In the late 1690's Scotland attempted to become a world trading nation and, in its efforts, tried to establish a colony called 'Caledonia' on the Isthmus of Panama on the Gulf of Darin. That project later became known as the Darin Disaster.
From the very start everything that could possibly have gone wrong, did go wrong. Poor planning, poor provision, bad leadership, a lack of demand for the goods they wanted to trade, and epidemics of diseases of catastrophic proportions doomed the project from the beginning. There was also an increasing shortage of food.
Between 25% and 50% of all the money circulating in Scotland was poured into backing the colonization. It therefore stands to reason that, when the project failed, it left nobles, landowners – who had already suffered a series of bad harvests – as well as town councils and many ordinary traders devastated and ruined.
The Scottish then figured that their only chance to be a part of a major power lay in unity with England. This would give them an opportunity to share the benefits of England's international trade and allow them to take part in the growth of the English Empire.
It is widely believed that the Darin Disaster was a major contributing factor in Scotland becoming a part of the United Kingdom.
