Each culture has its own rules and norms of behavior, customs and traditions, often not similar to each other, but it is they who identify a person as part of a nation.
The population of Scotland is markedly different from all other subjects of the English crown. Despite their small numbers, according to statistics for 2016, a little more than five million people live in Scotland (this is half as much as in Moscow), the Scots manage to maintain their identity and even turned it into a kind of brand. This is especially evident in the world of fashion, where the Scottish tartan (the national cell that defines the Scots as an adherent of a clan) has been a favorite for many years.
Mentality
Despite its apparent cordiality, the population of Scotland is somewhat closed, stern, stubborn, stingy and does not like strangers. The latter can be justified by the fact that the Scots, like their neighbors, the Welsh, the British and the Irish, are islanders, which means they have a slightly different character set than those who live on the mainland.
If for the population of a large land the arrival of a neighbor as a guest was common, then it was necessary to get to the island, and most often strangers sailed not in peace. The constant upholding of their land both from the sea and from their closest neighbors, the British (namely, they were the main headache of the Scots), and shaped the national character of the descendants of ancient Picts.
A bit of history
The settlement of the territory of modern Scotland began with the ancient Picts. It was they who served as the progenitors of modern Scottish society. They were originally called Iberians, and only with the advent of the Celts on the island did the name "Picts" appear. Their habitat was the north of the island, the part that is today called Scotland. In the west lived the Scottish (ancestors of the Irish), the territory of England was occupied by the Britons, later supplanted by the Anglo-Saxons.
In the 9th century, Picts and Scottes united against the Vikings to form a kingdom called Scotia. But the modern name "Scotland" appeared only after a couple of centuries, in the 11th century.
Galik
Or how to call it, Gaelic . The national language used by the population of Scotland is the main one along with English. Although today you can only find pure Gaelic in deep Scottish villages. The bulk of the population uses a cross between English and Gaelic (Scottish English). Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to understand the language of Scotland even to its closest neighbors, the British.
Gaelic appeared thanks to the Irish, displacing Pictish and Old English. But he did not last long. Already in the 15th century, the population of Scotland began to speak Scottish
English. The development of the uniformity of the language was partly served by the cities that began to appear in the 11th century.
Cities of Scotland
The cities of Scotland, like most European cities, have a "spider web" network of streets and roads. Most often, they sprang up around the castle of some feudal lord. At first it was a temporary settlement, consisting of workers who built the castle, and their families. Then the population increased, and small villages were already appearing. And when the construction was completed and the owner moved to the castle (or fortress), cities formed.
The occupation of the land owner often determined the fate of the city. So, if the feudal lord chose the seashore as a place for his house, then the city became a port, and his main income already depended on the catch.
The cities of Scotland, located in the mountains, villages, farms are still fed from land and livestock. The legendary kilt of Scottish sheep wool was and remains the main pride of the population. It is akin to our Orenburg shawl. Maybe not the same thin and elegant, but certainly warm and durable.
And without a whiskey, no youth party is complete. There is a second variant of writing this whiskey drink - this is the Irish version, which differs not only in writing, but also in taste. Irish whiskey is pure, without impurities. It was invented by Irish immigrants who arrived in the United States and were very homesick. Scottish is slightly peaty. It was from ancient times that this drink was brewed. Therefore, for any Scotch, whiskey is more than just a drink, it is a connection with its history.
Who rules Caledonia
It is a well-known fact that for many centuries the Scots defended their lands and waged war both with each other and with the British. The independence wars of Scotland, or rather two wars, were fought from the late 13th to the mid-14th century. The results were successful, because up to the 17th century, Scotland remained independent. And only in 1603 did the Scottish and English crowns unite. So today the Queen of Scotland is Elizabeth II - the oldest monarch in the history of Britain. Of course, before that, Scotland had female rulers on its throne, but none of them ruled the country for as long as Elizabeth.