How did the Act of Union of 1707 unite England and Scotland?

The Act of Union of 1707 united England and Scotland into a single kingdom named Great Britain by merging their respective parliaments and establishing a unified state.12

Driven by mutual necessity, the union addressed Scotland’s need for economic security and England’s desire for political stability against potential French and Jacobite threats. The agreement included several key provisions:12

• Economic Integration: The treaty established free and equal trade throughout Great Britain and its dominions, with uniform taxation.12
• Political Succession: Scotland accepted the Protestant Hanoverian succession, ensuring the crown would pass to George I.12
• Governance: Scotland relinquished its own parliament, receiving representation in the united Parliament, while Scottish law and the Church of Scotland were preserved.12
• Financial Compensation: England provided a monetary payment to Scotland to offset the responsibility of sharing England’s national debt.1

The treaty was passed by both parliaments and took effect on May 1, 1707.12