Tartan Day

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On Tartan Day present and historical links between are Scotland and Scots celebrated abroad. There are over 11 million people of Scottish descent in the United States of America who take great pride in the transatlantic connection. In North America , Tartan Day is celebrated on April 6th, the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath (1320), in Australia and New Zealand on July 1st, the anniversary of the repeal of the Act of Proscription (1782).

Sean Connery at a Tartan Day celebration in Washington DC with members of the USAF Reserve Pipes and Drums.

history

Tartan Day was an idea by Jean Watson . During the late 1980s she was collecting signatures in Canada in recognition of Tartan Day. Their efforts bore fruit when the Canadian province of Nova Scotia approved their request in 1987. Other provinces began recognizing Tartan Day during the 1990s, and by 2004 all Canadian provinces except Newfoundland had recognized Tartan Day.

Jean Watson's idea also found support in the United States and since April 6, 1998, Tartan Day has been officially celebrated by the United States Senate as the day for generations of Scottish Americans to contribute to the founding and creation of the prosperity of modern America.

April 6 has special significance because this date and to the Declaration of Arbroath recalls (1320), the first formal declaration of independence of its kind. The American Declaration of Independence was written not only by their example, almost half of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were of Scottish Origin and 9 out of 13 governors of the original states were Scots.

Tartan Day is now an integral part of the North American calendar. Supporters of the event see this as a sign of strengthening Scottish-American / Canadian relations in the 21st century. During the Glory Parade (2002) over 10,000 bagpipers and drummers marched through the streets of New York . You were at the heart of an event where thousands of Americans celebrated their connection with Scotland. One of the Scottish treasures, the sword of William Wallace , left Scotland for the first time in 700 years and was flown to New York for Tartan Week.

2006 was the first year the celebrations were also present in Scotland. In Scotland, Tartan Day was celebrated in Aberdeen , Montrose , Arbroath , Kilmarnock , Stirling , Perth , Glasgow and Edinburgh .


See also

Web links