"Drawing on a vast amount of highly original research, Devine has produced an authoritative exploration of modern Scottish history - from the union of 1707 to devolution in 1999. Along the way he covers the Jacobite rebellions, the Scottish enlightenment, industrialization, the clearances, religion, and the road to devolution, as well as the global diaspora of the Scots, the impact of immigrant communities, the lives of Scottish women, the changing Scottish identity, and the nation during the world wars. Throughout, the story of Scotland is set against the background of British, European, and world history."--Jacket.