The Darién scheme was an unsuccessful attempt by the Kingdom of Scotland to establish a colony on the Isthmus of Panama. The Vikings were the first Europeans to reach the Americas, starting but then abandoning a colonisation process. ... The history of the Americas begins with their colonization by peoples from Asia, the ancestors of todays Native Americans. ... British colonization of the Americas began in the late 16th century. ... The Duchy of Courland was the smallest nation to colonize the Americas with a short-lived colony in Tobago from 1654 to 1659. ... Explorers and settlers from Denmark took possession of the Danish Virgin Islands, which Denmark later sold to the United States. ... During the 17th century, Dutch traders established trade posts and plantations throughout the Americas; actual colonization, with Dutch settling in the new lands was not as common as with settlements of other European nations. ... The French established colonies across the New World in the 17th century. ... The German colonization of the Americas consisted of a 16th century attempt to settle Venezuela. ... Portugal was the leading country in the European exploration of the world in the 15th century. ... After the discovery of northern Alaska by Ivan Fedorov in 1732, and the Aleutian Islands, southern Alaska, and north-western shores of North America in 1741 during the Russian exploration conducted by Vitus Bering and Aleksei Chirikov, it took fifty years until the founding of the first Russian colony in... Spanish colonization of the Americas began with the arrival in the Americas of Christopher Columbus in 1492. ... The Swedish colonization of the Americas consisted of a 17th century settlement on the Delaware River in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, and possessions in the Caribbean during the 18th and 19th century. ... The Vikings, or Norse, explored and settled areas of the North Atlantic, including the northeast fringes of North America, beginning in the 10th century of the common era. ... Scotland (Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is a country or nation and former independent kingdom of northwest Europe, and one of the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom. ... In politics and in history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a geographically-distinct state (or city, in ancient times). ...

The late 17th century was difficult economically for the Scots. A number of remedies for the desperate situation were enacted by the Parliament of 1695. The Bank of Scotland was established. The Act for the Settling of Schools established a parish-based system of public education throughout Scotland. Given the late development and deplorable state of public education in England this gave a substantial advantage to Scots for centuries to come. The Company of Scotland was chartered with capital to be raised by public subscription to trade with "Africa and the Indies." (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Events July 17- The Bank of Scotland is founded by an Act of Parliament of the old Scottish Parliament. ... Logo of the Bank of Scotland The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland is a major commercial bank in Scotland, and, to a lesser extent, in the rest of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. ... The Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies was an overseas trading company created by an act of the Scots Parliament in 1695. ...

In attempts to expand the Scots had earlier sent settlers to the English colony of New Jersey and had established an abortive colony at Stuart's Town in what is now South Carolina. The Company of Scotland soon became involved with the Darién scheme, an ambitious plan devised by William Paterson to establish a colony on the Isthmus of Panama in the hope of establishing trade with the Far East - the principle that led to the construction of the Panama Canal much later. The Company of Scotland easily raised subscriptions in London for the scheme. But the English Government was opposed to the idea, being at war with France and not wanting to offend Spain, which claimed the territory as part of New Granada, and the English investors were forced to withdraw. Returning to Edinburgh, the Company raised 400,000 pounds in a few weeks. Three small fleets with a total of 3000 men were eventually dispatched to Panama. It was a disaster. Poorly equipped, beset by incessant rain, under attack by the Spanish from nearby Cartagena, and refused aid by the English in the West Indies, the colony was abandoned. Only 1000 survived and only one ship managed to return to Scotland. A desperate ship from the colony which called at Port Royal was refused assistance on the orders of the English government. State nickname: The Garden State Other U.S. States Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Governor Richard Codey (acting) Official languages None defined Area 22,608 km² (47th)  - Land 19,231 km²  - Water 3,378 km² (14. ... State nickname: Palmetto State Other U.S. States Capital Columbia Largest city Columbia Governor Mark Sanford Official languages English Area 82,965 km² (40th)  - Land 78,051 km²  - Water 4,915 km² (6%) Population (2000)  - Population 4,012,012 (26th)  - Density 51. ... William Paterson (1658 - January 22, 1719) was a Scottish trader in London usually credited as the founder of the Bank of England and of the Bank of Scotland. ... Far East is a term often used for East Asia and Southeast Asia combined, sometimes including also the easternmost territories of Russia, i. ... Panama Canal The Panama Canal is a large canal, 51 miles (82 kilometers) long, that cuts through the isthmus of Panama, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. ... New Granada was the name given to a group of colonial provinces in northern South America, corresponding mainly to modern Colombia. ... For other places of the same name, see Cartagena Bocagrande Cartagena San Pedro Square,Old City Cartagena Cartagena, Colombia, also known as Cartagena de Indias or La Heroica (The Heroic), is a large seaport on the north coast of Colombia. ... The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. ... Location of Kingston Kingston (population 600,000) is the capital of Jamaica and it is located southeast of the country. ...

The failure of the Darién scheme has been cited as one of the motivations for the Act of Union 1707. The Acts of Union were twin Acts of Parliament passed in 1707 (taking effect on 26 March) in the Scottish and the English Parliaments. ...

See Nova Scotia Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (One defends and the other conquers) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Lieutenant Governor Myra A. Freeman Premier John Hamm (PC) Area 55,284 km² (12th)  - Land 53,338 km²  - Water 1,946 km² (3. ...