in 1560, because it was believed important that each person could read the Bible for him or herself in English.

====Union with England====
After the death of Queen [[Elizabeth I]] of England in 1603, James VI of Scotland ascended to the Throne of England, becoming [[James I]] of England. He was the first monarch to call himself King of Great Britain. This is referred to as the Union of the Crowns. James was also at this time King of [[Ireland]].

The Parliaments of Scotland and [[England]] were not united until 1707 and it is this date that is recognized as the formation of [[Great Britain]]. This is referred to as the Union of the Parliaments. (The [[United Kingdom]] was to come into being with the addition of [[Ireland]] in 1801.) The formation of the Irish Free State in 1922 resulted in the current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

====Monarchs of Scotland====
Before the Union of the Scottish and English crowns in 1603
(the years in brackets are the years during which the monarch ruled)

'''House Of Alpin'''
*[[Malcolm II (1005-1034)]]
'''House Of Dunkeld'''
*[[Duncan I (1034-1040)]]
*[[Macbeth (1040-1057)]]
*[[Malcolm III (1057-1093)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1094)]]
*[[Duncan II (1094)]]
*[[Donald Bane (1093-1097)]]
*[[Edgar (1097-1107)]]
*[[Alexander I (1107-1124)]]
*[[David I (1124-1153)]]
*[[Malcolm IV (1153-1195)]]
*[[William (The Lion) (1165-1214)]]
*[[Alexander II (1214-1249)]]
*[[Alexander III (1249-1286)]]
*[[Margaret of Norway (1286-1290)]]
'''House Of Balliol'''
*[[John Balliol (1292-1296)]]
'''House Of Bruce'''
*[[Robert I (1306-1329)]]
*[[David II|David II (1329-1371)]]
'''House Of Stewart'''
*[[Robert II|Robert II]] (1371-1390)
*[[Robert III]] (1390-1406)
*[[James I]] (1406-1437)
*[[James II]] (1437-1460)
*[[James III]] (1460-1488)
*[[James IV]] (1488-1513)
*[[James V]] (1513-1542)
'''House Of Stuart'''
*[[Mary Queen of Scots]] (1542-1567)
*[[James I|James VI]] (1567-1625)
*[[Charles I]] (1625-1649)
*[[Charles II]] (1649-1685)
*[[James VII]] (1685-1688)

==External Links==
*[http://www.n-cyclopedia.com/scottish-history/index.htm A Brief History of Scotland]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Scottish Culture]]