A Wee Bit O' Scottish History Online

These are interesting and valuable online resources for researching Scottish history:

Debate on the 1820 Uprising in the Scottish Parliament
The 1820 Rising (free ebook at Electric Scotland)
White Slavery, What the Scots Already Know
Why Scots Cursed the Damn Yankees
The Act Against Highland Dress
The Act of Proscription 1747
International Civic Heraldry (Scotland)
The Jacobite Heritage (extensive digital archives)
National Library of Scotland's Interactive Timeline of Scottish History
James VI and the Union of the Crowns (National Library of Scotland)

Slainte,
Dianne

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How Not To Make Friends At Your Genealogy Research Facility

1. Arrive 15 minutes before closing time. Be sure the first words out of your mouth are "I have no idea what I'm looking for".


2. Announce loudly that you require a wireless connection for your laptop so that you can check your email while "they" locate your information.


3. Demand that the staff stop what they are doing in order to make your project their #1 priority because your project is really important.


4. Set your designer coffee/bottled water on top of the oldest book you can find so that you can freely rummage through your bag.


5. If you are not charged for the services you require, be sure to laugh loudly and exclaim " I guess you get what you pay for". If you are charged service fees, object loudly and exclaim "How can you charge me for information about my own family?"


6. Make yourself look as untrustworthy and dangerous as possible. This is especially effective when done on the nights the facility is open late into the evening.

Slainte,

Dianne

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The 'Sanitization' of Scottish History

Warning: if you are offended by educated opinions , you should stop reading right now.

Michael Follon is the author of the excellent blog "The 'Sanitization' of Scottish History". His posts are sharp, thoughtful, articulate and very informative. He has shared with me some of his favorite books on Scottish history, and I would like to pass them along to you:

'WILLIAM WALLACE' by Andrew Fisher, ISBN 0 85976 557 1

'Scotland: The Shaping of a Nation' by Gordon Donaldson, ISBN 0 7153 6904 0, as well as his book 'Scottish Historical Documents'

'The Scottish Insurrection of 1820' by Peter Berresford Ellis and Seumas Mac A'Ghobhainn, ISBN 0 85976 519 9.
From the Preface to the 1989 edition:
'At that time [prior to publication] people were astounded that such an event, resulting in 85 indictments of High Treason, in public executions, in transportations and imprisonments, could have been so effectively eliminated from historical consciousness.'
From the Preface to the 2001 edition:
'the fact that it was an aim of the Scottish Radicals to set up a separate parliament in Edinburgh has been met with skeptical posturing. Yet this was clearly spelt out by Glasgow Police Chief, James Mitchell, in his letters to the Home Secretary, Lord Sidmouth, of March 18 and 29 1820.
and on p.97 -In 1812 the United States had, frustrated by continued English interference in American affairs, restriction of American trade, interference in American freedom of movement and economic policies, declared war on England. The war ended on January 8, 1815, when the Americans won a decisive victory over the English forces. Scotsmen were still considered persona grata with Americans and not really regarded as nationals of the country with which they were at war. Jeffrey [Francis], in fact, was received and entertained by Munroe, the Secretary of State, and even lunched with President Madison, with whom he had a number of discussions on Scottish problems.

''Independent and Free: Scottish Politics and the Origins of the Scottish National Party, 1918-1945' by Richard J Finlay, ISBN 0-85976-399-4.
This book traces the development of the Scottish national movement in the first half of the twentieth century.

If you want a true view of Scottish history, visit The 'Sanitization' of Scottish History'.

Slainte,
Dianne

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Scottish Genealogy Resources

Here's a partial list of some of the best Scottish genealogy resources on the Web:

The Scottish Genealogy Resource page at Electric Scotland
ScotsFind
The Scottish Genealogy Directory at The Capitol Scot
Tracing Your Scottish Genealogy
The Scottish Genealogy Society
Scotland's People (Official Government Directory)
GENUKI Scotland
Ancestral Scotland
Rampant Scotland
Scotland's Family

Here are some Maine genealogy resources, not necessarily Scottish-specific:

State of Maine genealogy portal
Maine Genealogy
Genealogy Trails
The Maine Historical Society
Maine GenWeb
EarlyMaine.org

If you are researching your Maine Ulster-Scots ancestry, start you search by checking out the Maine Ulster-Scots.

And don't forget the most familiar resources:

Cyndi's List
Rootsweb
FamilySearch.org (LDS)

I'm always looking for more genealogy resources. Send me your favorite Genealogy links and I'll post them here.

Slainte,

Dianne

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Rhode Island Scottish Highland Festival

The Rhode Island Scottish Highland Festival is being held this Saturday, May 17, 2008. This year they are celebrating their 10th anniversary.

This year's scheduled performers are:
ALASDAIR FRASER and NATALIE HAAS
CHARLIE ZAHM
CELTIC HARP CIRCLE
RATHKELTAÍR
SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCERS

A special event this year is a fiddle workshop with Alasdair Fraser. Learn more about that here.

Visit the Rhode Island Scottish Highland Festival website here.
More Highland Games events can be found on the Highland Games Calendar, located at the top of the Links column on this page.

Slainte,
Dianne

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A View of Scottish Independence

From a letter written by actor Sean Connery to the Los Angeles Times, published April 5, 2008:

"There are few more cherished American ideals than independence. As we prepare to celebrate Tartan Day, established as April 6 by a U.S. Senate resolution in 1998 to commemorate one of the inspirations for the Declaration of Independence -- Scotland's Declaration of Arbroath -- it is as good a time as any to tell the uniquely Scottish story of independence.

In 1320, Scots penned the Declaration of Arbroath. In lines that would echo through the ages, they wrote, "It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honors that we are fighting, but for freedom -- for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."

Many Americans are familiar with that part of the story -- of the patriot William Wallace and the Scots who stood up for independence. What is understandably less familiar is that in 1707, a group of Scottish noblemen sold Scotland's independence and joined with England to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

It wasn't a popular move. In fact, Daniel Defoe wrote that "for every Scot in favor, 99 is against."

So it is not surprising that some people have been working ever since to change it.

More interesting than the past, though, is the national conversation going on in Scotland now. What is so special about it is that the world has an example of a completely democratic process in which the people are considering their future, and in which their voice will be the final word.

In 1997, Scots spoke loudly when they voted to reinstate their Parliament. When Scottish National Party President Winifred Ewing was able to say, "The Scots Parliament, adjourned on 25th March 1707, is hereby reconvened," she touched hearts across the country.

The Scottish Parliament has authority for health, education, courts and the environment. The British Parliament retains control over most taxes and foreign affairs.

The question now is, what next? The current Scottish government is the first one in modern times that wants to see Scotland reclaim its independence.

The best part of this debate is that it is based on ideas, not ethnicity. Conversations about the best future for the country are happening in the Scottish Parliament and in homes and workplaces across the country.

The Scottish government wants Scotland and England to become independent and equal nations, with the queen and her successors continuing as the common head of state of both -- similar to what happened in Canada and Australia in the 20th century. In other words, we would move toward becoming united kingdoms, rather than the United Kingdom.

Debating their constitutional future does not stop Scots from contributing to today's important international issues. This week, the Scottish government, with the support of the National Geographic Society, announced the Saltire Prize -- a $20-million award for innovation in renewable energy -- as a challenge to the world's scientists. The message that Scotland is open for business came across clearly this week as Scotland dropped its business taxes to be even more internationally competitive. And you might not think Scotland when you think football, but today, the New York Giants' own Greenock-born Lawrence Tynes will be leading the Tartan Day parade down 6th Avenue.

Independence is something Americans inherently understand. My whole adult life, I have waited and worked for the day that Scots are able to decide democratically if they wish to rejoin the community of nations as an independent and equal member. A recent poll showed that two-thirds of Scots would welcome that opportunity under certain circumstances.

I believe that day -- Scotland's independence day -- is closer than ever."

The letter can be seen here as posted online by the Los Angeles Times.

More information about the Act of Union (1707) mentioned in this article can be found here.

Slainte,
Dianne

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Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center, Maine

If you love Celtic music, you really have to check out the summer event schedule at Maine's own Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center.

Here are some of the musicians you will see at the center in May:
North Sea Gas
Hope Hoffman and Hugh McGinness
Matt and Sharon Heaton

And here's who will be there in June:
Andrea Beaton
Pogey
Michael Black
Mary Jane Lamond Band with Wendy MacIsaac

Click here for the online event calendar of the Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center.

Slainte,
Dianne

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