This is another persistent myth: that Highlanders supported Bonnie Prince Charlie out of some ancient, mystical loyalty to the Stuarts. Herman taught the Western Heritage Program at the Smithsonian's Campus on the Mall, and he has been a professor of history at Georgetown University, The Catholic University of America, George Mason University, and The University of the South at Sewanee. Most of it seems positive today - strong commercial enterprise, extending education, uplifting political ideals. The truth was that the alliance between the Crown and the clan chieftains was one of mutual self-interest.

By 1570, Knox recognized that Mary no longer had any part to play in making the New Jerusalem and he swept her aside, like a useless piece from the game board. Buchanan came from Stirlingshire in central Scotland, at a time when it was still much like the Highlands in its culture and character -- in fact, Buchanan grew up speaking both Gaelic and Scots.

Arthur Herman, How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe’s Poorest Nation Created Our World and Everything in It(aff). This book presented a well organized and succinct history of many of Scotland’s most advanced thinkers and doers. Perennials PERENNIALS constant friends A selection of novels, memoirs and more by some of our favourite authors. In an excellent summary over two chapters, Herman outlines the Scottish Enlightenment and the men who created it.

Reviewing Thomas Cahill's How the Irish Saved Civilization evoked a nagging question: "Why hasn't someone done this for the Scots? The 18th-century Scottish Enlightenment, embodied by such brilliant thinkers as Francis Hutcheson, Adam Smith and David Hume, paved the way for Scottish and, Herman argues, global modernity.He is the coordinator of the Western Heritage Program at the Smithsonian Institution, an associate professor of history at George Mason University, and a consulting historical editor for Time-Life Books. The willingness of the Scots to copy the best of the English while not being held back by their traditions was a key to their success.