Basic Fantasy RPG Forums

Adelaide, South Australia

Glasgow, Scotland

I have a question and its probably going to sound stupid. I know that Great Britain contains England, Scotland and Wales and that the United Kingdom contains GB and part of Ireland. What I don't know is if that all makes up one country or if its just a union like the European Union. Put another way, The US has 50 states, but we also have 5 territories. I would put Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam, etc in their own slot on the first page, but I am not sure exactly how each group in Great Britain feel about their own autonomy.

Hywaywolf wrote:I have a question and its probably going to sound stupid. I know that Great Britain contains England, Scotland and Wales and that the United Kingdom contains GB and part of Ireland. What I don't know is if that all makes up one country or if its just a union like the European Union. Put another way, The US has 50 states, but we also have 5 territories. I would put Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam, etc in their own slot on the first page, but I am not sure exactly how each group in Great Britain feel about their own autonomy.

The UK is all one country, although Scotland has its own parliament and I think its own courts and periodically discusses seceding.

The Commonwealth, on the other hand, is rather less than the EU, being just any countries that recognize the Queen as their ruler. Most commonwealth countries are former British colonies or territories like Canada or Jamaica.

Hywaywolf wrote:I have a question and its probably going to sound stupid. I know that Great Britain contains England, Scotland and Wales and that the United Kingdom contains GB and part of Ireland. What I don't know is if that all makes up one country or if its just a union like the European Union. Put another way, The US has 50 states, but we also have 5 territories. I would put Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam, etc in their own slot on the first page, but I am not sure exactly how each group in Great Britain feel about their own autonomy.

Prior to 1603 Scotland and England were separate kingdoms with their own Parliament. Ireland was more complicated, Wales by 1603 had been conquered by England.

In 1603, upon the extinction of the English Royal Line, the kingdoms had a joint king, James VI and I (sixth of Scotland, 1st of England)

What happened over the next 100 years was complex, and involved bribery, threats, blackmail & economic warfare, but in 1707 a Treaty was signed joining the Parliaments of England and Scotland.

Scotland retained its own legal, education system & church.

In 1801 the Irish Parliament was added, but that went kind of by the by when Eire became independent in 1921, leaving Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland also has its own legal system and education system. The NHS in Scotland, England and N Ireland have also been separate since inception.

Later this year, on 18th September 2014, there is a Referendum in Scotland on the question "Should Scotland be an Independant country". This may change the situation somewhat

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