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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, April 6, 2011, marks the 691st anniversary of the
3signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, in which
4Scotland declared its independence from England; the
5Declaration of Arbroath is one of the precursors of the United
6States Declaration of Independence; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Almost half of the 56 signers of the Declaration
8of Independence and 9 of the Governors of the original 13
9colonies were of Scottish descent; and
 
10    WHEREAS, More than 11 million Americans can trace their
11roots back to Scotland; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Illinois is home to various festivals and games
13featuring Scottish culture that are held annually across the
14State; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Established in 1845, the Illinois Saint Andrews
16Society is the oldest charitable organization in Illinois;
17their motto is: nourishing Scottish identity through service,
18fellowship, and the celebration of Scottish culture; their
19principal charity is the Scottish Home, a nursing home that the
20Society built in 1910 and has supported for 100 years; the
21Society also provides scholarships to bright, talented young

 

 

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1students and hosts events to help families learn about Scottish
2culture, art, music, dance, and literature, including the
3Scottish Festival and Highland Games; and
 
4    WHEREAS, The Scottish cultural identity reflects
5individualism, a strong work ethic, family loyalty,
6patriotism, and faith in God; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Citizens of both the State of Illinois and
8Scotland are first in the defense of rights and freedom; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The Scottish people, with their self-reliance and
10unbending spirit, helped to shape the unmistakable character of
11their country and the State of Illinois; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we commend the more than 200 organizations throughout the
15United States that honor Scottish heritage, tradition, and
16culture, representing the hundreds of thousands of Americans of
17Scottish descent, residing in every state, who have already
18made the observance of National Tartan Day on April 6 a
19success; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That we proclaim April as Scottish Heritage Month
21in the State of Illinois.