Special Sub-Topic: Important Dates in Scottish History Click Here To Play: Important Dates in Scottish History

When did the Battle of Bannockburn take place?

1314. The Battle of Bannockburn took place in 1314. It was a battle between Scotland and England, and was won by Scotland. In theory the English should have won this battle as they had more men than the Scottish army, but the English were badly led in battle by their leader Edward II who made a fatal mistake in his choice of battlefield.

When was the Declaration of Arbroath signed?

1320. The Declaration of Arbroath is the best known historical document in Scotland, famous for the line "It is not for honour nor riches, nor glory that we fight but for liberty alone, which no true man lays down except with his life."

When did the battle of Killiecrankie take place?

1689. This Battle was fought between Highand clans supporting James II and 'English' troops (though mostly, in fact, Lowland Scots) supporting William of Orange on July 27 1689.

Between which years did Scotland see the last great movement of people from and to Scotland?

1904 - 1913. Between 1904-13 a total of 600,000 people, almost 13% of the population, emigrated to North America and other parts of Britain and the British Empire overseas.

When was the first university founded in Scotland?

1411. St. Andrews University was founded in 1411, and was shortly followed by the opening of Glasgow University in 1451. Aberdeen University was founded in 1494 and Edinburgh University in 1565.

When did Alexander Fleming discover penicillin?

1928. While working to find a substance fatal to bacteria but harmless to living tissue Alexander Fleming noticed that a mould was attacking one of his cultures. When he isolated and grew it he discovered it was of the genus Penicillium. Although Fleming recognised the potential of his discovery it wasn't until the Second World War that work to purify penicillin and make it effective as an antibiotic was finally completed. (Another interesting point I suppose is that I actually live in the same village that Alexander Fleming grew up in!)

In what year was the Bank of Scotland founded?

1695. This was the first official bank to be opened in Scotland and has operated continuously ever since.

When was the Stone of Destiny brought back to Scotland after being used at Westminster Abbey in England?

1950. The stone was 'recovered' from the Abbey in 1950 by Scottish nationalists and smuggled north.

When did the Lockerbie bombing take place?

1988. This was when a bomb brought down a Pan Am jumbo jet over Lockerbie, near Dumfries, killing all 258 passengers on board and a further 11 people on the ground. Two Libyans, suspected of the bombing, were tried, under Scots Law, in the Netherlands.

When was the official opening of the new, devolved Scottish Parliament?

1999. The Scottish Parliament was officially opened on 1 July 1999 by the Queen.