ScotlandhasarichculturewhichisdistinctfromtheothernationsintheUKthoughithassimilarities(asistypicalforcountrieswhicharelocatedclosetogether).Scottishpeopleareoftenfiercelyprou

　　ScotlandhasarichculturewhichisdistinctfromtheothernationsintheUKthoughithassimilarities(asistypicalforcountrieswhicharelocatedclosetogether).Scottishpeopleareoftenfiercelyproudoftheirculturewhichinthepastwasthetargetofattemptstosuppressittocreateasingle“British”culture—basedonEnglishculture.TodayinmoreenlightenedtimesScotland’sculturalachievementsareevidentinnumerousareasandareflourishing.

　　Thecountryhasagreattraditionoffestivals(e.g.theEdinburghFestivals)literatureandachievementinthearts.SincetheScottishEnlightenmentthatfollowedtheActofUnionithasproducedsomeofthegreatestliterarypersonalitiesthinkersandwritersoftheworld.ManyideasnowseenaskeytothemodernworldderivefromtheworkofScottishscholarsscientistsandauthorssuchasAdamSmith.ScottishnovelistshavealsoenjoyedsuccessinrecenttimessuchasIrvineWelsh.Scotland’sgreattraditionofsciencehasproducedsomeofthegreatestscientistsandinventorsoftheworldincludingJamesWatt(pioneeroftheIndustrialRevolution)JohnLogieBaird(inventorofthetelevision)andAlexanderFleming(discovererofpenicillin).MorerecentlyscientistsinAberdeendevelopedtheMRIscannerandthoseinEdinburghcreatedDollytheSheepthefirstclonedanimal.

　　ScottishfolkmusicisalsoflourishingwithtraditionalandmodernfolkmusicsunginbothEnglishScottishGaelic(andsometimesScots).Folkmusicoftenfeaturesinstrumentssuchasfiddle/violinacousticguitarharpaccordionpianovarioussortsofbagpipesandothertraditionalinstrumentsaswellasvoice.YoumayalsoencounterScottishformsofdancewhicharealsopopular.Thismayrangefromsimpleasataceilidh(pronounced“kay-lee”amixofdancesperformedtotraditionalmusicanddescendedfromballroomandcountrydancing)tomorecomplexScottishCountryDancingwhichisaformofsocialdancingdescendedfromrenaissancedancestylestosoloHighlandDancingifyougotoaHighlandGames.Thesestylesexistalongsideotherpopularformsofmusicanddancealsofoundinothermoderncountries.

　　Scottishpeoplesufferfromastereotypewhichportraysthemas“dour”andwhilethismayhavebeenaccurateinthepastitnolongeris.Youwillfindmo