1962: Scotland-born Sean Connery appears in the first James Bond film, Dr. No.

1995: Scotland's film and tourist industries receive a boost when Braveheart, Mel Gibson's film about William Wallace, wins five Oscars and makes the world aware, again, of Scotland's history.

Today: Ireland-born Pierce Brosnan now plays James Bond.

1950: Scottish Nationalists steal the "Stone of Destiny" from Westminster Abbey. This was Scotland's Coronation Stone, taken by the English in 1296. By tradition all British Monarchs have to be crowned while sitting on it. It was eventually recovered from Arbroath Abbey.

1996: The Stone of Destiny is finally returned to Scotland permanently, 700 years after it was stolen by Edward I.

1997: Scottish people voted yes for "Devolution" for Scotland, by a 75 percent majority. This would give Scotland it's own parliament, not tied to English parliamentary systems, for the first time in several centuries.

1958: The most prominent political party of the...