Church of Scotland Safeguard Enacted
Scottish legislation secured the Presbyterian Church's government and discipline as part of the union settlement.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1707 in Great Britain
Explore 65 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1707.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1707
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 65 unique records.
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January
Scottish Parliament Approves Treaty Articles
On 16 January, the Scottish Parliament approved the final treaty articles. The vote followed intense public disagreement about sovereignty, religion and trade.
Scottish Parliament Ratifies Union
The Scottish Parliament ratified the Treaty of Union by 110 votes to 67 after reviewing its provisions.
Frederick Louis Born in Hanover
Frederick Louis entered the Hanoverian dynastic line in 1707. He became Prince of Wales after his father succeeded to the British throne in 1727.
Caroline Gives Birth to Frederick
Caroline of Ansbach gave birth to Frederick Louis in Hanover. He was her first child with George Augustus, the future George II.
George Augustus Becomes a Father
Frederick Louis was born in Hanover to George Augustus, later King George II, and Caroline of Ansbach. The child would later become Prince of Wales.
March
English Parliament Approves Union
The English Parliament approved legislation giving effect to the union articles agreed with Scotland.
Scottish Parliament Convenes Last Sitting
Scotland's separate Parliament met for the last time before the parliamentary union took effect.
April
Scottish Parliament Formally Dissolved
A royal proclamation dissolved the former Scottish Parliament ahead of the new Parliament of Great Britain.
May
Act of Union Takes Effect
On 1 May 1707, the parliamentary union of England and Scotland took effect under Queen Anne. The legislation had been passed in 1706 and 1707, not 1701.
English Scottish Customs Boundary Removed
The new fiscal union removed the former internal customs boundary separating English and Scottish commerce.
First Parliament Includes Scottish Members
The new Parliament of Great Britain included 45 Scottish members of the Commons and 16 representative peers in the Lords. Queen Anne, not the future George I, reigned in 1707.
Hanoverian Succession Dispute Resolved
Scotland’s Act of Security had allowed a different Protestant successor under certain conditions. Union brought both kingdoms under the same succession settlement before George Louis became king in 1714.
New Kingdom Named Great Britain
From 1 May, England and Scotland formed the Kingdom of Great Britain. The union did not yet create the later United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
Parliamentary Sovereignty Restructured
The treaty replaced two parliaments with a single legislature at Westminster. Political debates continued over the extent to which Scottish institutions and laws would remain secure.
Protestant Succession Confirmed by Union
The settlement secured the Protestant succession through Sophia of Hanover and her heirs. George Louis, later George I, was a beneficiary of this succession arrangement.
Queen Anne Rules United Kingdoms
Queen Anne became sovereign of the new Kingdom of Great Britain on 1 May. The settlement retained separate Scottish law and churches while combining parliamentary representation.
Scottish Commons Representation Allocated
Article 22 allocated 45 seats in the new House of Commons to Scotland. The arrangement formed part of the political settlement that united the two parliaments.
Scottish Courts Continue After Union
The creation of Great Britain left Scotland's distinct courts and substantive legal system in operation.
Scottish Courts Continue Operating
The treaty protected the Court of Session and Court of Justiciary. The shared Parliament therefore operated alongside a distinct Scottish legal system.
Scottish Law Survives Political Union
The treaty preserved Scotland’s separate legal system and secured its Presbyterian church establishment. Queen Anne presided over a union of legislatures, not a wholesale merger of institutions.
Scottish Parliament Ends Under Union
The union replaced Scotland’s separate Parliament with representation at Westminster. George Louis of Hanover, later George I, was not the reigning monarch when this change occurred.
Scottish Peers Gain Representative Seats
Under the union, Scotland elected 16 representative peers to sit in the House of Lords. The arrangement differed from the individual hereditary attendance rights of English peers.
Scottish Succession Dispute Ends
The Scottish Act of Security had complicated agreement over the succession. The 1707 union replaced the prospect of divergent royal successions with a common Protestant settlement.
Separate Scottish Legislature Dissolved
Scotland’s independent Parliament ceased under the union, although Scottish MPs entered the new British legislature. This transition occurred during Queen Anne’s reign.
Shared Great Seal Authorized
The union articles provided for a Great Seal of Great Britain while keeping Scottish public records and regalia in Scotland.
Succession Settlement Excludes Catholic Claimants
The union applied the Protestant succession established by the English Act of Settlement across Great Britain. This addressed competing succession arrangements that had strained Anglo-Scottish relations.
Two Legislatures Approve Incorporating Union
Separate acts of the Scottish and English Parliaments gave legal effect to the treaty. The legislation created one sovereign Parliament for Great Britain from May 1707.
Cowper Appointed Great Britain’s Chancellor
Following the union, Queen Anne appointed William Cowper Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain in May. The new title reflected the creation of a single kingdom.
Great Seal Passes Under Cowper
William Cowper oversaw central legal business following the union as Lord High Chancellor. The chancellorship became an office of Great Britain rather than of England alone.
October
United Parliament First Formal Meeting
The Parliament of Great Britain held its first formal meeting at Westminster following the union of the two kingdoms.
Other events (month unknown)
Church of England Establishment Secured
The English legislation protecting the established Church of England was made a condition of union. This maintained separate national church establishments within the new state.
Church of Scotland Safeguarded
Legislation associated with the union protected the Presbyterian establishment of the Church of Scotland. Religious guarantees were central to securing support for the treaty north of the border.
Churchill Meets Swedish King Charles
Marlborough consulted Charles XII at Altranstadt to assess whether Swedish policy threatened the Grand Alliance.
Coinage Standardisation Required
Article 16 required coinage across Great Britain to follow the same standard and value. Scottish coinage was to be brought into line with the English monetary system.
Common Customs System Established
Articles 6 and 7 provided for common trade regulations, customs and specified excise duties. Their implementation brought significant adjustments to the collection of revenue in Scotland.
Compton Appointed Paymaster of Pensions
Spencer Compton received an appointment as paymaster of the queen’s pensioners in 1707. It was an early position in a long political career.
Court of Session Retained
Article 19 preserved Scotland’s Court of Session and its established jurisdiction. The treaty therefore maintained a separate Scottish civil judicial system within the new kingdom.
Darien Investors Included in Settlement
The agreed Equivalent provided funds for creditors and proprietors of the unsuccessful Scottish Darien venture. Compensation addressed an important financial grievance during negotiations for union.
Defends Parliamentary Union in Print
Daniel Defoe published arguments supporting union and discussed Scottish political affairs. His advocacy emphasised trade, Protestant succession and the potential benefits of a united Parliament.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.