1. Scotland
By Julia Sherman

2. Statistics Population: 5.4 million (estimated for 2018)
Current Leader: Nicola Sturgeon - First Minister of Scotland and member of Scottish Parliament
Type of Government: Consists of cabinet secretaries and ministers. It is led by the First Minister.
Languages Spoken: The main language is English, but Scots and Scottish Gaelic are sometimes spoken as well.

3. Map of Scottish Culture
Loch Ness
Balmoral Castle
University of St. Andrews
University of St. Andrews is the first University in Scotland
Loch Ness is home to a Scottish Legend of a monster named ‘Nessie’
Balmoral Castle was the summer home of the Royal Family

4. Timeline of Scottish History
3000 BCE: Earliest prehistoric tools in Scotland date back to the year 3000 BCE
410: Romans leave britain
685: The Scottish southern border is established after Battle of Nechtansmere
843: Kenneth McAlpin unites the Scots and Picts as one nation
1040: Macbeth, the king of Scotland, from
1069: Marriage of Malcolm III to Margaret, a union that started in a golden age that ended with the canonization of Margaret as Scotland’s only royal saint.
1292: Edward I of England selects John Balliol as the King of Scotland and kicks off the wars of independence.
1314: Battle of Bannockburn → Results in Scottish independence
1371: First of the Stewart Kings, Robert II, takes the throne
1411: Oldest University in Scotland → St Andrews University
1512: Under the terms of a treaty with France, the ‘Auld Alliance’ is created.
1559: John Knox’s sermon at Perth, thought of as the start of the reformations in Scotland
1561: Mary, Queen of Scots, returns to Scotland and is executed in 1587
1660: The restoration of the monarchy
1750: The Scottish Enlightenment begins around this time
1768: Encyclopedia Britannica published sometime between 1768 and 1771
1776: Adam Smith’s ‘The Wealth of Nations’ is published
1832: The First Reform Act
1914: WW1
1934: The founding of the Scottish National Party → Grew into a major political party in the 1970s
: Second World War → Clydeside becomes target for German bombers
1947: First Edinburgh Festival of Drama and Music (Eventually became one of the largest arts festivals of the world
1999: The Scottish Parliament sits for the first time in 300 years

5. Scottish Culture!
Scottish Art Facts: The Skating Minister → Henry Raeburn Allegory → John Bellany The Singing Butler → Jack Vettriano A Voyage of Discovery → Jack Vettriano Scottish Music Facts: Franz Ferdinand is a rock band in Scotland formed in 2002 Royal Scottish National Orchestra → Was formed in 1891 as the Scottish Orchestra and became the National Scottish Orchestra in 1950 and then was granted Royal Patronage in 1991 Wickerman Festival → the most popular alternative music festival in Scotland Scottish Literature Facts: John Barbour was a scottish poet that wrote The Brus, the first surviving major text in early Scots Robert Burns was a scottish writer and some of his works include, ‘A Red, Red Rose’ and ‘Auld Lang Syne’ The author of ‘The Wind in the Willows’, Kenneth Grahame, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland

6. Artifacts

7. Scotland’s Culinary Scene
Food Culture: The culinary scene in Scotland is very diverse due to the wide range of places they can get their food. With the Atlantic ocean all around them, salmon and shellfish are two dishes that are pretty popular throughout Scotland, as well as the many different meats from the animals of Scotland. Some of the most well known dishes are Scotland’s national dish, haggis, as well as their shortbread cookies, angus beef, and smoked salmon. Some of their food was influenced by the French and the British  whenever the countries interacted with each other. Scones and shortbread are two examples of the Scottish treats that were picked up along the way.
Recipe For Shortbread Cookies:
What you need...
2 Cups of Butter
1 Cup of Brown Sugar
4 Cups of Flour
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Cream butter and brown sugar. Add 3 to 3 3/4 cups flour. Mix well.
Sprinkle board with the remaining flour. Knead for 5 minutes, adding enough flour to make a soft dough. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into 3x1 inch strips. Prick with fork and place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.