The History of Scotland

Scotland now was now fully accepted in, and for its own part, fully accepted the Union. It was ready to play a major role in the expansion of the British Empire. In particular, the fighting qualities and heroic traditions of the Highlanders were put to good use in British armies sent to fight in Europe and further afield. The Seven Years War (1756-63) that closely followed the failure of the Jacobite Rebellion was the most dramatically successful war ever fought by Britain. Success followed success (mostly at the expense of France) in Canada, India, West Africa and the West Indies. The tiny North Atlantic island of Britain found itself at the head of a vast, world empire in which the Scots played a leading role.