1980s: Many Scots grow weary of Great Britain's conservative government, and the Scottish National Party gains momentum. The party wants greater autonomy for Scotland and less ruling by the British government seat in London.

Today: Although Scotland is still a prominent member of the United Kingdom, the country has its own parliament to run domestic affairs, such as establishing laws and setting taxes. Jack McConnell becomes the first minister of Scotland in 2001.

1980s: Less than 2 percent of the Scottish population can understand Gaelic, the language that prevailed before the British government's push to make English the official language throughout Great Britain. As Scottish-English develops over the centuries, its Gaelic influences decline, and it is hardly recognizable by Scots in the late twentieth century.

Today: In a move to retain national pride in language, many Scottish educators encourage students to speak in the rich Scottish...