SCOTLAND
Capital: Edinburgh Population: 5 million
Language: Englich, Gaelic – old Celtic language
Patron: St. Andrew Symbol: thistle (bodlák)
System of government: Constitutional monarchy with the Queen Elisabeth II (but it has own parliament and laws)
Special features: own international football team, independent educational system, special holidays, traditions
History: The Scotland was never conquered by Romans because they never got over the Hadrian’s Wall, which protected Romans against wild people from Highlands called „Picts“. In Medieval this land became an independent united state and it was often fighting against England. But in 1603 the Scottish king James VI Stuart settled at english throne as the King of England James I because last Queen Elisabeth I Tudor didn’t have any heir (dědic). So the England and Scotland were united. But the last battle between these countries was many years later. 16th April 1746 Scotts with Bonnie prince Charlie Stuart in head revolted against Brittish royal family Hanovers from Germany, especially against George II. Charlie colected his army and took part in Battle of Culloden, but he failed. (Goerge forbade to wear kilts as the reason of victory. It came back into fashion when George IV visited Scotland in 1820 and dressed up a kilt.)
Scottish heroes: William Wallace, Rob Roys
Geography: North of Great Britain, part of the fourth country of UK. Scotland is mountainous country – the North West highlands, the Grampian Mts., the Southern Uplands. The highest mountain is Ben Nevis (1343) in the Grampian chain (=range). The mountains raise from sea level, they are sheer (příkrý) and bare (holé). You can find there lot of woods and glenn lakes. The most famous is Loch Ness, the biggest is Loch Lomond. They are mostly iceberg origin and cold very much as same as scottish rivers. The longest ones are the Clyde, Tay, Firth and Dee. Very known is Caledonian channel going through the Scotland and used for ship transport. It also has a dramatic coast line and many islands (e.g. Staffa, Iona) where you can go by ferry (trajekt). The west coast is influenced by Golf stream – there is warmer climate than in the rest of Scotland which is cold, windy and wet. People usually live in a coastal area, in lowlands, where have some gracings (pastvina) for their cattle.
Towns: Invernes, Glenfinnan
Edinburgh – is placed in firth (=mouth) of River Forth
Glasgow – built on River Clyde
Selkirk – a town where keep tradition of riding horses and showing Scotland’s independence
Industry & Agriculture: produce of peat that is used instead of coal and wood like fuel, fishing, bagpipes making industry, textile – kilts, wool, knitwear industry, raise sheep, grow crops, whiskey – for production is used barley, water from crystal streams and peat as a fuel – the peat smoke gives to whiskey special taste. It is made in malt (sladovna). We can separate two kinds of whiskey – blanded whiskey (= mixed) and single malt whiskey (one type).
/ crafters = farmers; craft = small stone cottige
Traditions, habits and celebrations:
The kilt – a scottish skirt made of pattern tartan (tkanina tartan) = the checked woolen cloth. One end was wrapped round the body and the rest was thrown over the shoulder. At night it could be used as a blanket. Each clan (=family) has own pattern. The kilt was usually worn with sporran (= a bag).
Bagpipes – a music instrument but not invent by Scots, although they make them. There are played two kinds of music – march and „pilbroch“
Highland games – it takes place in August and September. Their base came from eleventh century to find the fastest messanger, so they organised a hill race. It is cut into „heavy events“ like throwing the hammer, tossing the caber, wrestling and „light events“ like running, jumping, piping and dancing.
Hogmanay – it is celebrating of New Year on 31st December. People play the bagpipe music, sing and dance on streets all night.
Burns Night – in is on 25th January when families commemorate the birthday of famous poet Robert Burns. They have a big dinner like haggis (tlačenka) and after that they read Robert’s poems.
Edinburgh festival – this celebration is held in capital in August. It’s Art festival and there are performanced many theatres, operas and concerts