1707Reputable sourceWell documented
The Acts of Union: Great Britain
On the timeline · around 1707 ·
What happened
On 1 May 1707 the Acts of Union joined the Kingdom of England (with Wales) and the Kingdom of Scotland into a single state, the Kingdom of Great Britain, governed by one Parliament at Westminster. Trade was made free and equal throughout Great Britain and its colonies.
Why it matters
The Union created 'Britain' — and with it the British Empire. Scots would become some of the empire's most energetic merchants, soldiers, and administrators, and the shared free-trade market helped power the empire's 18th-century expansion.
Sources
- UK Parliament. Act of Union 1707 · Reputable source