Nova Scotia

• In the 1620s, James VI of Scotland claimed the land between Newfoundland and New England as the property of Scotland and dispatched settlers to the new colony of Nova Scotia. However, the Anglo-French War broke out in 1627. At the conclusion of the war, Charles I gave up rights to the colony in the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1632, forcing eviction of the Scottish settlers.
  
  

The Darien Scheme

• In 1695, Scottish parliament established "The Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies." This company was given monopoly rights for trade in Africa and the Indies, and was expected to facilitate trade with the Far East. The Darien Scheme called for establishment of a Scottish colony in Darien Bay, Panama. Goods from Africa and the west Indies would be shipped to Panama, transported overland, and onward to the Far East, eliminating the need for a trip around the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn.
  
  Over 2500 Scottish settlers were sent to Panama, and vast sums were invested. However, the endeavor became a disastrous failure, facing a lack of cooperation from the British, and outright opposition from the Spanish. In the process, over 2000 Scots perished, and Scotland squandered a quarter of its liquid assets.
  
  

Southeast North America

• In the 1730s, the British promoted Scottish settlement of Georgia, with the intention that the Scots serve as a buffer against the Spanish in Florida. The Scots established a number of forts. Despite frequent conflicts with the Spanish and natives, the Scottish settlements became well-established, leading to continued Scottish migration to the region. Scottish migration expanded throughout southeast North America well past the American Revolutionary War and into the 19th century.
  
  

The British Empire

• The Scottish people played a central role in establishing the British Empire, fighting its wars and administering its colonies. Early in the colonial period, the Highland Regiments of Scotland were active in every major British colonial war and were renowned for bravery. This includes the Seven Years War, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Second Anglo-Maratha War, the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War. The 18th century brought industrialization and the growth of Scotland as a commercial and industrial power. The Scottish Enlightenment resulted in greater Scottish participation at all levels of the British Empire.