three steps in the formation of …

(i)In Britain the formation of the nation-state was not the result of a sudden upheaval or revolution. It was the result of a long-drawn-out process. The primary identities of the people who inhabited were ethnic ones – such as English, Welsh, Scot or Irish.
ii) But as the English nation steadily grew in wealth, importance and power, it was able to extend its influence over the other nations of the islands.
iii)The Act of Union (1707) between England and Scotland that resulted in the formation of the ‘United Kingdom of Great Britain’ meant, in effect, that England was able to impose its influence on Scotland. The British parliament was henceforth dominated by its English members.
iv)Scotland’s distinctive culture and political institutions were systematically suppressed. The Catholic clans suffered terrible repression whenever they attempted to assert their independence. The Scottish Highlanders were forbidden to speak their Gaelic language or wear their national dress, and large numbers were forcibly driven out of their homeland.